Food Technology Industrial Placement

At M&S, retail has an energy. Our customers feel it because our colleagues bring it. And it creates careers that outdo anything you may have imagined.Setting new standards in shopping experiences. Creating food that gives the nation fresh flavours. Standing for sustainability. Making fashion that dials up expectations. That’s what we do here, and more. This is Retail. Turned up.

⚪‍ About the programme

‍Looking for an unforgettable industrial placement? Where better than our industry-leading M&S Food Technology team?Here you’ll build your technical expertise, deliver exceptional quality and learn how we ensure the quality, safety and standards that M&S products are known and loved for. You’ll sit right at the cutting edge of food innovation – helping to shape the products that get the nation talking, and discovering just how much science, creativity and care goes into making every M&S product a little bit special.

‍🟡 What you'll be doing

‍You’ll kick off with an induction to the Food Technology team. Then, spend two weeks in one of our stores, scaling up your understanding of our business and how customer needs shape everything we do. You’ll also see how we deliver the high standards we’re known for. This will give you a solid foundation to take into the rest of your placement. After your time in store, you’ll spend the rest of your first six months tackling live projects in technical areas including food safety, supplier management and innovation. From there, you’ll complete your final six-months working with one of our top-rate suppliers to broaden your experience within Food Technology and expand your knowledge of the full supply chain.

‍🟢 What you’ll need

‍Everything we create, we create for customers. So, we look for customer- and product-obsessed people who are curious and keen to learn. You’ll need to be a team player who tells it as it is, always aiming higher and able to learn fast. Our food products are world-famous and high-quality, so a genuine interest in our business and a love for food is a must.You must be studying a degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or a Food-related subject and be in your second year or beyond. The first half of your placement will be based in our Support Centre in London and the second half at one of our suppliers within the UK, so you must be able and willing to travel. You’ll also need the right to work in the UK for the full duration of your placement.  

‍🔵 What it takes to succeed

‍A curiosity for how things work. A genuine enthusiasm for the products we make. These are the skills that will see you making the most of this one-of-a-kind experience. This role carries real responsibility to ensure the consistent quality and safety our customers expect from us. So, you’ll need an eye for detail and the confidence to speak up and ask questions. Alongside that, an ability to communicate clearly, collaborate across teams and stay focused under pressure.

‍🟣 Where it could lead

‍This placement is designed for experts in the making, helping to elevate your skills and put you on the path to an impactful Food Industry career. Once you graduate, you have the potential to re-join M&S on a graduate programme. Then, over time, advance into roles where you’ll be shaping product quality, influencing product innovation or setting strategies for entire food categories.

‍🔴 Why choose M&S Food?

‍Our food is not just any food. We’ve got a reputation for quality, value and innovation. And it shows, with over 32 million customers and new stores continuing to open across the nation. We’re continually looking for new ways to improve and stay ahead in a fast-changing market. Our five-year vision is to reshape retail for the future and as a future leader of our Food business, you could play an important role in this transformation.

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How to apply

Eligibility Criteria

• You must have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme
• You will be in at least your second year of studying for a Food Science, Nutrition or Food-related degree

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Application Form

Your first step will be to complete our online application form. You can only apply to one programme per annual recruitment cycle, and we’d encourage you to choose the one that feels like the best fit for you.

We close our vacancies on a rolling basis and closing dates can change. We recommend submitting your application as soon as possible.

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Online Assessment

We’ll invite you to take part in a two-stage online assessment, where you can find out more about M&S whilst we find out more about you.

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Assessment Centre

If your online assessment is successful, you’ll be invited to an in-person Assessment Centre. The recruitment process for store-based roles will also include an opportunity to attend your final interview in one of our stores.

You can find out more detailed information about our assessment process on Life@M&S.

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