R&D Lab Technician

Foster Clark Products Ltd in Malta is currently looking to recruit an R&D Lab Technician to join their team on a full-time basis.

Overview:
Reporting to the Category Product Technologist, the R&D Lab Technician supports product and knowledge development projects in various fields including flavouring, prototyping and sensory to launch successful consumer-relevant products. The R&D Lab Technician also takes care of lab equipment, and the lab organisation and carries out physical and chemical analysis as well as organizing the sensorial tasting sessions. The R&D Lab Technician also reports results and prepares documents for the R&D team.

Key Accountabilities:
Test management

• Responsible for prototyping activities relative to early kitchen trials and flavouring solutions for product development projects, events organization, or innovation workshops, including preparation, execution, tastings
• Diligently and accurately weighing ingredients and preparing lab trials to support recipe development as specified by the lab trial sheets in a timely and efficient manner
• Proficiency in carrying out the required analyses according to standard procedures and work instructions such as total acidity, pH measurements, gel strengths analysis etc
• Responsible for ensuring accurate and correct reporting of results whilst highlighting any deviations or abnormal results efficiently and effectively
• Support activities relative to sensory including preparation, and execution of specific tests or events
• Preparing samples for other business units and supporting consumer/competition analysis.

Lab and kitchen management

• Ensure proper functioning of formulation, creative and sensory kitchens, including material supply and maintenance, GLPs implementation and internal databases management
• Responsible for maintaining the lab in a neat and organized manner by ensuring adequate labelling of samples/ingredients, material stock level maintenance, and daily equipment checks
• Responsible for the up-keep of lab and safety equipment in good order and ensuring availability
• Aiding in preparation for tasting sessions
• Participate in routine sensorial training sessions whilst effectively being part of the R&D sensory panel.

Ideal Candidate Profile:
Education / Experience

• Diploma in Food Technology/ Food Science/ Food Engineering, bachelor’s degree of advantage
• Minimum 1 year demonstrated work experience executing analytical testing within a food environment, product prototyping, ideally with flavours or other flavouring ingredients and in kitchen/cooking. preparations, ideally with novel and trendy ingredients
• Experience in sensory evaluation and product innovation will be considered an asset.

Technical skills

• Have good sensorial attributes
• Solid understanding of food science and guiding principles
• Analytical testing methodologies
• Lab/kitchen management skills.

Competencies

• Attention to detail
• Drive for Results
• Rule Oriented
• Teamwork
• Verbal and Written communication
• Planning and Organizing

Please visit also our new FCP Career Website: www.fcpcareers.com for more information on our company culture!