Senior NPD Technologist

Company description: Vitaflo (International) Limited has developed innovative specialised clinical nutritional products for inherited metabolic disorders, paediatric kidney disease, and specialised diets such as the ketogenic diet. Vitaflo products offer patients choice, flexibility, and convenience. We combine the latest medical research with insights on changing modern lifestyles to best support patients in the compliance of restrictive therapeutic diets.

Job description: Founded in 1997, Vitaflo develops specialised clinical nutrition products for patients with inherited metabolic disorders, paediatric kidney disease and those requiring specialist diets, including the ketogenic diet. With a global presence, our research and innovation are driven by the needs of the patients we serve. Behind our products is a dedicated and collaborative team, united by a shared passion to make a meaningful difference to patients' lives. Our mission, Enhancing Lives Together, sits at the centre of our business, guiding our decisions, our innovation, and our commitment to patients and their families.

Introduction: We are currently looking to recruit a Senior New Product Development Technologist to work at our Liverpool Headquarters on a full-time, fixed-term 18-month contract. You will be responsible for leading and delivering new product development projects from concept through to launch, ensuring products are developed safely, efficiently and in line with business, regulatory and quality requirements. Working collaboratively across multiple functions, you will play a key role in driving projects forward whilst delivering innovative nutritional products that meet the needs of patients.

What will you do? As the Senior New Product Development Technologist, your main responsibilities will consist of:

• Lead New Product Development projects from concept through to commercialisation.
• Develop and optimise product formulations to meet nutritional, sensory, quality and manufacturing requirements.
• Plan, organise, execute and evaluate laboratory, pilot plant and factory trials.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Quality, Procurement, Clinical and Commercial teams to ensure successful project delivery.
• Manage project timelines, communicate progress and proactively identify and mitigate project risks.
• Evaluate new ingredients and technologies to support innovation and continuous improvement.
• Support product change projects, including reformulation, raw material changes and process improvements.
• Ensure all development activities are fully documented and comply with company procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical expertise to support manufacturing, troubleshooting and product launches where required.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the NPD function.

Who are we looking for?

Essential:

• Degree (or equivalent) in Food Science, Nutrition or a related scientific discipline.
• Previous experience within a New Product Development environment.
• Experience of managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong technical knowledge of food formulation and product development.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to build effective relationships across cross-functional teams.
• Proactive approach with strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to work independently whilst contributing effectively as part of a team.
• Good attention to detail and excellent written documentation skills.

Desirable:

• Experience of nutritional or specialised food products.
• Experience of factory trials and scale-up activities.
• Knowledge of food legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working within a regulated food or medical nutrition environment.
• Understanding of sensory evaluation techniques.
• Experience of continuous improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of SAP and/or project management systems.

What we offer?

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual leave (pro rata for part time) plus bank holidays and Christmas shut down
• Discretionary bonus scheme (subject to qualifying period)
• Gym membership/allowance (subject to qualifying period)
• Employer pension contribution (3% rising to 5% subject to qualifying period then matched to a maximum of 10%). Employee minimum contributions apply
• Private healthcare (subject to qualifying period)
• Volunteering opportunities
• Cycle to work scheme (subject to qualifying period)

At Vitaflo (International) Ltd, our values are rooted in respect - for our employees, our customers and our patients. That's why championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business. We are committed to equal opportunity for all, and we may collect relevant anonymised data for monitoring purposes during our candidate registration process.