Food Science (R&D) Intern 2026

Position Title: Food Science (R&D) Intern 2026
Position Type: Temporary - Full-Time
Position Location: Scarborough
Requisition ID: 38910
This is a placement year opportunity for 2026-2027, and not a grad scheme. This is only suitable for students who are due to finish their second year (doing a sandwich degree) and seeking a placement year opportunity!
About McCain .
At McCain, we're feeding the world: from French fries to Smiles, we contribute to the important role food plays in people's lives. That's why we're dedicated to ensuring our core values-Family, Authentic, Trusted, and Quality-shine through every day. As a privately owned family company with over 60 years of experience, a presence in more than 160 countries, and a global team of 22,000 people, our values and culture are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that we can work together, along with our business and community partners, to bring sustainable growth and positive change today, tomorrow, and for generations to come. Join us and see how you can MAKE IT at McCain!
Why join the McCain family .

• Your Life - we're here to help you fulfil your potential, flourish, and thrive in work and life.
• Your Success - work alongside passionate individuals who are committed to supporting your career ambitions, drive, and success.
• Your Impact - we want you to make a meaningful, lasting impact for you, for your colleagues, and for the business.

ABOUT THE ROLE
#TakeABite of life outside of your university studies.
We're recruiting for a R&D Food Science Intern.
You'll join a line of successful interns that have all been in the same shoes, who walked through the doors of our HQ to gain valuable experience as part of their University Placement year. Some of which have since returned to continue their careers with us.
When : Join us in July 2026 for an epic 12-month journey with our Global R&D team.
You'll get an insight into what life is like working for one of the largest frozen food companies in the world, and experience lots of different elements within R&D, from working on new development projects to new ingredient evaluation.
Other projects may include; specific studies on appetiser ingredients and impact to recipes, line extension development of our current product portfolios, cook direction and abuse studies as well as conducting tastings (our favourite part) to evaluate shelf life samples.
Working on some tasty projects alongside our teams, you'll also live and breathe the victories that come with working in a professional R&D team, whilst also experiencing some of the real-life challenges that go with it.
As an intern, you'll not only get hands on experience, but you'll also experience development within a professional environment where you'll work towards set objectives, with a clear development plan and regular one to one's with your line managers. You'll also build a network both inside and outside of McCain as well as creating connections with other interns across the business.
Leadership Principles .
Our principles, each with related practices, guide our actions across the organisation. Together, they address how McCain interacts with our customers and employees, and how we work as individuals and collectively to find success. While each role adheres to the Leadership Principles, individual roles may focus more on a specific principle or principles.
We are customer obsessed. Customers are our starting point. By understanding their needs and leveraging data and consumer insights, we drive mutual success.
We think big and plan ahead. Through ambition, curiosity, and smart risks, we can accomplish goals, refine processes, and innovate to scale success.
We bring out the best in our people. We create safe spaces for our people so that trust and empowerment come naturally. Inclusion is about listening first, showing humility, and working together.
We act like owners. Together, we clear obstacles and do the work that makes us all successful and proud to be part of McCain.
ABOUT YOU!
Here at McCain we are go-getters. We are winners. And we work hard.
And that's what we look for in our interns.
But you must also...

• Be currently studying a relevant degree in Food Science or equivalent.
• Full clean driving license.
• Have a passion and interest in food.
• Be seeking a 12-month placement year to support your degree studies (which will run from July 2026 to June 2027)
• Must be available to start early July.
• And of course, a love of potatoes!

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?
Although we do encourage you to taste the goods you'll be pleased to know we don't pay you in chips. For working hard, you'll also get a great salary and some pretty good benefits including:

• Sign on bonus additional to your annual salary - to help you get started!
• An excellent pension where we will pay double what you do, up to a maximum of 12% of your pay
• Flexible holidays - where you can buy & sell up to 5 days holiday per year
• Optional health cash plan
• Cycle to work scheme
• 'Chips In' Volunteering Day Off - to make a positive impact to the competitiveness, resilience, and long-term development of McCain communities across the globe

And of course, being part of a Global business there are great opportunities to shine/thrive should you wish to relocate in the future. We have an ambitious 5-year growth plan that presents development & progression opportunities for those who seek it out.
WHERE YOU'LL WORK...
Our HQ in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
We're all about flexibility. It's not about where you work, but what you achieve. We won't pin you down to a specific number of office days but we do need you to be present for the majority of the week as you'll be in the test kitchen, on the pilot line, or at the factories to ensure you get as much exposure to support your placement year.
The McCain experience
We are McCain: this statement is about our power collectively and our importance individually-your impact is a significant part of the business. Our winning culture focuses on authenticity and trust so we can always bring out the best in our people. Here, you have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive while being yourself. Join our team to see why we're better together.
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCain's Global Privacy Policy and Global Employee Privacy Policy , as applicable. You can understand how your personal information is being handled here .
Job Family: Research & Development
Division: Global Research and Development
Department: Potato
Location(s): GB - United Kingdom : England : Scarborough || GB - United Kingdom : England : Bath || GB - United Kingdom : England : Birmingham* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Bradford* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Brighton & Hove || GB - United Kingdom : England : Bristol* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Cambridge || GB - United Kingdom : England : Canterbury* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Carlisle || GB - United Kingdom : England : Chelmsford || GB - United Kingdom : England : Chester* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Chichester || GB - United Kingdom : England : Colchester || GB - United Kingdom : England : Coventry* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Derby || GB - United Kingdom : England : Doncaster || GB - United Kingdom : England : Durham || GB - United Kingdom : England : Ely || GB - United Kingdom : England : Exeter* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Gloucester || GB - United Kingdom : England : Grantham || GB - United Kingdom : England : Hereford || GB - United Kingdom : England : Hull || GB - United Kingdom : England : Kingston-upon-Hull* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Lancaster || GB - United Kingdom : England : Leeds* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Leicester* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Lichfield || GB - United Kingdom : England : Lincoln || GB - United Kingdom : England : Liverpool* || GB - United Kingdom : England : London* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Manchester* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Milton Keynes || GB - United Kingdom : England : Newcastle-upon-Tyne* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Norwich* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Nottingham* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Oxford* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Peterborough || GB - United Kingdom : England : Plymouth* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Portsmouth* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Preston || GB - United Kingdom : England : Ripon || GB - United Kingdom : England : Salford || GB - United Kingdom : England : Salisbury || GB - United Kingdom : England : Sheffield* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Southampton* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Southend-on-Sea || GB - United Kingdom : England : St Albans || GB - United Kingdom : England : Stoke on Trent* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Sunderland || GB - United Kingdom : England : Truro || GB - United Kingdom : England : Wakefield || GB - United Kingdom : England : Wells || GB - United Kingdom : England : Westminster* || GB - United Kingdom : England : Whittlesey || GB - United Kingdom : England : Winchester || GB - United Kingdom : England : Wolverhampton || GB - United Kingdom : England : Wombourne || GB - United Kingdom : England : Worcester || GB - United Kingdom : England : York*
Company: McCain Foods (G.B.) Ltd