Product development scientist

Product development scientist job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Responsibilities of the job include:

• planning, organising and overseeing process/production trials
• making improvements/modifications to current processes
• formulating new production processes or stages within processes
• generating ideas for new products and researching feasibility
• recording and analysing data
• presenting results to senior/other staff; investigating and testing new equipment
• liaising with engineering, research, technical and/or production staff
• supervising junior staff including technicians
• writing/reading technical papers, reports, reviews and specifications
• keeping up to date with relevant scientific and technical developments.

Product development scientists are commonly responsible for supervising a number of projects simultaneously.

Typical employers of product development scientists

Within the food industry sector the majority of product/process development scientists are employed by food manufacturing and processing companies.

Vacancies generally attract moderate competition. Opportunities are advertised via the internet, by careers services, in newspapers and trade or scientific publications such as Food Manufacture and New Scientist and in journals published by the professional institutions. Specialist recruitment agencies may also advertise vacancies. Speculative applications are advisable, particularly to larger companies - these should be made early in the autumn term of your final year.

Qualifications and training required

It is necessary to possess a degree (2.2 or above) in an appropriate subject - for example, food science or technology, food engineering, chemistry, biology, biochemistry, electrical, chemical or mechanical engineering, production or process engineering, materials or physical sciences.

A relevant postgraduate qualification may be helpful, particularly for career progression. Practical research, factory or laboratory work experience is also beneficial and may be gained via final year project work, sponsorship, work shadowing, vacation work or industrial (sandwich) placements.

Key skills for product development scientists

• a logical and independent mind
• excellent analytical skills
• team-working skills
• interpersonal skills
• written and oral communication skills
• the ability to work effectively with staff in non-scientific positions
• good technical skills
• problem solving skills
• IT skills.