Business: Nestlé Product Technology Centre – Confectionery (NPTC) 

Location: York, North Yorkshire  

Position: R&D Product Specialist - KitKat 

Salary: Circa £40,000 per annum plus an excellent range of companywide 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.  

Position Summary

We have an excellent opportunity for an experienced Product Specialist to join our KitKat R&D team working on our No. 1 Iconic Brand based in York  

A little bit about us? 

Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company, operating in 187 countries worldwide. Part of Nestlé’s global network of research centres across the world, our NPTC Confectionery York site focuses on developing and delivering excellence in confectionery innovation worldwide. Our aim is to lead the way in how confectionery and healthy snacks are developed, manufactured and packaged. It’s a place where creativity and practicality meet to turn fantastic concepts into exceptional industrialised products our consumers will love. 

The main responsibility of this role include:

• Creating new concepts and opportunities for our global KitKat portfolio, including working with suppliers, Consumer Insight and Science and Technology teams to feed into the innovation pipeline.   
• Take stream lead role within projects ensuring strong partnership with Project Manager and defined stakeholders at Factory & Market level.   
• Ensure technical risks identified in your stream have a robust mitigation plan.   
• Ensure execution of project/stream deliverables in compliance with global and local processes.  
• Plan and coordinate pilot plant and industrial tests, scaling up from lab to pilot plant and to final industrial scale.   
• Partnering with our KitKat Manufacturing Experts to provide operational support to factories, assistance in industrialisation start-ups, follow-up product launches, including technical and product improvements.   

What will make you successful?   

To be successful in this role you will already have experience in an R&D confectionary or an operational role. You will be passionate, proactive and results focused whilst acting as an ambassador for the Nestlé Confectionery brand across the Globe.    

Essential for the role is:    

• Skills in chocolate, wafer or chocolate manufacturing technologies.   
• Demonstrate strong product development, technical product knowledge and demonstrate proficient product development skills  
• Have completed a degree or higher in the field of Food Science/Chemistry or similar.  

In return we will support your development for a global career with exceptional opportunities within a high performing, innovative and supportive culture.   

Some UK and international travel may be required, estimated at 5-15%.

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.   

Closing date for this role is 1st July 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: 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.