Our client is a well-established food and beverage company in MALTA with a rich history and a global presence. With over a century of experience, the company has become a trusted name in the industry, known for its high-quality products and commitment to customer satisfaction. The company offers a wide range of food and beverage solutions, including dessert mixes, baking ingredients, beverages, and more.
Our client is dedicated to innovation and continuously strives to create new and exciting products to meet the evolving needs of consumers. The company values teamwork, integrity, and excellence, providing employees with a dynamic and rewarding work environment.

We are seeking a driven and creative personality to oversee the development of innovative food products within assigned categories (chocolate and bisquits) Reporting to the Head of R&D, you will be responsible for designing, planning, validating, and implementing the development of new products, line extensions, and product renovations within a number of assigned product categories. Your role will involve ensuring compliance with established safety standards and good manufacturing practices (GMPs). You will also be expected to follow and uphold all Food Safety and Food Quality policies relevant to your position.

As the Category Product Technologist, you will assess and develop the category consumer and competition benchmarking under the guidance of the senior NPD manager. This includes defining the sensory space and competitive differentiation from competitors. You will act as a link to pilot plant and factory support, overseeing the scale-up of products and providing assistance during new product launches and troubleshooting. Additionally, you will set specifications for raw materials and products.

Key Responsibilities

Product Innovation and Development

Support the establishment of consumer and category benchmarking, focusing on existing competitors, market solutions, and sensory product profiling
Contribute to the development of the innovation pipeline within your assigned categories, participating in exploratory activities to generate new product ideas with guidance from your supervisor
Analyze consumer/regional data and translate it into a targeted product brief
Develop new products within your assigned categories, employing an experimental approach for product design, troubleshooting when necessary, and offering feasible solutions
Establish product/ingredient specifications, in-process control points, and testing requirements
Create robust product specifications from a nutritional and ingredient standpoint, ensuring sustainable and flexible formulas that meet consumer, quality, and process needs

Project Management

Manage several medium-complexity projects within your assigned categories with minimal supervision
Provide technical input during the planning and decision-making process, effectively communicating with senior R&D management
Plan and lead product development projects, collaborating with a cross-functional, multidisciplinary team to achieve project scope within the designated timeline, budget, and quality parameters
Ensure a seamless handover to Operations, documenting findings and relevant reports according to standard procedures, and capturing lessons learned and best practices

Technical Assistance

Adhere to the FCP stability program by initiating stability studies, executing them in a timely manner, and reporting the results as directed by the category responsible for recipe development and improvement or packaging changes
Conduct trials/experiments in the kitchen, lab, pilot, and factory scales to achieve all briefed objectives within the specified timeframe
Support the category during product industrialization by gaining a basic understanding of the process and facilitating knowledge transfer from R&D to operations

Driving Improvements

Approve Quality Control Samples
Continuously maintain competition analysis with a basic understanding of sensory aspects and consumer preferences to support product development
Contribute to various matching programs
Actively participate in investigations and problem-solving initiatives
Perform product analysis and develop new methods as required

Ideal Candidate Profile:

Master's degree in Food Technology/Food Engineering with over 5 years of experience in product development
A PhD in a relevant area is a nice to have
5 years of experience in Food Product Development in a factory, kitchen, or lab environment
Proficiency in food technology
Strong knowledge and competencies in flavor chemistry (e.g., flavor generation, flavor stability, sensory relevance) and its connection to raw materials and food processing
Good understanding of ingredients and their impact on the process and final product
Familiarity with processes and technologies involved in food manufacturing
Ability to analyze and interpret consumer/regional data
Strong sensory skills and the ability to draw conclusions
Knowledge of industry safety standards and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs)
Competencies
Creativity and Innovation
Analytical thinking and problem-solving
Attention to detail
Drive for results
Quality orientation
Teamwork

Why is this a great opportunity?

Join our client in Malta and experience these benefits firsthand as you grow professionally, contribute to exciting projects, and enjoy a rewarding work-life balance in a picturesque setting. Working in Malta means enjoying a beautiful Mediterranean location with a rich cultural heritage. You will have access to stunning beaches, historical sites, and a vibrant lifestyle that contributes to a fulfilling and enjoyable living experience

If you are interested in this challenging position, then we look forward to receiving your detailed application under the code number 97.347 preferably via our ISG-Karriereportal or via email. ISG Personalmanagement GmbH
D-80331 München, Herzogspitalstraße 24
Criss Grape, T: +49 171 7064003
@: bewerbung.grape@isg.com

Senior Product Technologist (m/f/d)