Product Development Assistant

Reed Specialist Recruitment

Product Development Assistant
Location:
South East London - driving license helpful due to site location
Salary:
up to £30k

Are you organised, hands-on, and passionate about food? We're looking for a Product Development Assistant to support our New Product Development team, helping to keep our development kitchen running smoothly while playing a key role in sample preparation, product testing, stock management, and customer visits.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with kitchen or catering experience who enjoys working in a fast-paced food environment and wants to be part of bringing exciting new products to life.

What You'll Be Doing

  • Keep the development kitchen clean, organised, and operating to the highest standards.
  • Maintain kitchen equipment, utensils, and storage areas, reporting any maintenance issues promptly.
  • Support food safety, allergen control, and health & safety compliance through accurate record keeping and best practice.
  • Manage waste responsibly in line with sustainability and hygiene standards.
  • Prepare, heat, and present products for internal tasting panels and product evaluations.
  • Coordinate and dispatch raw materials and product samples to internal teams and external customers.
  • Track deliveries and communicate with couriers to ensure samples arrive on time.
  • Manage stock levels and ordering of consumables, cleaning products, and kitchen supplies.
  • Support customer and supplier visits by arranging refreshments and light catering.
  • Assist visiting culinary teams with basic product preparation and kitchen support.

What We're Looking For

  • Proactive, motivated, and happy to take ownership of tasks
  • Highly organised with strong attention to detail
  • Excellent communication and teamwork skills
  • Able to manage multiple priorities in a busy environment
  • Flexible, hands-on approach with a positive attitude

Skills & Experience

  • Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above)
  • Previous experience in a kitchen, catering, or food-related environment
  • Good food preparation skills
  • Understanding of food safety and hygiene legislation
  • Competent user of Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams
  • Experience within food manufacturing would be an advantage

Additional Information

This is a physically active role involving regular lifting, bending, and moving products and materials.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in the workplace, we'll be happy to support you.

Interested? Click apply and I will be in touch with more info!

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