Key Facts

Remote From:

Full time

English

Hard Skills

Sensory Analysis Software Prototyping Industrial Design Cross-Functional Collaboration Benchmarking Commercialization Operational Efficiency Customer Relationship Management Stakeholder Communications Value Engineering Cost Management Sample Preparation Project Documentation Sample Management Supplier Management Presentation Training

Other Skills

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Quality Assurance
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Diversity Awareness
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Communication
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Relationship Building
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Teamwork
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Detail Oriented
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Plan Execution
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Willingness To Learn
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Problem Solving

Roles & Responsibilities

Experience in developing new and improved food products, including prototypes and scale-up into factory production.
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills to work with RD, Technical, Operations, Marketing and Procurement.
Proven ability to conduct sensory analysis, benchmarking, and use insights to guide quality and development decisions.
Passionate about food, curious, collaborative, and motivated to grow a career in product development.

Requirements:

Developing new and improved products, creating prototypes, delivering development for innovation, reformulation and value engineering, and supporting scale-up into factory production.
Plan and run factory trials, and collaborate with site teams to prepare for and execute trials, ensuring quality, operational and cost targets.
Manage samples and documentation, preparing high-quality product samples and completing development records in line with RD governance and stage-gate processes.
Conduct sensory and benchmarking analysis, and compare KP Snacks products with market and own-label competitors to inform development decisions.

KP Snacks

Food & Beverages

About KP Snacks

KP Snacks is one of the biggest snack companies in the UK and part of the Intersnack Group, Europe’s lead producer of savoury snacks by volume. We are home to some of Britain’s most iconic snack brands as well as producing many fantastic products for the UK’s leading retailers. We are proud that millions of people enjoy our delicious snacks, every day! We’re passionate about enriching people’s lives with the very best savoury snacks. We strive for excellence in everything we do and pride ourselves on an innovative approach and outstanding quality – not just in our products, but also in the way we operate as a business. Our ambition is to grow. To achieve our goals, we rely on the diversity of our brands and products, as well as the cultural diversity, experience and talents of our people. We are a vibrant business and a really exciting organisation in which to build a food industry career. We know that we achieve our business goals through the drive and motivation of our talented people, so we strive to provide enjoyable, fulfilling careers, with ongoing learning and development to support future progression. We also believe strongly in taking responsibility for all our actions – whether they relate to our consumers, our employees, our business partners or our environment. We believe that integrity, accountability and proper risk management are essential. KP Snacks is proud to be part of the Intersnack Group since January 2013. The two companies have a combined history of nearly 70 years’ continuous experience in savoury snacks and a total workforce of around 8,000 people, operating in more than 30 locations across the UK and Europe. The combination of KP and Intersnack has created a business with unrivalled market expertise to further develop our brands and explore new markets.

Company type: Large

Industry: Food & Beverages

Founded: 2018

Company size: 1001 - 5000

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Job description

Research & Development Technologist
Pontefract (WF8 2JS) (Home of Butterkist Popcorn)
Predominately on-site, with the opportunity to work from home once or twice a week, depending on priorities.

Join our snack-loving team
We’re looking for a Research & Development Technologist to join us at KP Snacks. If you’re ready to bring your ideas to the table, grow your skills and be part of a team that values what makes you, you – this could be your next big move.

About the role

This is an exciting role at the heart of product innovation, helping to shape the future of snacking across KP Snacks’ popcorn brand and retailer portfolios. Reporting to the Product Development Manager, you’ll support the development of new products, optimise existing ranges and help turn creative ideas into high‑quality, commercially viable snacks.

You’ll work closely with colleagues across R&D, Technical, Operations, Marketing and Procurement, contributing to everything from bench development and prototyping to factory trials and first production runs. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about food, curious, collaborative and ready to grow their career in product development.

What’s in it for you?
We believe in rewarding our colleagues and helping them thrive. Here’s a flavour of what we offer:

Annual bonus scheme, with a strong track record of overachievement
Comprehensive healthcare support – including Medicash Health Cash Plan or Private Healthcare, Digital GP, Best Doctors second opinion service and specialist cancer care
KP Pension Plan – contribution matching up to 7% of your salary
25 days holiday, plus the option to buy more
KP4ME – our online platform for benefits, discounts, wellbeing tools and more

What will you be doing?

Developing new and improved products
Creating prototypes, delivering development for innovation, reformulation and value engineering, and supporting scale‑up into factory production
Planning and running factory trials
Working with site teams to prepare for and execute trials, ensuring products meet quality, operational and cost targets
Managing samples and documentation
Preparing high‑quality product samples and completing development records in line with R&D governance and stage‑gate processes
Conducting sensory and benchmarking analysis
Comparing KP Snacks products with market and own‑label competitors, using insights to guide quality and development decisions
Collaborating across our business and supply base
Working with key functions, supporting customer and supplier relationships, and representing R&D during visits and meetings

Who are we?
We’re KP Snacks, part of the Intersnack family. Across more than 30 countries, over 15,000 of us work together to make the snacks people love – from Hula Hoops to McCoy’s. In the UK, we’re a team of around 2,400 colleagues, based across seven sites and our Slough HQ. We’re proud of our close-knit culture, where we speak up, celebrate differences and push boundaries together.

We’re committed to inclusion
We’re building a workplace where everyone belongs. If you don’t tick every box, we’d still love to hear from you – your unique perspective could be just what we need. And if there’s anything we can do to make the process easier for you, just let us know.

Ready to apply?

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