NPD Food Technologist

Recruiter: Prostaff Holdings

Job Ref: PS010718/RB

Date posted: Friday, September 11, 2026

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Salary: Monthly

SUMMARY: A food manufacturer and distributor requires the above to handle the Technical and Research & Development functions across Quality Assurance, New Product Development (NPD), process improvement, and packaging development, working closely with the sales team and its customers.

POSITION INFO: Minimum requirements for the role: A BSc/BTech degree or equivalent qualification in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred. The successful candidate must be computer literate, particularly Microsoft Excel and Word and have strong written and verbal communication skills. Must be able to work effectively in a laboratory, production, and office environment. Exposure to food manufacturing through vacation work, internships, graduate programmes, or academic projects will be an advantage. The successful candidate will be responsible for: Handling the Technical and Research & Development functions across Quality Assurance, New Product Development (NPD), process improvement, and packaging development, working closely with the sales team and its customers. Assisting with maintaining and improving product quality standards across sweets, powdered drinks, and pet food. Conducting routine product evaluations, including physical, chemical, sensory, and, where applicable, microbiological assessments. Assisting with raw material, packaging material, and finished-product specifications. Supporting investigation of customer complaints, product deviations, non-conformances, and quality issues. Participating in root-cause investigations and assisting in developing corrective and preventative actions. Assisting with factory trials, production line investigations, and troubleshooting of quality-related issues. Monitoring product performance against agreed specifications and identifying opportunities for improvement. Supporting the development of new and improved products from concept through to commercialisation. Assisting with formulation development and optimisation, including ingredient selection and functional performance. Assisting in the development and evaluation of packaging for sweets, powdered beverages, and pet food. Assisting in ensuring new and existing products comply with applicable food safety and regulatory requirements. Participating in HACCP, risk assessment, traceability, and food safety activities as required. Salary package, including benefits, is highly negotiable depending on experience gained.