Packaging Engineer/Polymer Scientist Burntwood
Job description
Avaliable Job Today It’s Fresh! is a food technology business that helps the entire food supply chain to extend the shelf-life of fresh fruit and vegetables, to reduce waste and optimise produce quality.
Our mission is to lead the world in innovative solutions that extend the quality and eating experience of fresh produce.
Due to our continued growth, we have an exciting new opportunity for a Packaging Engineer/Polymer Scientist. In this role youwill lead the development and ongoing improvements of incorporating our patented active material into and onto polymeric films.
As a Packaging Engineer/Polymer Scientist, the key accountabilities and responsibilities are:
- Identify and develop relationships with key manufacturing/research partners, formulate and evaluate polymer blends/binders and ensure final products adhere to food contact material regulations.
- Identify and assist with the implementation of new lab equipment required for the testing and subsequent approval of new materials/products.
- Identify industry trends in adoption and abandonment of polymers, to drive the focus of the R&D/NPD pipeline.
- Create technical reports and provide progress updates to the Operations Director on a regular basis.
- Identify and select key partners to assist with development of new polymer blends and binders.
- Create and implement scale up plans for manufacturing.
- Develop internal SOP’s for testing and evaluation of materials and perform internal testing and validation trials.
- Develop and maintain specifications for final materials.
- Oversee the development and manufacturing of new polymer products.
Skills & Experience Required:
- Degree level in material sciences or industry equivalent experience specific to polymers. A chemistry background is advantageous.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office.
- Broad industry experience.
- Academic (research) and practical experience of polymers.
- Masterbatch Compounding/Blending.
- Additives (preferably active materials i.e. Antibacterial/antimicrobial).
- Zeolites.
- Film blowing/casting
- Coextrusion.
- Lamination.
- Film coatings and adhesives, printability and adhesion
- Surface treatments.
- Regulatory knowledge
- FCM (food contact Materials).
- EU/FDA Migration.
- Heavy Metals.
- Packaging waste
- Polymer testing and characterisation.
- Equipment – SEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR.
- Standards.
- Compostable/degradable polymers.
- Recycling standards.
About Us
It’s Fresh is a British business, whose patented ethylene-capture technology enables waste reduction across the entire fresh produce supply chain, while delivering maximum eating experience to the consumer, and value to the grower. We achieve this through the use of flexible, innovative, and effective products, applied across multiple formats that can be tailored to the customer. Our technology is a highly effective, clean, non-contact and low-cost solution that increases the availability of fresh, high-quality produce for consumers, reducing food waste and climate impact within a global supply chain.
We are a science lead technology business, with global reach, customer traction and institutional verification, selling our products across four continents. Following our recent Series B investment round, we are rapidly scaling the business to fulfil our potential as a global leader in innovative fresh produce solutions.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £35,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Life insurance
- Private medical insurance
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Burntwood: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Application question(s):
- Do you have a solid understanding of Polymers?
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Burntwood
