Basic Function

Teagasc seeks to appoint a Prepared Consumer Food Technologist with responsibility for the provision of innovation supports and services to a wide range of users, primarily in the Prepared Consumer Food sector.  Their role will include managing a diverse range of projects and delivery of services to food industry clients, including recipe and product development, scaling and pilot processing of products, general trouble-shooting and technical support. The role will also involve day to day running of the National Prepared Consumer Food Centre Pilot Plant and activities therein.

Candidates should have strong technical understanding of food, with food engineering and processing development experience.  They should have a good knowledge of food manufacturing processes, as well as pilot plant and industrial experience in a broad range of food production, processing and packaging technologies. 

Background

The role is based in the Food Industry Development Department at the Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15, which houses the National Prepared Consumer Food Centre.  The Centre has state of the art pilot processing facilities and equipment and the appointed person will support the expanding industry support/research and development programme being offered in this area.  A key aspect of the role will be working with food industry clients to deliver on their specific product, process and packaging development requirements. It will include managing a diverse range of projects for food companies and researchers.

The successful candidate will also be required to source ingredients, packaging and carry out product formulation, packaging and processing trials for industry clients, as well as trouble-shooting and providing technical advice and training to companies. They will be required to operate and maintain a wide range of food processing pilot scale equipment, to assist with the development of procedural documents (SOPS’s and Risk Assessments) and to train other staff where required. 

• Leading and conducting industry projects in the area of food processing and product development, with particular reference to processing of Prepared Consumer Foods.
• Formulating new products and determining the impact of processing on their physical and functional attributes.
• Day to day supervision of the unit operations of the National Prepared Consumer Food Centre Pilot Plant.
• Operation of test kitchen and pilot plant and associated equipment (including but not limited to mixing, extrusion, packaging, thermal and dehydration unit operations).
• Development of SOPs and risk assessments for equipment and processes.
• Delivery of training on equipment and procedures to industry clients and Teagasc staff where required.
• Identification and application of recent and emerging developments in product and process technologies.
• Driving the uptake of technologies within the National Prepared Consumer Food Centre and contributing to key metrics.
• Validating concepts and products at pilot scale and transferring to an industrial application.
• Sourcing of equipment, ingredients and packaging materials for product, process and packaging trials.
• To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
• To actively participate in the annual business planning and Performance Management Development System (PMDS) processes.
• Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
• Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time

* This job specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive.  It will be reviewed from time to time with the post holder.

 Note:  The ‘essential’ qualifications, knowledge, skills and behavioural competencies outlined above are ‘must-have’ which will be used in the selection process.