Food Technologist

Flavour Makers Australia Pty Ltd (Flavour Makers) is seeking a motivated and technically capable Food Technologist to join our Technical and New Product Development (NPD) team at our Braeside facility. You will work across the full product lifecycle. From concept and bench development through to pilot trials, factory scale-up, specification sign-off and ongoing commercial production support.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a food technologist who wants genuine breadth of exposure across dry blending, liquid hot/cold fill and retort technologies, within a BRCGS-certified business that invests heavily in innovation and in its people.

Key responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include, without limitation:

1. developing new food and beverage products from concept brief through bench trials, pilot-plant trials and successful factory scale-up, in line with customer and brand requirements;
2. formulating and reformulating recipes to deliver on sensory, nutritional, cost, shelf-life, regulatory and processing targets;
3. conducting ingredient functionality assessments and sourcing suitable raw materials in collaboration with Procurement and approved suppliers;
4. designing and executing shelf-life, stability, microbiological and sensory evaluation protocols, and interpreting results to inform product and process decisions;
5. preparing and maintaining accurate technical documentation, including product specifications, raw material specifications, nutritional information panels (NIP), ingredient declarations, allergen statements and country-of-origin claims, in accordance with the Food Standards Code;
6. supporting retort schedule validation and thermal process verification activities in conjunction with the thermal process authority and the Quality team;
7. assisting with HACCP reviews, risk assessments, change-control procedures and internal and external audits (including BRCGS, customer and regulatory audits);
8. troubleshooting production issues on dry blending, hot-fill, cold-fill and retort lines, and driving corrective and preventive actions (CAPA);
9. partnering with the Operations, Engineering and Quality teams to optimise processes, improve yields, reduce waste and support continuous improvement initiatives aligned to our sustainability pillars;
10. liaising with external laboratories, regulatory consultants and certification bodies as required;
11. participating in customer presentations, cuttings and plant visits, representing the technical capability of Flavour Makers with professionalism; and
12. mentoring junior technologists and NPD assistants, and contributing to a culture of knowledge-sharing and continuous learning.

Required qualifications

Applicants must hold:

• a bachelor's degree or higher in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Chemistry, Microbiology, Nutrition, or a closely related discipline from a recognised tertiary institution; or

Required experience

Applicants must demonstrate:

• a minimum of one (1) year post-qualification experience in a food technology, NPD or technical role within a commercial food or beverage manufacturing environment;
• hands-on experience with at least one (and preferably more) of dry blending, liquid hot-fill, liquid cold-fill, or retort/thermal processing;
• demonstrable experience taking products from concept to commercial launch; and
• experience operating within a certified food safety management system (BRCGS, SQF, FSSC 22000 or equivalent).

Required technical skills and knowledge

The successful candidate will have:

• strong working knowledge of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, labelling requirements, allergen management, and nutrition and health-claim regulation;
• a solid understanding of HACCP principles, food microbiology, food chemistry and sensory science;
• competence in formulation and recipe-costing tools, nutrition panel software (for example, FoodWorks or equivalent) and standard productivity tools (MS Office, ERP systems);
• the ability to design and interpret shelf-life and challenge studies;
• familiarity with retort validation principles and thermal process concepts (F₀ values, come-up times, cold-spot determination) will be highly regarded;
• a methodical, data-driven approach to problem solving; and
• excellent written and spoken English, strong communication skills, and the ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams.

Desirable (not essential)

• Experience with ethnic cuisine, Asian/Indian sauces and pastes, or functional/better-for-you product categories;
• HACCP lead-auditor or internal-auditor training;
• Formal sensory evaluation training; and
• Project management experience across concurrent NPD briefs.

Remuneration and benefits

• Annual base salary of AU$81,000 per annum, commensurate with experience, qualifications and demonstrated capability.
• Plus superannuation paid at the statutory superannuation guarantee rate on top of base salary.
• Additional benefits include:
  • staff product allowance and generous team-member discounts across the Flavour Makers brand portfolio;
  • on-site parking at our Braeside facility;
  • genuine ongoing professional development, including support for industry memberships, conferences and short-course training;
  • access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP);
  • a vibrant, chef-driven workplace with regular tastings, product launches and team events; and
  • clear career pathways into Senior Technologist, NPD Manager and Technical Manager roles.

For more information contact us at [email protected].