Food Science and Agri Food recruitment
Food Science and Agri Food
Technologists, quality leaders, production and supply chain talent for food, drink, dairy and ingredient businesses.
What sets this desk apart
- Food science treated as a lead specialism
- BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and HACCP literate
- Coverage from plant floor to board level
How we recruit
Food and drink is one of Ireland's largest indigenous industries and one of its most international. From dairy processing and infant nutrition to meat, bakery, beverages, ingredients and food service, the sector needs technical people who understand food safety, product development and the realities of a production floor.
We recruit technologists, quality and technical managers, NPD teams, production leaders, procurement and supply chain professionals and engineers. Food science is a lead specialism for us, not an afterthought inside a general desk, which is why we take on the roles that are hardest to fill.
Where we work
Dairy and nutrition, meat and seafood, bakery and confectionery, beverages and brewing, ingredients and flavours, food service and retail, and the agri technology companies supplying all of them.
Roles we recruit
- Food Technologist
- NPD and Development Scientist
- Quality and Technical Manager
- Food Safety and Compliance Lead
- Production Manager and Shift Lead
- Process Engineer
- Procurement and Supply Chain Specialist
- Laboratory Technician
- Sensory and Nutrition Scientist
- Operations Director
Where hiring gets stuck
Hiring in food science is hard. Here is where it sticks.
- 01
Technical managers are scarce
The person who leads your HACCP team and fronts your BRCGS or FSSC 22000 audit is hard to replace, and most good ones are employed and not looking. We approach them directly and assess audit results, customer audit experience and how they work with a production floor.
- 02
Audit dates do not move
When a quality or technical lead resigns weeks before a certification or customer audit, the site is exposed. We can look for interim technical cover while the permanent search runs, so the audit is led by someone who has done it before.
- 03
NPD roles sit open
Dairy, nutrition and prepared food businesses are investing in new products, yet technologists who can take a product from kitchen sample to factory trial are few. We screen for scale up experience, and because we also recruit in life sciences we can show you where pharma is outbidding you.
- 04
Operative permits are capped
On 26 August 2026 the Department of Enterprise said the quota of 1,000 permits for meat processing operatives was oversubscribed and closed to new applications, and quotas change, so check before relying on them. We help you plan around quota timing and recruit ethically, with no fees charged to workers.
Open in the market
Food Science roles employers are advertising now.
These roles are being advertised by employers in Ireland. FH Recruitment has not been instructed on them. If one suits you, tell us which. With your agreement we approach the employer on your behalf, and nothing is sent anywhere without your say so.
Questions
Food Science hiring, answered.
Practical answers to the questions employers and candidates ask most.
Why is it so hard to hire a food technical manager or quality manager in Ireland?
The pool is small and demand is steady. In January 2026 Food Drink Ireland reported that 64% of food and drink manufacturers named attracting and keeping a quality workforce as a top challenge, and 57% named housing for employees. Technical managers with BRCGS or FSSC 22000 site experience are usually employed, often far from the cities, and slow to relocate. What tends to work is a clear salary range, a direct approach, flexibility on start date and an honest account of the site's last audit.
Can we still get employment permits for meat processing operatives in Ireland?
It depends on the quota when you apply. On 26 August 2026 the Department of Enterprise said the quota of 1,000 permits for meat processing operatives was oversubscribed and that no new applications were being accepted. The Department set the minimum salary for meat and horticultural operative permits at €32,691 from 1 March 2026. Quotas and thresholds change, so check the Department's latest updates before you plan. We can help you time applications, consider workers already in the EEA and recruit without fees to workers.
How do we find NPD technologists with dairy or nutrition experience?
Decide first which part of NPD you need: concept and kitchen work, process development and factory trials, or specification, labelling and launch. Few candidates are strong in all of them. Industry commentary in the Irish Farmers Journal in April 2025 pointed to growing demand in new product development and specialised nutrition across dairy, so expect competition for people with that background. We screen for the stage you need, consider candidates from neighbouring categories and look overseas where the role supports it.
What jobs can I get with a food science degree in Ireland?
More than most graduates expect. Food Drink Ireland put direct employment in food and drink manufacturing at almost 60,000 in January 2026. Employers range from dairy and meat processors to bakeries, drinks companies and ingredient makers. Common starting points are quality assurance technician, laboratory analyst, NPD technologist and process technologist, leading in time to technical manager, food safety lead or operations roles. Time on a production floor, HACCP training and internal audit experience all help. We never charge candidates a fee.
Insights
Reading for this sector.
Other sectors
Hiring in food science?
Brief a named consultant who will run your search from start to finish. We aim to send a first shortlist within 48 hours on permanent searches.