Food Technologist

Kepak is a leading food company operating across Ireland and the UK, employing over 4,500 people across its Foods, Meat UK, and Meat Ireland divisions. Guided by our values of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food, and Teamwork, we supply fresh and value-added meat products to retail and foodservice customers through private label partnerships and our well-known brands, including Rustlers, Big Al’s, and John Stone.

Within our Foods Division, over 1,000 colleagues across five manufacturing sites are driving our ambition to build a transformed, future-ready, profitable €0.5bn food business by 2030, serving customers across the UK, Ireland, and selected European markets.

Are you a detail-oriented Food Technologist with a passion for product quality, compliance, and innovation? We're looking for a Food Technologist to join our team. This is a hybrid role which will be 2 days in our site in Kirkham, 1 day in our York site and 2 days from home.

Reporting to the Senior Food Technologist, you will play a key role in managing artwork, packaging specifications, customer requirements, supplier documentation, and technical compliance activities. You will ensure that product information, pack copy, specifications, and technical documentation are accurate, compliant, and maintained to meet customer, legal, and business requirements.

This is an exciting opportunity to work cross-functionally with internal teams and external stakeholders, supporting product launches, audits, food safety systems, and continuous improvement initiatives. You'll also take ownership of customer portal management, ensuring key stakeholders remain informed of any updates or changes.

Key Responsibilities

Product Quality

• Create, maintain, and verify pack copy information for products manufactured on site.
• Review and approve raw material specifications to ensure compliance with customer, technical, and regulatory requirements.

Planning & Delivery

• Complete supplier questionnaires (SAQs), customer queries, and technical documentation within agreed timescales.
• Coordinate technical activities to support product launches and artwork approval processes.

Operational Excellence

• Take ownership of packaging specification management and associated technical documentation.
• Generate and maintain product and packaging codes, including DB, SE, NWF, PK, and other business coding systems as required.

Food Safety & Compliance

• Support food safety and legal compliance by ensuring specifications and technical information remain current and accurate.
• Manage the artwork approval process, ensuring packaging and labelling comply with all relevant legal, regulatory, and customer requirements across key markets.

Customer Focus

• Communicate customer requirements effectively across the site and monitor ongoing compliance.
• Respond to technical customer queries and requests in a timely and professional manner.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing, NPD, Operations, Procurement, and Technical teams to deliver business objectives and successful product launches.

Requirements

• Degree in food science, nutrition or relevant
• 1+ year experience in Quality, Technical, or Labelling within the Food Industry and ready to take next step
• Have knowledge of of HACCP principles and understand the importance of Critical Control Points (CCPs) and associated monitoring activities.
• Knowledge of legislation, customer standards, food safety requirements and technical systems relevant to the role.
• Able to work to high standards in a fast-paced environment

Ready to take the next step in your food technology career? We'd love to hear from you.

Benefits

What can we offer you?

• Company Pension
• Further Education support
• Dedicated L&D Team
• Bike to Work Scheme - You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!
• Long Service Awards - We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees
• BUPA Cash plan free of charge