Quality Technologists; The Guardians of Food Quality

Meet Yildiz, she is making sure the food in your basket is always at its best.

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Yildiz Oktar, Quality Technologist, Sainsbury’s

I studied International Business at university but didn’t quite figure out which career path was right for me while I was there. I gained my first work experiences in start-ups and fast-moving environments which stirred up my interest in general business operations, problem solving and process optimisation. I’ve also got a real passion for food, so a career in food retail auditing seemed to be the perfect combination of my interests as well as a promising career path to take.

I like to think of myself as a guardian of food quality, if bread isn’t fresh enough on the shelves or our strawberries aren’t quite juicy enough, it’s part of my job to figure out why and then put actions in place to help make it better. Being responsible for ensuring our food is always at its best whenever it lands in our customer’s baskets is a huge motivator for me.

At Sainsbury’s I’ve had access to some great training. Knowing that I work somewhere that offers me the opportunity to better myself and provides me with the tools to expand my skill set, is remarkable. My journey so far has been incredible, within my first 6 months being at Sainsbury’s I’ve already gained two accredited qualifications and there’s no limit to my growth here.

A great thing about being a Quality Technologist is that no two days look the same. One day I’m in an office behind a desk, the next I’m in a field testing the firmness of pumpkins ready for carving at Halloween, then there are the visits out to stores and our quality hubs which are dotted across the country. Each of these settings presents a different challenge and that’s what really gives me a buzz. It’s a massively rewarding role, and where else could you go from working in a field to a supermarket shop floor all in one day.

If you’ve got a keen eye for detail, a natural curiosity into problem solving and business operations, as well as an interest in food, we’re always on the lookout for new talent to join our Quality Teams. Visit sainsburys.jobs for more information and to apply.


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