NPD Technologist

ASR Group is the world’s largest refiner and marketer of cane sugar, with an annual production capacity of more than 6 million tons of sugar. The company produces a full line of grocery, industrial, food service, and specialty sweetener products. Across North America and the European Union the company owns and operates sugar refineries in several locations, including Louisiana, New York, California, Maryland, Canada, Mexico, England and Portugal. The company’s brand portfolio includes Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle’s® and Sidul®.

Job Title

Product Developer II

Location

Thames Refinery, UK

Reports To

Product Manager

Salary

Salary

Overview

As a member of the Research & Technology team, the Research Scientist is responsible for delivering product development, formulation and sensory evaluation activities to support new product development, optimisation and customer‑driven projects across European sites, with occasional involvement in global initiatives. The role is hands‑on and customer‑oriented, working closely with Marketing, suppliers, Finance, Quality and Operations to translate briefs into technical solutions, optimise costs and ensure product scalability and food safety compliance.

Detailed Roles & Responsibilities

Product Development, Formulation & Sensory

• Effectively manage time, priorities and resources to deliver multiple development projects, laboratory activities and internal/external customer requests to meet agreed timelines.
• Responsible for laboratory‑based product development and formulation activities across sugar, syrups, sweeteners, flavoured syrups, beverage, coffee syrups and dessert sauces.
• Develop, optimise and reformulate products in line with customer requirements, marketing briefs, manufacturing capability and cost targets.
• Design, prepare and evaluate bench‑scale samples, supporting internal reviews and external customer assessments.
• Plan, conduct and interpret organoleptic assessments and sensory evaluations, translating results into development recommendations.
• Provide technical flavour and application recommendations to support product performance and business growth.

Customer, Commercial & Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing to translate customer and market briefs into structured technical development plans.
• Support customer engagement sessions, including development briefs and product sample showcases.
• Support customer‑facing technical discussions, including product tastings, technical briefings and sample reviews.
• Engage with ingredient and flavour suppliers to evaluate materials, identify innovation opportunities and resolve technical challenges.
• Partner with Finance to calculate, review and optimise formulation costs to support commercial decision‑making.
• Collaborate with Quality and Operations to ensure formulations meet food safety, regulatory and manufacturing requirements.

Scale‑up, Product Stability & Technical Support

• Support manufacturing trials, including technical documentation preparation, participation in trials, data capture, sample testing and reporting of outcomes.
• Plan and execute real‑time and accelerated shelf‑life and stability studies, analysing results and making technical recommendations.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing sites, including investigation of customer complaints and troubleshooting product‑related issues as required.
• Generate technical documentation, including formulation records, trial reports, sensory summaries and development recommendations to support audits and technical governance.

Laboratory Practice

• Work in full compliance with Good Laboratory Practice, GMP, food safety and Health & Safety requirements.
• Support routine laboratory activities and maintain a clean and organised laboratory, adhering to housekeeping and hygiene standards.
• Manage laboratory ingredients, samples, equipment and records to ensure traceability and data integrity.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and implementation of digital tools, data analytics and AI‑enabled approaches to support product development, predictive modelling, formulation optimisation and trend analysis.

Experience & Qualifications

• Experience in product development, formulation and sensory evaluation within the food and beverage industry.
• Experience working with sugars, sweeteners, beverages, flavoured syrups, dessert sauces and coffee syrups or equivalents.
• Strong capability in product formulation, organoleptic assessment and sensory evaluation, with the ability to translate sensory findings into development actions.
• Hands‑on laboratory experience (sample preparation, sensory panels, stability testing and accurate data recording) with adherence to laboratory working standards and good housekeeping practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage time, priorities and resources effectively, balancing multiple development projects, laboratory activities and customer requests.
• Proven experience working closely with Marketing and cross‑functional teams (Quality, Operations, Finance, Procurement) to translate briefs into technical development plans and manufacturing solutions.
• Strong communication skills, customer‑oriented mindset and confidence working in customer‑facing technical roles.
• Good understanding of HACCP principles, food manufacturing, quality systems and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent computer literacy, including proficiency in MS Office Suite and familiarity with digital tools for data analysis, reporting and project management.
• Minimum B.Sc. in Food Science, Chemistry or related scientific discipline.
• Professional certifications in Health and Safety, Food Safety, HACCP or Quality Management Systems are preferred.
• Experience with Genesis, Compusense Sensory, Ilabber, SAP PLM, MDG or similar software is preferred.
• Training or certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2) and Continuous Improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma) is advantageous.

Essential Capabilities

• Analytical Thinking & Decision Making – Identifies and understands trends and issues; connects data points through analysis to arrive at logical conclusions.
• Business & Financial Acumen – Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of financial, accounting, marketing and operational functions; interprets key financial indicators to make better corporate decisions.
• Effective Communication – Expresses ideas and information clearly and concisely by tailoring message to audience.
• Customer Orientation – Keeps internal and external customers in mind; proactively addresses concerns and needs.
• Establishes Trust – Gains confidence and faith of others through honesty and integrity.
• Problem‑Solving – Anticipates, evaluates, diagnoses and resolves problems systematically.
• Results Orientation & Accountability – Takes accountability and drives actions to achieve results.
• Teamwork & Collaboration – Fosters collaboration and shared values.
• Adaptability/Flexibility – Maintains effectiveness in varying environments and tasks.
• Continuous Improvement – Establishes methods and utilises specialised techniques to monitor and improve performance.
• Self‑Development – Seeks feedback and initiates activities to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Change Management – Enables behaviors that support desired outcomes.
• Develops Others – Plans for growth of others, addresses performance issues and conflicts.

Location of Role

Thames Refinery, UK

Travel Requirements

Less than 15% travel for business meetings; travel frequency will be minimal and based on business needs.

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