Senior Development Technologist

Senior Development Technologist Fife, Scotland (On-site) Salary: Competitive & benefits Vickerstock are working in partnership with a global seafood business to recruit a Senior Development Technologist for their site in Fife. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced food professional to take ownership of complex product launches across fresh, smoked and added-value seafood categories, working closely with major UK retailers. You will play a pivotal role in taking products from concept handover through to full-scale manufacture, ensuring processes are robust, efficient and fully compliant within a highly regulated food production environment. Your new role: Reporting to the Process Development Manager, you will lead the coordination and execution of new and modified product launches, acting as a key technical contact across cross-functional teams and retail customers. This role carries a higher level of autonomy and responsibility, including regular retailer interaction and occasional deputising for the Process Development Manager. Key responsibilities will include: * Leading preparation and coordination of new and revised product launches. * Planning, managing and executing production trials to ensure scalability, repeatability and food safety compliance. * Identifying and resolving potential process or production issues ahead of launch. * Coordinating post-trial reviews, sampling and continuous improvement actions. * Ensuring accurate and complete data capture to support commercial costings and profitability. * Working closely with Technical, Production, Engineering and Finance teams to develop robust specifications and ensure accurate ERP system setup. * Managing artwork approval and certification requirements for on-pack claims within your product portfolio. * Supporting implementation of new processes or machinery alongside engineering teams. * Maintaining regular contact with retailer technologists and supporting Gate approval processes. * Conducting store visits, product benchmarking and customer/supplier visits where required. The role is primarily office hours; however, flexibility is required to support evening or weekend trials when necessary. What you’ll need to succeed: * Degree or diploma in Food Science, Chemistry, Microbiology or related discipline. * Proven experience in a similar Development or Senior Development role within food manufacturing (seafood or protein experience advantageous). * Strong understanding of food processing, retailer standards and regulatory frameworks. * Demonstrable experience leading factory trials and successful product launches. * Experience working directly with retailer technologists. * Strong commercial awareness and understanding of product costings. * Excellent organisational skills with high attention to detail. * Ability to manage multiple projects and influence cross-functional teams. Desirable: * Food Safety qualification (REHIS or equivalent). * Experience supporting capital projects or new process implementation. * Experience within a major retail-facing manufacturing environment. What you’ll receive: * Competitive salary. * Benefits package. * Opportunity to work within a global seafood business with strong retail partnerships. * High level of autonomy and ownership across product launches. * Genuine opportunity to progress within a growing and forward-thinking organisation. To speak in absolute confidence about this opportunity, please send an up-to-date CV via the link provided or contact Maria Murphy, Principal Recruitment Consultant at Vickerstock on (phone number removed)