New Product Development Technologist

Position Type: Full time/Permanent

Dawn Meats are looking to recruit an NPD technologist to join the team at our Carroll’s Cross processing facility near Kilmacthomas in Co. Waterford

Role Summary:

To support the development, optimisation, and launch of customer-focused retail‑ready products within the packing operations of the business. The role ensures all new and existing products meet customer expectations, technical standards, commercial targets, and operational feasibility.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be based at our Carroll’s Cross facility and will be responsible for:

• Support the creation, testing, and refinement of new retail products in line with customer briefs, category insights, and market trends.
• Prepare and run product trials, ensuring accurate sample preparation and documentation.
• Coordinate with commercial, technical, and operations teams to ensure concepts can be scaled and delivered consistently.
• Conduct benchmark assessments and sensory evaluations.
• Generate and maintain accurate product specifications for retail customers.
• Ensure all recipes, raw materials, labels, and pack formats meet food safety, legal, and retailer requirements.
• Apply technical and regulatory knowledge consistent with principles described in (e.g., HACCP, GMP, raw material handling, and NPD/EPD processes).
• Verify artwork, nutritional data, allergens, and claims prior to submission.
• Support gate‑to‑gate NPD workflow by tracking tasks, timelines, risks, and approvals.
• Collaborate with wider NPD & Technical teams during cross‑functional reviews.
• Record trial outputs, costings, and factory feedback to inform commercial viability and operational readiness.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in the packing process and overall NPD system.
• Liaise with retail customers (e.g., through email threads such as Tesco communications) to clarify requirements and update progress.
• Prepare submission packs for customer presentations, benchmarking sessions, and retailer documentation needs.
• Work closely with commercial leads, Technical, Operations, Quality, and Procurement to align priorities.
• Provide hands‑on support during line trials, first productions, and changeovers.
• Ensure accurate translation of product briefs into packing instructions, labels, and factory paperwork.
• Troubleshoot product or process issues, escalating findings through agreed reporting structures.

QualificationsSkills, Knowledge & Experience

• Understanding of food safety, HACCP, micro and chemistry fundamentals, and food legislation.

• Knowledge of retail customer standards and expectations.

• Strong sensory evaluation and benchmarking capability.

• Excellent specification writing accuracy and attention to detail.

• Clear communication skills – written, verbal, and cross‑functional.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects.

• Competence with data analysis and documentation.

• Ideally 1–3 years in NPD, Technical, or related food production roles.

• Experience working with retailers and/or within a high‑volume packing environment desirable.

• Familiarity with workflow tools or NPD systems.

Key Relationships

• NPD team members
• Technical & Quality teams
• Commercial & Category teams
• Packing Operations & Planning
• Retail customer technical/commercial contacts

Success Measures

• On-time, on-cost launch of new and improved products
• Accuracy and compliance of specifications and artwork
• Successful trial execution and first‑production performance
• Customer satisfaction and minimal technical queries
• Positive contribution to innovation pipeline and packing efficiency