Senior Product Development Specialist - Butter & Blends

Senior Product Development Specialist - Butter & Blends Christchurch or Hokitika | Westland Milk Products | Full-time Are you passionate about transforming dairy science into commercially successful products? Westland Milk Products, part of the Yili Oceania group, is looking for a Senior Product Development Specialist – Butter & Blends to help shape the future of our butter, AMF and functional dairy fat portfolio. This is a unique opportunity to combine deep technical expertise, customer-led innovation and practical project delivery in a role that spans the full product lifecycle — from concept and formulation through to pilot trials, commercial scale-up and market launch. About the role Reporting to the Head of Innovation – Cream and Butter, you will be the technical specialist for butter and blend products, providing expertise across formulation, dairy fat functionality, texture, flavour, quality stability, cost optimisation and application performance. You will lead and support innovation activities across the Cream and Butter portfolio, working closely with Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain and external technical partners to create products that deliver real value for customers and consumers. What you’ll be doing Lead product development and innovation projects across butter, butter blends and functional dairy fat systems. Drive formulation, processing and scale-up work from lab and pilot trials through to commercial manufacture. Optimise fat functionality, crystallisation, texture, spreadability, flavour release, mouthfeel and application performance. Partner with customers and commercial teams to translate market needs into practical, high-value product solutions. Support manufacturing troubleshooting, quality stability, cost optimisation, yield improvement and continuous improvement initiatives. Provide technical input into specifications, trial protocols, risk assessments, validation plans, regulatory requirements and technical reports. What you’ll bring A degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Dairy Science, Food Engineering, Process Engineering or a related discipline. At least a number of years’ hands‑on relevant experience in dairy product development, ideally within butter products (Sheets, Spreadable Blends and Infused Butter). Strong technical knowledge of dairy fat functionality, formulation, sensory attributes, process validation and commercialisation. Experience leading or supporting cross‑functional innovation projects, trials and product launches. Customer‑facing confidence, strong technical communication skills and the ability to influence across teams. A practical, analytical and continuous‑improvement mindset, with strong attention to detail and documentation discipline. At Westland Milk Products, you’ll be part of a proud New Zealand dairy business with global reach through the Yili Oceania group. You’ll work on products enjoyed around the world, contribute to high-value innovation and collaborate with talented people across our commercial, technical and manufacturing teams. If you are ready to bring your technical expertise, curiosity and passion for dairy innovation to a role where you can make a real commercial impact, we’d love to hear from you. #J-18808-Ljbffr