Senior Technical Service Technologist, Beverages

LOCATION:               Manchester

REPORTS TO:            TS Category Manager, Beverages

DIRECT REPORTS:    No Direct Reports

Company Background:

Ingredion is a Fortune 500 provider of ingredient solutions that helps nourish, comfort, sustain, and delight people around the world. Ingredion’s wide range of ingredient solutions is strategically designed to address changing consumer trends and preferences. Our specialty portfolio includes starch-based texturizers, clean and simple ingredients, plant-based proteins, sugar reduction and specialty sweeteners, and food systems. Our innovative ingredient solutions are used by consumers in everyday products, from foods and beverages to paper and pharmaceuticals. And we do it all in a planet-friendly sustainable manner.

The Senior Technical Service Technologist is responsible for providing technical support and pipeline development including on-site visits to customers across EMEA. The incumbent is responsible for conducting laboratory formulation for a wide range of beverage sub-categories utilizing the full Ingredion portfolio as well as demonstrating the value of stevia in sugar reduction together with other complementary tools or independently.  This role is responsible for identifying new product innovation opportunities to drive business growth in beverages via new ingredient sourcing, technical developments and prototyping as well as support cross category recipe development in sugar reduction from time to time.

Core Responsibilities:

• Customer Collaboration - Provide technical support along the customers’ innovation process from ideation to commercialization to meet agreed business growth targets. Inquire, listen and fully understand the needs of customers and work with the business team to quickly deliver innovative solutions. Network with customers, external collaborative partners, and build relationships within the food industry. Organize visits to customers and/or visits from customers in the Idea Labs.
• NPD Projects - Utilize laboratory and pilot plant equipment (from set-up to CIP in the Idea Labs and other application labs) to conduct trials related to customer projects (this involves recipe / process development or fine-tuning and may be required to be done in the presence of customers). Utilize analytical equipment to diagnose problems and apply food technology knowledge to subsequently make recommendations on ingredient selection and/or process adjustments. Document technical work centrally and communicate project results internally as well as externally to customers.
• Sales support - In close collaboration with the regional sales representative, develop, update and execute technical account strategies for all development accounts in the region. Develop strong working relationship with Sales and distributors to follow up and prioritize projects & activities within the region and consequently maximize business return.
• Internal collaboration - Work with a diverse group of people within an international organization and utilize global resources to support local needs. Exercise continuous improvement and work towards achieving the Category deliverables. Display exemplary participation and leadership in our EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) program.

Qualified candidates will have:

Mandatory requirements:

• Degree in Food Science or other science related discipline and experience in the food (ingredients) industry.
• Running laboratory experiments and history of successful projects delivering product innovation
• Excellent knowledge of common food processes, food ingredient functionality and ingredient interactions
• Experience in running pilot plant equipment and supervising factory trials

Desirable requirements:

• Ideally experience of using stevia and successfully driving sugar reduction projects to conclusion
• Proven track record of technically supporting customers in the food and beverage industry

Required behaviors and skills:

• Solid networking & influencing skills
• Excellent planning and organizing skills
• Comfortable in communicating with senior and executive management internally and with customers
• Curious, creative, agile
• Takes initiative and ownership
• Enjoys collaborating with others to find differentiated solutions
• Business-focused and results-oriented, driven by desire to achieve commercial success
• Excellent team player

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, military status, or disability status.

Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.