Senior Food Innovation & Product Development Specialist

The Company
Our client is a growing Australian food manufacturer investing heavily in innovation, product development and manufacturing capability.
With a strong focus on quality and technical excellence, this is an exciting opportunity to join the business during a period of growth and play a key role in bringing new products to market.

The Role
Reporting into senior leadership, this Senior Food Innovation & Product Development Specialist will own NPD from initial concept through to commercialisation.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys formulation, trials, scale-up and turning ideas into commercially viable products.
Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading end-to-end NPD from concept through to commercialisation
• Developing and refining new food formulations
• Conducting laboratory, kitchen and production-scale trials
• Managing formulation, ingredients and product specifications
• Coordinating sensory evaluation, testing and shelf-life trials
• Supporting product scale-up into manufacturing
• Working closely with Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing and Commercial teams
• Liaising with suppliers and external technical partners
• Ensuring products meet food safety, quality and regulatory requirements
• Troubleshooting technical and formulation challenges
• Maintaining accurate technical documentation
• Identifying opportunities for product innovation and improvement

This is an opportunity to create and influence new products rather than simply maintain an existing portfolio.

About You
The ideal candidate will bring:

• A degree in Food Science, Food Technology or a related discipline
• Proven NPD experience within food manufacturing
• Strong formulation and product development capability
• Experience taking products through development, scale-up and commercialisation
• Sound understanding of food ingredients and manufacturing processes
• Experience with trials, sensory assessment and/or shelf-life testing
• Strong knowledge of food safety, quality and regulatory requirements
• Experience working with suppliers and external technical partners
• Strong project management and stakeholder skills
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively
• A creative, curious and commercially minded approach

Experience across sauces, seasonings, flavour systems, prepared foods or other formulated products will be highly regarded.

Most importantly, we're looking for someone passionate about food innovation who enjoys taking products from concept through to the production floor.
Why This Opportunity?

• Take ownership of meaningful NPD projects
• Work across the full product development lifecycle
• Influence future product ranges
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders and technical specialists
• Play a key role in a growing, innovation-focused manufacturing environment

If you're an experienced Food Technologist looking for a role where you can develop rather than simply maintain, this could be an excellent next step.

Contact
Please call Eugene Lane-Mullins on 0435 914 485 or email e.lane-mullins@aspectpersonnel.com.au to discuss this opportunity or other specialist Food Manufacturing and Technical opportunities.