Position Snapshot

R&D Packaging Specialist

Nestlé Product Technology Centre – Confectionery (NPTC)

Location: York, North Yorkshire (Hybrid working)

Competitive salary depending on experience + potential bonus + generous pension scheme + 12 flexible days on top of 25 day holiday entitlement + 2 paid volunteering days + other fantastic benefits! 

Championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business.   

At Nestlé we are proud to support and provide equality of opportunity that supports employees to effectively blend their work life and commitments through hybrid and flexible working arrangements, so speak to us to understand what this could look like for you. 

Position Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Packaging specialist to support NPTC sustainability packaging ambitions! We are currently recruiting for a R&D Packaging Specialist  to join the team. You will be working within a multi-disciplinary team, leveraging your expertise to scout for relevant new technologies to support the development and execution of our science and technology roadmaps. You’ll manage the development, innovation and renovation of packaging from inception through all stage gate process. Ensuring relevant scientific/technical guidance is provided to the business. The role will be working with 50+ Confectionery factories globally, so we are ideally looking for someone who has experience of working in a similar European or Global role. This really is a fantastic and broad role that will see you work with many different markets and stakeholders to provide guidance and support on all things packaging across our Confectionery factories worldwide.

A bit about us

NPTC Confectionery York is Nestlé’s leading centre for confectionery Research & Development worldwide, working in partnership with 3 development centres in Chile, China and Ivory Coast. In York we are a team of 170 amazing people from over 30 nationalities and a variety of academia. We have a real focus on inclusion and belonging, an active Wellness program and we support over 50 factories globally. Our objective is to provide ideas, technical innovation and scientific support (for product, process and technology) to continually improve and grow the confectionery business. Supporting our aim of being world class in how confectionery and healthy snacks are developed, manufactured and packaged.

It really is a place where creativity and practicality meet to turn fantastic concepts into exceptional industrialised products consumers will love.

A day in the life of and R&D Packaging Specialist...

Working in partnership with the markets you will plan, lead and support packaging development projects through the entire life cycle to first product or technology launch whilst effectively acquiring and capturing new packaging knowledge, enabling the realisation of new technologies. Managing project stakeholders, negotiating with key decision makers and leveraging internal and external networks will be essential for your success. Reporting to the Packaging Lead, this is a key specialist role to ensure projects are delivered to the highest standards.  No day is the same in this position, you also engage with and visit suppliers and Nestle factories within UK and overseas to facilitate factory trials, validate and implement R&D technologies and discoveries.

What will make you successful

Ideally you will have a Packaging, Engineering or Scientific Degree and/or have completed your Institute of Packaging (IOP) qualification. However, if you have packaging experience under your belt in a similar role this would also be great. Ideally you will have worked in an FMCG environment and you will be passionate, proactive and results focused to drive our exciting packaging ambitions, acting as an ambassador for the Nestlé Confectionery brand across the globe.

You will also:

• Demonstrate a proven track record in packaging related technology development as well as successful project management (e.g. product launch on time, budget and quality) and strong problem-solving skills.
• Have a well rounded understanding of packaging materials, it is desirable you have experience and knowledge of working with flexible materials and packaging machinery i.e flow wrapping.
• Demonstrate outstanding collaboration and communication skills as well as being highly effective in knowledge sharing and building great relationships with stakeholders.
• Have the ability to deal with ambiguous and complex problems enabling you to understand and analyse process and technical aspects, then translate complex information into simple concepts, communicating effectively to meet the overall project and business strategies.
• Have the ability to deal with ambiguous and complex problems to come to positive solutions.

 As this is support our Confectionery factories worldwide there will be a requirement for some ad hoc travel across our UK factories and other countries (estimated time between 5% to 10% in any given year)

What you need to know

What can we offer in return? Great benefits you’d expect from a business the size of Nestlé – in the shape of a competitive salary and benefits package, bonus scheme, flexible working scheme, 25 days holiday plus bank holidays plus flex leave, pension scheme and a real focus on personal development and growth.
 

Job advert closing date Monday 12th May 2025.

We will be considering candidates as they apply and we will occasionally close job advertisements early in the event we receive sufficient applicants, so please don’t delay in submitting your application. 

At Nestlé, our values are rooted in respect. When we embrace diversity and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our business. People of all gender identities, ethnically diverse individuals, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT+ community are strongly encouraged to apply. If there is anything we can do to accommodate you to participate fully in the application process, please let us know. We take pride in championing inclusion and diversity, our people make up a number of Colleague Networks who represent different experiences and communities who hold us accountable in creating a sense of belonging for all, and our values create the conditions for us to respect the unique contribution you bring. Find out more about our Colleague Networks here: Diversity, equity and inclusion | Nestlé (nestle.co.uk) 

We are committed to equal opportunity for all and we may collect relevant data for monitoring purposes during our candidate registration process. Be yourself, everyone else is taken!