R&D Technologist

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

Kerry’s Emulsifier business operates two key manufacturing sites located in the Netherlands and Malaysia. This Process Technologist role will be based at our Emulsifier factory in Zwijndrecht, Netherlands, and will report to the R&D Manager. The successful candidate will join a dynamic global R&D team and play an important role in scaling up novel emulsifier technologies through close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams on site.

This role requires a strong communicator who can work effectively with the R&D development team in Naas, Ireland, as well as with cross-functional site teams, to plan, coordinate, and deliver successful factory trials. The candidate will play a key role in new product introduction, partnering with Commercialisation, R&D, and site teams to ensure new products are fully implemented in the factory and accurately set up in the System Analysis Programs (SAP). They will act as a key R&D point of contact for factory processes and scale-up, with a strong understanding of product specifications, recipes, and process requirements.

The role will also support site teams in delivering Profit Improvement Projects (PIPs), helping to generate cost savings and improve factory efficiency. As the candidate develops in the role, they will take increasing ownership of PIP activities, helping to maintain a strong pipeline of savings opportunities and facilitating ideation sessions with relevant stakeholders to support Kerry’s business targets.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the factory scale-up of novel emulsifier technologies.


• Support new product introductions and ensure new recipes are accurately implemented in the system.


• Support and contribute to emulsifier technology Profit Improvement Projects (PIPs).


• Provide process expertise from the site to support the R&D team in Naas.


• Provide R&D expertise on raw materials, products, and process requirements to site teams.


• Proactively collaborate with cross-functional departments to achieve project objectives.


• Drive continuous product and process improvement through strong knowledge of raw materials, products, and factory operations.

Qualifications and skills

• BSc or MSc in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.


• Industry experience preferred but not required.


• Ability to manage projects independently and drive them to completion.


• Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary or cross-functional teams.


• Familiarity with systems, preferably SAP.


• Fluent in English; proficiency in Dutch is considered an advantage.

We offer

• A varied role within a professional yet informal team.


• Competitive salary.


• Excellent secondary benefits, including a fully employer-funded pension plan.


• 25 days of annual leave.


• Group discount on individual insurance policies.