Do you have a passion for developing new products and have an ambition for a long-term career in a commercial environment within the food industry? Passionate about food and working as part of a team? 

If this sounds like you, then our Product Development Placement could be the perfect opportunity! 

Why Greencore? 

We’re one of the UK’s leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make everyday taste better. 

As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we’re proud to employ over 13,300 talented colleagues across 16 manufacturing sites and 17 distribution depots throughout the UK. 

Together, we bring delicious food to life, from sandwiches, soups, and sushi to cooking sauces, pickles, and ready meals. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve revenues of £1.95bn. 

Our extensive direct-to-store (DTS) network, with 17 depots nationwide, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring our customers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop. 

Here at Selby we employ a team over 750 colleagues. A site steeped in history, we are the UK’s number one manufacturer of customer private label cooking sauces and pickles. We have been serving our customers out of our Selby site since 1914. We produce more than 160 million units per year across 600 different product lines for customers such as Morrisons, Tesco & Asda. 

This is a dynamic and innovative field, which brings many commercial challenges relating to market trends, product launches, maintaining relationships with customers, suppliers and internal teams. 

What you'll be doing 

Our 12-month Commercial Placement is your chance to gain hands-on experience, build your skills, and make a real impact. This placement is perfect for students completing a year-in-industry as part of their degree and there’s even the potential to return to Greencore after graduation! 

You won’t just be observing—you’ll be immersed in the action, working alongside industry experts and contributing to projects that shape what millions of people eat every day. 

As a Product Development Technologist, you will play a crucial role in supporting the product development process, ensuring new products are validated, documented, and ready for a smooth launch. 

This will include: 

• Input recipes, calculate costs, assess nutrition, and maintain documentation 
• Collaborate with buyers, packaging, and stakeholders to meet project needs 
• Prepare and organise samples for testing, panels, presentations, and shipments 
• Conduct sensory testing and support recipe adjustments 
• Track timelines, identify risks, and ensure sustainable development 
• Benchmark competitors and assist throughout all product development stages 

By the end of your placement, you’ll have real-world experience, a deep understanding of the commercial side of the food industry, and skills that set you apart. 

We believe our people drive our success, which is why we invest in your development. You’ll have a dedicated mentor, access to networking opportunities with other Early Careers colleagues, and the chance to attend industry events to grow your professional connections 

What we’re looking for 

We’re looking for motivated undergraduates who are studying either a food related or business degree and have a keen ambition to gain experience within the commercial function of a fast-moving consumer good business. 

You will also be: 

• Team player with ambition for a long-term career in commercial/food industry 
• Motivated, resilient, and adaptable to change 
• Curious, organised, with strong communication skills to build stakeholder relationships 

Whilst this role is based at our site in Selby ,  there may be requirements to travel to other sites when necessary, and therefore a full driving license is advantageous. 

To join our Commercial Placement programme, you will need: 

*         Currently studying 

*         The right to live and work in the UK. 

We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of nationality or background. However, applicants must have (or be able to obtain) the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme, as we do not offer visa sponsorship. 

What you’ll get 

Not only will you gain experience across our business; you will also have access to our Greencore colleague benefits including: 

• Competitive salary and benefits 
• Free wellbeing support: Virtual GP, health checks, mental health & nutrition consultations, Adult Care helpline, on-site physio 
• Career development via Grow with Greencore and Early Careers events 
• Exclusive employee discount platform 

What’s next? 

Applications are due to close on 4th Feb 2026, however if there are high volumes of applications, we may close early. 

Upon successful telephone screening, you will be invited to Virtual Assessment Centre which will take place between Tuesday 3rd – Thursday 5th March 2026 

The second stage, face to face assessment will take place at one of our Greencore sites, between Wednesday 25  - Thursday 26 March 2026.