Senior Data & Modelling Scientist

Site introduction

Our Hectar Laing Development Centre site is the beating heart of innovation at pladis, a dynamic hub where creativity, science, and consumer insight come together to shape the future of snacking. Home to our Innovation, R&D, Regulatory, and Technical Insights teams, this site supports both pladis Global and UK&I, driving progress across our sweet and savoury portfolios. With a state-of-the-art pilot plant and a culture of collaboration, High Wycombe is our centre of excellence for research and development. From the first spark of an idea to the final product on shelf, our teams work side by side to deliver exciting, high-quality snacks that delight consumers everywhere. It’s a place where every voice matters, and every innovation is powered by the passion and expertise of our people.

What will this role achieve?

This is a critical role responsible for building analytical tools and models that translate the results technical results into innovative and sustainable systems that help to accelerate the idea to product process. This role will work closely with the peers in the global Innovation & Technology team to ensure an agile and smooth of information from insights to industrial relevant outcomes.

This role seats in the Global Innovation and Technology Team under the Breakthrough Product Director to ensure direct translation of opportunities against an ambitious and transformational breakthrough innovation strategy that is aligned to the growth ambition and sustainability aspirations of the company.

The role requires an individual who is competent and skilled at working across cultures and functions and collaborating to deliver with others. They need to be able to work effectively with external partners to identify appropriate opportunities and drive development of innovative solutions, best practice approaches and systems.

Key areas of focus for the role

• Development and application of advanced modelling, statistical methods to accelerate product innovation.
• Improve ingredient and formulation understanding.
• Owns design of experiments, predictive models, and learning cycles.
• Drives data governance, data quality, and modelling infrastructure.
• Ensures insights translate into faster, smarter technical decision-making
• Developing solutions to technical hurdles

What will be your key deliverables?

Specifically on Innovation and Technology Data Modelling, we need to:

• Define and deliver a medium to long term roadmap and align an agenda to drive innovation sustainability and productivity – build the internal cross-functional expertise and relationships to deliver that agenda.
• Support the Global Procurement team as we build strong and mid-term Sourcing Strategies.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with Suppliers to capture the best practices on the market and monitor project implementation.

The role will report to the Global R&D Head of Cocoa Innovation*. It is expected that the incumbent will work very closely with their counterparts across the Central Innovation & technology team to effectively delivery the joint growth and transformation agenda and sustainability deliverables.

Principle Accountabilities

• Build and apply predictive models to understand ingredient interactions, product functionality, and clean‑label substitution pathways—addressing rising consumer demand for healthier and sustainable products.
• Develop formulation optimization models that reduce physical experimentation and accelerate R&D cycle time.
• Partner with product developers to translate modelling outputs into actionable formulation and processing guidance.
• Develop machine learning models for forecasting, optimization, and scenario simulation across the Innovation and Technology breakthrough programs
• Lead application of AI/ML tools in areas such as product and process prediction with primary focus in Cocoa and Chocolate.
• Guide teams on appropriate model governance, validation, and robustness.
• Design experiments (DoE) and multivariate studies to generate high‑value datasets for modelling and scientific discovery.
• Build hybrid mechanistic + data‑driven models to support shelf‑life prediction, process optimization, and stability studies.
• Translate complex modelling outputs into visual, decision‑ready insights for technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Collaborate with external partners (universities, tech providers, suppliers) to bring in cutting‑edge modelling capabilities.

Bring your experience

Excellent core technical skills and be able to understand the needs of the business, to create exciting data and modelling technology agenda. The individual will be a self-starter and possess a drive for results.

What will the interview process be?

• Initial Telephone call with Talent Acquisition
• 1st stage interview – 45 minutes competency-based interview based on our company values and your experiences.
• 2nd stage interview – 60 minutes – a technical interview to understand your skill set/case study or presentation interview.
• Final interview based on Leadership Success Model Assessment/role competencies.

pladis does also use both Psychometric and Aptitude tests to support our processes so you may be asked to complete these as part of your process. Some processes may differ, but we will keep you updated!

What does pladis offer you?

• Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) – this is the business’s annual bonus scheme.
• Opportunity to self-enrol into Health Cash Plan
• Private medical Insurance (if eligible)
• Enhanced parental leave and a supportive phased return-to-work program to help colleagues balance family and career.
• Life Assurance Cover ~ upon enrolment to Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• 25 days + bank holidays
• 1 Volunteering Day per year
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discount and Cashback Scheme – make your everyday spending work hard for you on major high street brands, supermarkets and services
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial Wellbeing Support
• Access to great training and development opportunities

Our Values

Purpose led – We’re energised and guided by our purpose to bring happiness with every bite

Agile – We’re ever evolving, we never stand still, always improving for our customers and our consumers.

Positive – We’re highly motivated optimistic, courageous, and we inspire each other to be better

Resilient - We’re persistent in the face of setbacks, quick to adapt, learn and move forward

Collaborative – We gain strength from operating as one pladis, winning and succeeding together

pladis is an equal opportunities employer, like every great recipe we’re a thoughtful mix. A happy and inclusive place to work that’s as diverse as our consumers and the communities we support, live and work in, all around the world. Where every voice is heard, and difference is celebrated. Where fresh perspectives and new ideas help us grow and thrive.

Accessibility at High Wycombe

Our High Wycombe site has accessible entrances and lifts between floors to support individuals with mobility needs, but currently does not have step-free access. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, and where possible to perform key job functions.

pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List. If you are a recruitment agency and wish to submit candidate to be considered for this vacancy, you must have agreed to, and signed, our terms of business.

We will not accept CVs from any other sources other than those currently on our PSL. We will not pay a fee for any candidate that has not been represented by a provider on our PSL.

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