Development - Senior Development Technologist

Development - Senior Development Technologist

Brunel House/Brunel Rd, Salisbury SP2 7PU
, UK

Posted Thursday 2 July 2026 at 00:00

Location: Nicholas & Harris Ltd

Shift: Monday to Friday

Salary: Competitive + Benefits

We have an opportunity for a Senior Development Technologist to join our Development team at our Nicholas & Harris site as part of Finsbury Food Group.

Nicholas & Harris has over 180 years of heritage in craft baking methods. If you’re passionate about artisanal, organic, and speciality breads — including products tailored to specific dietary or nutritional needs — our Salisbury bakery has you covered.

Finsbury Food Group is a leading speciality bakery manufacturer, continuously raising quality and efficiency standards while building long‑term relationships within the food service channel. We offer a wide range of bakery products and are a leading frozen supplier into the Food service sector.

The Senior Development Technologist will play a key role in supporting bakery innovation by developing, producing, and delivering high‑quality product samples king within a positive, close‑knit bakery kitchen environment, you’ll collaborate with multiple internal teams and customers to bring new and improved products to life.

The Senior Development Technologist will work as part of the development team to develop and innovate new products and processes. Ensuring our bakery products are produced and delivered effectively to the satisfaction of our customers. They will work as part of our development team to support the delivery of the development pipeline.

This is a fast‑paced role, where the successful candidate will have excellent organisational and communication skills. They will have worked in a similar development position innovating new products and processes in response to customer briefs to maintain and grow a creative catalogue of products for our customers. With great attention to detail, they will present new product and process facts and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively to customers internally and externally and cross function.

This role is based at our Salisbury site, however a willingness to travel is required as the Senior Development Technologist may occasionally visit our other sites.

This is a great opportunity for someone to gain experience with one of the UK’s largest bakery businesses. They’ll work closely with a friendly and engaging team from both a site and group perspective, offering opportunities for growth and long‑term career development.

As the Senior Development Technologist, you will be responsible for the day‑to‑day development of new bakery products, with a primary focus on sourdough and hot cross buns. You will apply your technical knowledge and product development expertise to create innovative products that meet internal quality standards, customer specifications, and commercial objectives. Working closely with customers, you will translate product briefs into commercially successful launches, ensuring products meet quality, cost, and margin requirements.

You will collaborate with cross‑functional site teams, including Production, Technical, Operations, and Commercial, to ensure products are developed efficiently and are scalable for manufacture.

You will monitor and benchmark product quality of new and existing products and raise issues with the development manager. You will work on critical path plans, organise and control resources to deliver products and processes to an agreed quality and timescale.

• Degree preferred Food science / technology or similar degree / HND equivalent or relevant experience
• Proven experience in bakery product development, with strong knowledge and hands‑on experience of sourdough products. Experience with hot cross buns and other fermented bakery products is highly desirable.
• Computer literate – computer skills and knowledge of word and excel systems
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel when required.

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate as a minimum; higher‑level food hygiene qualifications are advantageous.

• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave to allow…