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About Us

Established in 1985, Dawn Farms is a family-owned company and the largest dedicated supplier of cooked meat and plant-based ingredients and fermented and dried sausage products outside of the US. The company currently supplies world-leading food brands across more than 44 markets, including the UK, Europe, Asia and Africa. With over 1,000 employees we are committed to meeting the needs of our customers in a safe, innovative and sustainable way, all while strengthening the communities where they live and work.

Job Purpose

Dawn Farms is currently seeking an S&I Graduate to join our Science & Innovation Department to be based in our state of the art production facilities in Naas, Co. Kildare. The Science & Innovation (S&I) Graduate will play a key role in planning and testing new ideas, contributing to the growth of the business across different innovation platforms and markets. This position offers exposure to state-of-the-art food research and manufacturing, as well as diverse protein product development and applications. Candidates will work in a team environment and are expected to have a passion for science and technology, with knowledge in Chemistry, Nutrition, Process Engineering, and Food Science. This multidisciplinary role involves learning new techniques, conducting practical experiments/trials, and handling multiple assignments within the S&I team.

Positions: Full-Time, Fixed Term 2 years.

Location: Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Salary: DOE

Working Hours: 39 hours per week, Mon. - Fri. (some flexibility required)

Role Responsibilities & Duties:

• Plan and execute practical experiments and trials, designing and testing new or improved methods and products in the S&I Pure Culinary Science kitchen, pilot plant, or factories,
• Collaborate closely with experienced Project Managers, advising on trial design, timelines, potential hurdles, and improvements to achieve technical advances.
• Generate and interpret data, maintain SharePoint databases, and document results in OneNote and other Microsoft suite applications.
• Present data and results effectively to the S&I team to drive decisions during the experimental and prototype testing phase.
• Evaluate new ingredients, materials, products, or processes to build S&I capabilities.
• Develop expertise in process and analytical methodologies, preparing and updating specifications and SOPs.
• Capture key learnings and feedback to share within internal communications, improving our innovation process.
• Coordinate trial planning and knowledge transfer within the team.
• Work with cross-functional departments to execute collaborative project tasks.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance to other team members and departments as needed.
• Ensure food safety and adhere to health and safety policies, standard operating procedures, and good hygiene practices.

Key Deliverables:

• Execution of practical trials, ensuring they are completed in a timely manner and based on the given brief.
• Update trial reports and communication platforms daily.
• Generation of high-quality reports and documentation, stored on SharePoint and OneNote.
• Completion and review of trial reports and products with Project Managers.
• Push projects to the next stage.
• Achieve technical advances during trials.

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Chemistry, Food Fermentation, or related field.
• General understanding of food applications and processing.
• Excellent record-keeping and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to read, collect, analyse, and interpret technical information and data.
• Logical and scientific thinking applied to a wide range of problems.
• Ability to operate standard laboratory and pilot equipment following training.
• Troubleshooting skills are key to this role, and the candidate should be highly motivated and eager to learn.
• Project management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple activities simultaneously.
• Ability to distinguish colours and flavours.
• Understanding of GMP and Food Safety concepts.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in mathematical concepts such as percent, ppm, and basic algebraic equations.
• Ability to build constructive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs.
• Willingness to travel as required.
• Regularly required to lift and/or move materials or equipment up to 10kg and occasionally up to 20kg.

Why Dawn Farms?

We can offer an excellent opportunity to be part of a world-class team, equipping our teams with the knowledge and the necessary skills to achieve their full potential. Innovation is a key ingredient of our success in protecting our market position and keeping our competitive edge. To be truly innovative, we invest in recruiting and developing a highly skilled, ambitious and talented team.

What we can offer you?

• 22 Days Annual Leave.
• Health Insurance Contribution.
• Pension Plan.
• Subsided Canteen.
• Training and Development Opportunities for further career progression.
• Employee Assistance Programme (Free access/support to Life Coachs, Dietitians, Work Relocation advice etc.)
• Bike to Work Scheme.
• Christmas savings scheme.

'Dawn Farm Foods Ltd. is an equal opprtunities employer'