Gummy R&D Scientist

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday | Site-based | North West England

Relocation & Visa Sponsorship: Available for candidates with extensive Gummy R&D experience, including international applicants

A rapidly growing food and supplement manufacturing business is looking to appoint an experienced Gummy R&D Scientist to play a key role in its expanding Research & Development function.

This is an exciting opportunity for a technically strong Scientist or Formulation Specialist with genuine hands-on experience developing gummies, whether gained within confectionery, nutraceuticals or food supplements.

With continued investment in manufacturing capacity and product development, the business is looking for someone who can take ownership of gummy formulations from initial customer brief through laboratory development, pilot-plant trials, factory scale-up and successful commercial manufacture.

Reporting directly to the Technical Director, you'll work closely with the existing laboratory and manufacturing teams, bringing specialist formulation knowledge and a practical understanding of how ingredients, processing conditions and manufacturing equipment influence the finished product.

This is a highly hands-on position, ideally suited to someone who enjoys being in the laboratory, experimenting with formulations, running trials and solving technical challenges rather than purely managing development projects.

The business is open to candidates relocating from elsewhere in the UK or internationally, with visa sponsorship available for individuals who can demonstrate the specialist experience required.

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop and optimise gummy formulations from initial customer briefs through to commercially viable finished products
• Take ownership of hands-on laboratory development, pilot-plant trials and factory scale-up, ensuring formulations can be successfully manufactured at commercial volumes
• Work with different pectin systems, including HM, LM and amidated pectin, alongside sugar and sugar-free formulations
• Assess the functionality and interaction of ingredients, including hydrocolloids, sweeteners, acids, buffers, flavours and colours
• Incorporate vitamins, minerals, botanicals and functional ingredients into gummy formulations, considering stability, taste masking and ingredient loading
• Plan and carry out pilot-scale trials, evaluating formulation behaviour, texture, setting characteristics, stability and manufacturability
• Lead the transition from laboratory and pilot-scale development into full-scale factory production, troubleshooting challenges throughout the process
• Establish and optimise critical processing parameters, including pH, Brix, water activity, gel strength, temperature and setting time
• Develop and refine cooking, depositing, curing, drying and finishing processes to achieve consistent product quality
• Investigate and resolve formulation and manufacturing challenges, including stickiness, sweating, crystallisation, poor setting and texture variation
• Support shelf-life and stability studies, ensuring products perform consistently throughout their intended shelf life
• Evaluate new raw materials and ingredient alternatives, identifying opportunities to improve formulation performance and commercial viability
• Maintain accurate formulation records, trial documentation, specifications and technical information
• Work closely with Production, Quality, Technical, Procurement and Commercial teams to ensure successful product development and implementation
• Contribute specialist formulation knowledge to the wider R&D function, supporting the development of new products and manufacturing capabilities

What's In It for You

• Join a rapidly growing manufacturing business investing in its gummy R&D and production capabilities
• Take genuine ownership of gummy formulation and development, from initial concept through to commercial manufacture
• Work hands-on across laboratory development, pilot-plant trials and full-scale manufacturing
• The opportunity to apply your specialist scientific knowledge to technically challenging formulation projects
• Work closely with senior leadership and contribute directly to the development of the business's future product portfolio
• Join a business where your expertise can make a visible difference to product innovation, manufacturing performance and future growth
• Relocation opportunities for candidates based elsewhere in the UK or internationally

Your Background

• A minimum of 3–5 years' hands-on experience in gummy formulation and development, gained within confectionery, nutraceuticals or food supplements is essential
• Proven experience developing gummy formulations in a laboratory environment and taking them through pilot-plant trials and full-scale commercial factory production is essential
• Strong scientific understanding of gummy formulation, particularly hydrocolloids and gelling systems such as pectin
• Practical experience working with sugar and/or sugar-free gummy formulations, sweetener systems, acids, buffers and functional ingredients
• Strong understanding of ingredient functionality and how raw materials influence texture, stability, setting behaviour and finished product quality
• Experience establishing and optimising processing parameters, including pH, Brix, water activity, temperature and gel strength
• Demonstrable experience troubleshooting formulation and manufacturing challenges during development and scale-up
• Experience working with gummy manufacturing equipment and understanding how formulations behave during cooking, depositing and setting
• Experience developing formulations containing vitamins, minerals, botanicals or other functional actives would be advantageous
• A degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Pharmacy or another relevant scientific discipline
• Experience maintaining formulation records, specifications, SOPs and technical documentation
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate technical challenges and identify practical solutions
• Comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with laboratory, Technical and manufacturing teams

Join a Business That Invests in You

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Gummy subject matter expert, who wants to play a central role in the growth of an ambitious manufacturing business.

You'll have the opportunity to take ownership of technically challenging formulation projects, work closely with manufacturing teams and contribute to the development of new products as the business continues to expand its capabilities.

The business is particularly interested in individuals who combine strong scientific knowledge with practical, hands-on experience and who understand the challenges involved in taking gummy formulations from the laboratory through to successful commercial manufacture.

Whether you're already based in the UK or looking to relocate internationally, we'd love to hear from you if you have the specialist gummy formulation and scale-up experience required.