R&D Lab Technician

at  Britvic

At Britvic, we make, market, and sell great-tasting soft drinks, offering refreshments to billions of consumers worldwide. We’re constantly refreshing and reimagining our business, ensuring it’s innovative and evolving while staying true to our vision – to be the most dynamic soft drinks company, creating a better tomorrow. We’ve been home to iconic brands for over 100 years, and our relevance is anchored in an authentic heritage. Delivering our vision is down to the passion of our people, and we create conditions for everyone to thrive and grow. From our international supply chain and network of partners, we export to over 100 countries, offering opportunities for our people and businesses to grow.

REQUIREMENTS

• Support product development teams through sample preparation, analysis, and operating complex and sensitive test and analytical instrumentation
• Build relationships with equipment suppliers to ensure all equipment is functional and maintained
• Maintain the laboratory, storerooms, and equipment to appropriate hygiene and housekeeping standards, including sample and raw material disposal, and 5S
• Build a strong understanding of the NPD process at laboratory scale to carry out user training, troubleshooting, continuous improvement, and recommendations on laboratory process capabilities
• Ensure all work is carried out in compliance with company standards, Quality Management systems, and specifications, and that good laboratory and hygiene practices are maintained
• Maintain strong relationships with analytical, micro, and sensory labs
• Support other technical teams with analytical methods, training, calibration, and validation

EDUCATION/QUALIFICATION

Degree and/or A levels in science, microbiology, or a food science-related subject, along with food and/or drinks processing experience and prior work experience in a new product development lab.

• Create and validate new soft drink formulations and recipes
• Prepare and analyze samples for new products, validations, and trials
• Maintain stock of laboratory consumables
• Maintain specific raw material libraries, ensuring they are up-to-date on costings and supplier details by working closely with procurement and value engineering teams
• Book samples with the micro and analytical teams for analysis
• Ensure the laboratory, storerooms, and equipment are maintained to appropriate hygiene and housekeeping standards
• Maintain health and food safety standards/protocols to the highest standard
• Provide support to our pilot plant team in Beckton in the upscale of new raw materials from the R&D facility
• Maintain equipment manuals, SOPs, and training