Packaging Innovation & Development Assistant

Advert:

Full Time | Permanent (UK Driving Licence Required)

Start Your Career in Packaging Innovation with Hain Celestial.

Are you someone who is curious about how products make it to supermarket shelves? Interested in packaging, sustainability, food manufacturing, innovation, or product development?

At Hain Celestial UK, we're home to some of the UK's best-loved brands, including Hartley's, Ella's Kitchen, Linda McCartney's, Robertson's, Yorkshire Provender, Cully & Sully, New Covent Garden Soup Co. and more.

We're looking for a Packaging & Innovation Development Executive to join our Group R&D team. This is a fantastic junior-level opportunity for someone looking to build a long-term career within packaging, innovation, product development, or food manufacturing.

You'll work closely with experienced leaders across Packaging and R&D, gaining hands-on exposure to packaging development projects, sustainability initiatives, factory trials, and the technical processes that support some of the UK's favourite food brands.

If you're highly organised, enjoy administration and project coordination, have excellent attention to detail, and are keen to learn, we'd love to hear from you.

This isn't just an administration role.

It's an opportunity to learn from experienced Packaging and R&D professionals, gaining exposure to:

• Packaging innovation and development
• Sustainability initiatives and environmental improvements
• Product launches and packaging changes
• Manufacturing and factory trial processes
• Food industry legislation and compliance
• Supplier management and material sourcing
• Technical project management

You’ll be supported by our Group Senior Packaging Manager and become an integral part of projects that help shape the future of our products and packaging.

• Assist in the development and implementation of packaging solutions across multiple UK manufacturing sites.
• Support packaging trials, material testing, shelf‑life assessments and transit trials.
• Help evaluate packaging performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

• Create and maintain packaging specifications, technical records and supporting documentation.
• Ensure packaging information is accurate, up to date and compliant.
• Manage project information and maintain key databases and documentation systems.
• Support the administration of packaging development projects from concept through to implementation.

• Support projects focused on reducing waste and improving environmental performance.
• Research emerging packaging materials, technologies and sustainability trends.
• Help identify opportunities to improve packaging performance and reduce environmental impact.

• Work alongside Packaging, R&D, Quality, Manufacturing and Procurement teams.
• Support supplier communications and material evaluations.
• Assist with investigations into packaging-related issues and coordinate follow‑up actions.

• Build technical knowledge across a wide range of packaging formats and materials.
• Develop an understanding of packaging legislation, compliance requirements and industry standards.
• Learn how packaging decisions impact food safety, quality, sustainability and manufacturing efficiency.

This role could be ideal for:

• A recent graduate or college leaver interested in Packaging, Food Science, Product Development or Sustainability.
• Someone with experience in an administrative, project support or food manufacturing environment who wants to develop a specialist career.
• A candidate…