Fresh Jobs at Unilever

JOB PURPOSE

• Unilever is the place where you can bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world.  If you are passionate about the impact of packaging to the end consumer experience of food products, opportunities to design and execute for sustainability and the better of the planet and love the thrill of excellent execution then this role is just for you.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Lead Packaging Development activities for category innovation and deploy projects to deliver category growth and sustainability goals across Southern Africa.
• Provide technical input for new project briefs and participate in lead concept selection through prototype development, evaluation and testing.
• Monitor competitor activity and assess use of packaging technologies for competitive advantage in terms of consumer appeal, functionality, cost and availability. 
• Lead component approval, packaging testing & qualification to ensure components meet consumer expectations, functional requirements, customer needs, cost targets, manufacturing and distribution demands.
• Develop and obtain information to create technical packaging component specifications.
• Partner with other functions to identify value improvement projects, evaluate feasibility, establish capability and implement to achieve profitable growth category goals.
• Lead risk identification, assessment and action planning for packaging change projects and participate in risk assessment activities for innovation, VIP and supply chain support projects.
• Provide leadership for packaging change projects through project management, including such activities as clarification of project goals & scope, collaborating to develop business cases and preparing detailed project plans.
• Partner with supply chain, the R&D network (local- global) and suppliers to land localization projects.
• Collaborate with brand teams to deliver packaging concepts, designs, specifications and technologies to maximize the impact of brand communication in the category.
• Grow the R&D packaging talent pool through development of self and contributing to the development of others in terms of technical packaging knowledge, professional and general skills.
• Keep abreast of and evaluate emerging packaging technologies for opportunities to contribute to category sustainability goals.
• Exploit emerging digital technologies for effective collaboration with business partners. Operate all relevant digital tools & technologies and ensure a high level of data quality.
• Stay abreast of technical developments and regulatory updates in the Foods category
• Commit to personal development and professional growth by actively participating in personal development initiatives discussed or mentioned in the Future Fit Plan

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Packaging, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering or a related technical field, with 3 to 5 years' experience in packaging development, design or innovation.
• Packaging work stream leadership in a cross functional project environment.
• Project leadership in functional area.
• Packaging methods and measurement, testing, data analysis and reporting.
• Trial briefing, planning, co-ordination and execution. Trial reporting and analysis of outcomes

Skills

• Excellence in Science and Technology Expertise.
• Professional networking with external focus.
• Building and maintaining relationships with an ability to be persuasive and assertive when necessary
• Ability to work well both independently and as part of a wider cross-functional team.
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to engage effectively with both internal and external partners
• Skilled in analyzing risk and stakeholder management
• A passion & curiosity for learning about technology, customers and consumers
• Attention to detail especially in data collection, analysis and reporting
• Good time-management skills to handle multiple projects, in a dynamic environment with changing priorities.
• Digitally savvy – ability to learn and use systems for maximum efficiency
• Creativity in activating science in consumer language and engaging consumers and non-scientists

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JOB PURPOSE

• The Process Engineer is technically accountable for bridging Formulation and R&D Process Development to ensure products are scalable, robust, and factory ready. Operating within the Home Care R&D Process & Product Development teams, the role owns the translation of approved formulation intent into validated manufacturing processes through scale up, pilot trials, process specification, validation, and factory transfer.
• The Process Engineer delivers assigned innovation and Value Improvement Project (VIP) workstreams, quality interventions, and capacity uplift through data driven, safe, and compliant execution, acting as the R&D technical authority for process development and scale up.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

R&D PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

• Perform scale up studies to translate approved bench scale formulations into pilot and factory ready processes, defining process parameters, critical control points (CCPs) and critical quality attributes (CQAs).
• Plan and perform experimental production runs in pilot plants and feasibility factory trials; provide technical recommendations and go / no go input based on agreed key success criteria. Prepare trial reports.
• Create, validate, and issue process specifications and validation documentation, ensuring alignment with approved formulation specifications and maintaining audit ready version control.
• Diagnose and resolve process deviations using engineering principles including root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with GMP, PHAROS, QMS, and R&D safety standards across all trial activities, ensuring data integrity and first time right reporting.
• Provide CAPEX technical input and requirements for new or modified process equipment, partnering with Engineering through trials, commissioning, and qualification.

Factory & Supply Chain Interface

• Support technical problem solving for manufacturing issues in local HC factories, from issue diagnosis through validated resolution and standardisation.
• Support in defining and optimising process parameters and operating windows for critical operations in collaboration with factory to improve stability, quality, and capability.
• Maintain process operating instructions and SOPs; ensure accurate updates in manufacturing systems (e.g. RS Batch, FOXBORO, SCADA, DFOS, SPC) in line with change control requirements.
• Co lead process audits; conduct, analyse, and report on factory process audits and formulation related process risks, ensuring timely technical closure of findings.
• Act as R&D technical support in HAZOPs, dHACCPs, TRA, MOC, and TPM activities relevant to processes.
• Support installation, commissioning, and qualification of powder related equipment as the R&D technical representative, ensuring required process capability is achieved.

Required Skills & Knowledge
Advanced / Expert

• Process scale up from lab/bench scale into pilot and into factory manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and keep stakeholders informed. Communicate about new product commercialization and oversee factory processes to ensure consistent product quality.
• Ability to interpret process data, define process windows, and validate scale up models.

Working Knowledge

• Factory digital and control systems (SCADA, SAP, FOXBORO, PAMCO, DFOS, SPC or equivalents).
• R&D and pilot plant testing methodologies and data interpretation.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• BTech / BSc in Chemical Engineering (or equivalent)
• 3-5 years Demonstrated experience with independent technical ownership of process development and/or scale‑up activities, or FMCG manufacturing