Pilot Plant Technologist

An excellent opportunity has arisen to join a world leading global organisation, our client are currently looking for an PILOT PLANT TECHNOLOGIST based at their global Ice Cream and Beverages R & D facility at Colworth Science Park in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, just 40 minutes drove from Milton Keynes! This is a 2 month role to start ASAP (no notice period due to urgency of role), full time, Monday to Friday, paying £20,300 per annum, pro rata.

MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE:

The R&D facility is based at Colworth Science Park in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, just 40 minutes from Milton Keynes and Northampton, or 90 minutes from London St Pancras. Brands supported from this site include: Walls, Magnum, Ben&Jerry's, Cornetto, Lipton, PG Tips and many more.

This role is part of an established team of experts that provide process engineering, automation solutions, and pilot scale manufacturing to support new product innovations, plus improvements to value, waste, sustainability and quality.

This role is for a pilot plant technologist, a key role at the heart of the ice cream development facility, responsible for the set-up and operation of the pilot plant and the manufacture of prototype products. You will be part of a team of pilot plant technologists working closely with project teams, process engineers, product developers, maintenance. You will keep up to date with emerging food trends to deliver processes for sustainable new products that delight consumers.

Ice cream manufacturing is an exciting area for the process engineering team. There are complex and varied engineering challenges due to the wide array of product formats and processes involved, such as: mixing; forming; filling; shaping; freezing.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Support the Pilot Plant Manager and Supervisor as well as Technical Project Leaders with all pilot plant related activities for multiple projects including innovation, renovation, value, quality, and USLP improvement.
• Act as the pilot plant trial operator to ensure safe and On Time in Full (OTIF) delivery of the pilot plant trials. This requires effective and safe planning, design and execution of the trial including: preparation and dosing of ingredients (manual handling), preparation of packaging (manual handling), data acquisition and control preparation, safety checks, operating procedure checks plus operation of the equipment, troubleshooting, quality checks, product transfers, clean-down and CIP (Clean in Place) operation, safe disposal of waste
• Support trial leader in construction and dismantling of ice cream processing equipment
• Produce ice cream mixes to the specifications given by Technical project leaders
• Play an active role in implementing 5S programme and maintaining the condition of the pilot plant to a standard consistent with the vision of a "World Class" facility.

KEY SKILLS/RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

• Good interpersonal skills - team player
• Passion for food, ingredients and technology
• Risk management
• Well organised
• Fluent English
• This position is a physical job which requires a fair amount of manual handling
• Education at GCSE or higher
• Basic awareness of Microsoft office suite
• Basic Awareness of general food hygiene practices and regulations preferable - not compulsory
• Experience in the food industry preferable - not compulsory