Associate Scientist - Product Innovation ANZ

Job Description:

Location:  Sydney (Botany)

Segment / Business Unit: Mars Snacking ANZ (Breakfast & Portable Wholesome Snacks)
Job Function: Research & Development (R&D)
Reporting To: Manager, Product Innovation ANZ (Breakfast & PWS)

Innovate the future of everyday snacking & breakfast.

At Mars, we believe the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. Across our beloved portfolio—from iconic treats to wholesome breakfast favorites and on-the-go snacks—we are passionate about creating delicious, high-quality food that brings moments of joy and nourishment to millions.

Our Research & Development team is at the heart of this mission. We are looking for an agile, curious, and creative Associate Scientist — Product Innovation ANZ to join our Breakfast & Portable Wholesome Snacks (PWS) product development team.

In this hands-on, end-to-end R&D role, you will blend food science expertise, culinary creativity, and process engineering to develop next-generation snacks and breakfast foods, taking products from initial kitchen bench prototypes all the way to factory commercialization.

What are we looking for?

• Food Industry Experience: 3–5+ years of hands-on product and process development experience within food manufacturing or FMCG, ideally across snacking, bakery, or cereal categories.
• Technical & Scientific Foundation: Tertiary qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher) in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemical/Process Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Formulation & Process Acumen: Solid understanding of ingredient functionality, complex recipe formulation, pilot-scale prototyping, and factory scale-up trials.
• Regulatory & Systems Knowledge: Familiarity with FSANZ food standards and nutritional labelling guidelines, along with experience using recipe management and specification systems.
• Agility & Collaborative Drive: A proactive self-starter with excellent problem-solving, project management, and relationship-building skills across multidisciplinary teams (Supply, Marketing, Quality, and Procurement).

What will be your key responsibilities?

• End-to-End Product Innovation: Lead the formulation, benchtop prototyping, pilot-plant trials, and industrialization of new product launches and product upgrades across the breakfast and snacking portfolio.
• Factory Scale-Up & Commercialization: Partner closely with manufacturing, operations, and co-manufacturing partners as the technical lead to plan, execute, and validate factory trials and line startups.
• Quality & Value Innovation: Drive ingredient and process improvements to hit target nutritional, sensory, and cost parameters while keeping food safety and product consistency front and center.
• Specification & Stage-Gate Governance: Develop and maintain rigorous raw material, processing, and finished goods specifications, ensuring comprehensive stage-gate documentation and R&D record-keeping.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the technical voice of the project, proactively communicating milestones, risks, and innovative solutions to commercial sponsors, Marketing, Quality, and regional R&D peers.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Our Five Principles in Action: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom guide our culture, empowering you to innovate with integrity and purpose.
• Continuous Learning & Growth: Access to Mars University, global R&D learning networks, and clear pathways to develop your technical and leadership capabilities.
• Meaningful Impact: Play a direct, visible role in bringing innovative, wholesome new food products from concept to supermarket shelves across Australia and New Zealand.
• Total Rewards & Culture: Competitive remuneration, performance bonuses, flexible hybrid work options, health and wellness allowances, and generous product perks.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request. 

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