QA Technician; Part Time

Overview

Business Area: Nestle UK&I

Location: Dalston, Cumbria

Salary: £11,200.00

Shift/

Working hours:

Part time – Working days:
Thursday and Friday 8am-4pm each week as part of a job share – 15 hours per week.

Benefits: Potential discretionary annual bonus;
Generous pension scheme – up to 12% contribution from Nestle;
Holiday entitlement: 10 days per year with potential to accrue flex leave; A focus on personal development and growth.

We are recruiting for a Quality Assurance Technician to join the Quality Team at our Coffee manufacturing plant in Dalston, Cumbria. This is a permanent, part time opportunity which will report into the Laboratory manager on site. The position is within our Nestlé Dalston Factory, home of Nescafe, producing a range of Cappuccino, Aero and Coffee mate products on highly automated PLC controlled processes with automated filling and packing lines.

In this role you will provide professional support by performing and communicating in a timely manner the necessary quality tests and analysis required for product safety and quality. This includes testing quality of physical, chemical, microbiological, sensory aspects, intermediate products, raw materials, packaging as well as finished products. You will identify trends during testing and work towards clear compliance goals and measures, including monitoring the performance of analytical instruments in production as needed.

• Define, follow and update where necessary the specific quality procedures, instructions and tools related to analyses and tests.
• Responsible for the internal control plan of the equipment under their responsibility including calibration.
• Responsible for interpreting results and for reproducibility and repeatability of analyses.
• Reporting of out of specification results / abnormalities and involvement in Root Cause Analysis to drive solutions.
• Perform training and coach operators and other technicians in performing sample analyses and tests.

To be successful in this role you will already have a breadth of experience within Quality and/or Laboratory environments. Previous experience within food manufacturing is desirable but not essential. We’re looking for a proactive and enthusiastic person to join our team with agility and excellent attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.

• Ideally qualified in a Scientific or Food Science discipline at degree or A-Level standard.
• Ability to develop and validate analytical methods.
• Calibration and maintenance of lab equipment.
• Experience of creation and implementation of SOPs as required.
• Previous experience in another laboratory or analytical environment is essential.
• An analytical thinker with a keen eye for detail.

Advert posting date: 20/02/2026

Advert closing date: 06/03/2026

We will be considering candidates as they apply and will occasionally close job advertisements early if we receive sufficient applicants. Please submit your application without delay.

We champion inclusion and diversity. We are committed to Disability Confidence and have been recognised as a Times Top 50 Employer for gender equality for three consecutive years. We are a partner of Diversity and Inclusion in grocery.

At Nestlé, our values are rooted in respect and we encourage applications from individuals of all gender identities, ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities, parents, carers and members of the LGBT+ community. We will provide accommodations to ensure full participation in the application process if needed.

To learn more about Nestlé’s commitment to DEI:
Nestlé's Commitment to a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates will be required to evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. We do not sponsor under the Skilled Worker route for this role; candidates must demonstrate their own right to work during recruitment without Nestlé sponsorship.

For information on the recruitment journey with Nestlé, visit:
Recruitment Journey | Nestlé UK & Ireland