Simplot Graduate Programs & Entry Level Jobs

At Simplot Australia, we’re in the business of Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life, enabling us to deliver on our company purpose of Contributing to Feeding Our World.

Simplot Australia is an agricultural and food manufacturing business. We have manufacturing facilities and sales offices across Australia and New Zealand and directly employ almost 2,000 people. We are trusted as a leading provider of quality, sustainable and nourishing food for the ever-changing needs of consumers and customers in Australia, New Zealand and chosen growth markets.

As a business, we pride ourselves on building long term partnerships with Australian farmers and our supply chain, investing in our people, and building mutually beneficial relationships with our customers.

Our Company had its humble beginnings as a one-man farming operation, founded in 1929 by the energetic J.R. (Jack) Simplot in Boise, Idaho, where our global head office remains today. Since then, the J.R. Simplot Company has grown to become a multinational agricultural business with annual sales of more than $US5 billion.

The Simplot Australia story began in 1995 when the J.R. Simplot Company expanded into Australia, acquiring iconic brands like Birds Eye, John West, Leggo's, Chiko and Edgell. 

Today, we are a uniquely diverse business that includes potato, vegetable, seafood and sauces manufacturing operations that supply frozen, shelf-stable and chilled products to retail and foodservice customers. We are proud of the investment we are making in the future of Australia through our Australian manufacturing operations. 

Our Operations

We care about our people, and their safety, health and wellbeing are first and foremost.  We’re focused on building an inclusive workplace where our people are rewarded for their efforts.  

The skills and talents of our people are diverse, and we employ people across a range of roles including, agriculture, manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance, logistics, information technology, digital, human resources, culinary, nutrition, packaging and food technology. In addition, we nurture ongoing development and encourage our people to grow their careers with us.

Only through the capabilities of our people are we able to continue to produce the loved and trusted products that our customers and consumers depend upon. We supply these products to Australia and New Zealand’s largest retailers and work closely with them to innovate and develop quality, sustainable and nourishing food that helps grow their business and meets the evolving needs of consumers. 

We’re also one of Australia’s largest suppliers of foodservice products. We supply quick service restaurants, cafes, restaurants, stadiums, hospitals, aged care facilities and many other venues. Products range from balanced meals, convenient frozen vegetables, tasty pasta sauces, nutritious seafood, and snack foods.

Our head office is located in Mentone, Victoria and our manufacturing facilities are located in Flemington and Echuca in Victoria, Bathurst and Kelso in New South Wales and Devonport and Ulverstone in Tasmania. Additionally, we have two Agricultural Services locations in New South Wales and Tasmania. We operate a complex and extensive supply chain globally and throughout Australia and New Zealand. Investing in Australian manufacturing and expanding our agricultural footprint is part of our long-term growth strategy.

At Simplot Australia we are guided by our values: 

• Respect for Resources
• Spirit of Innovation
• Passion for People

We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion. We care about creating an environment that promotes safety and wellbeing and where our people feel supported, respected and empowered. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all our team members.

Simplot is passionate about cultivating a future where good ideas and inspiring possibilities have the chance to grow. We want our team members to build exciting and fulfilling careers with us and offer professional and personal growth opportunities.

The Perks

• Flexible working arrangements and a variety of engaging Health and Wellbeing programs
• Diverse Leadership Development Programs and Professional Development Support
• Employee Reward and Recognition Program 
• Bonus incentives 
• Discounted Health Insurance and Gym Memberships
• Sensory Club Program – Enjoy and taste our new product launches and access to our Culinary cooking sessions
• Novated Car Leasing Agreements
• Income Protection Insurance 
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave 

Aussie Grown is at our heart

Now, more than ever, it’s essential to focus on our local industry, which means supporting Australian farmers and Australian jobs. At Simplot Australia, we’ve been committed to sourcing Australian vegetables first for over 25 years. Today, we’re the last Australian grown frozen and shelf-stable vegetable provider of any scale in Australia.

Our commitment to sourcing Aussie vegetables first means we aim to use homegrown produce in our products wherever possible. To put this into perspective, on average, 95% of the potatoes and 87% of the vegetables in our products come from right here in Australia. We are currently investing significantly in projects across our supply chains to ensure we can increase the amount of Australian produce in our products even further. 

Of course, if a vegetable is not grown in Australia, or there simply isn’t enough to go around, we might need to look further afield. But for Simplot Australia, fresh vegetables from our Aussie farming community will always be our first choice.

We’re proud to work with over 300 growers across Australia, some of whose families have been growing potatoes and vegetables for generations. We believe that sourcing Australian grown produce, and innovating with Australian growers is a key differentiator and will not only ensure the viability of our farming communities; it is the key to a sustainable future for all Australians. 

We also support the broader Australian manufacturing and agricultural industry through working closely with transportation and distribution, cold store providers, ingredient and packaging suppliers. We’re committed to Australian grown and to Australian manufacturing for the long-term.
We continue to invest in our operations and agricultural research. This helps Aussie growers improve their farming operations, keep regional communities strong, and ensure that high-quality produce is here for generations to come. 

Our loved and trusted brands

Simplot Australia recognises the importance of health and the vital link between healthy eating habits and regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.  

We’re a leading provider of nourishing food and regarded as an industry leader in this space. With a Simplot product in almost every Australian pantry, we feel we have a responsibility to contribute to feeding our world with healthy meal and snack options and continuing to improve the nutritional value of our products.

We’re home to some of Australia’s most loved and trusted food brands - Birds Eye, Edgell, John West, Leggo’s, Raguletto, Five Brothers, I&J, Chicken Tonight, Five Tastes, Harvest, Seakist, Ally and Chiko.

Welcome to the Simplot Australia Graduate Program.

At Simplot Australia, we’re in the business of Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life, enabling us to deliver on our company purpose of Contributing to Feeding Our World.

Simplot Australia is an agricultural and food manufacturing business, employing almost 2,000 people across Australia and New Zealand and operates six manufacturing facilities. We are trusted as a leading provider of quality, sustainable and nourishing food for the ever-changing needs of consumers and customers in Australia, New Zealand and chosen growth markets. Which is why we're looking to develop future leaders through recruiting top graduate talent. After all, your success is our success.

We aim to develop our future leaders through our two-year Graduate Program. Graduates are employed on a full-time basis and complete four rotations in different areas of our business, each six months in duration.   

We are looking for graduates who:

• Are innovative thinkers
• Have strong analytical skills
• Possess a growth mindset
• Like to be challenged
• Are resilient and resourceful 
• Have highly developed communication skills

Our program has been designed to give graduates broad exposure to our business. You will work with a diverse pool of talented and experienced people and gain exposure to our valued customers. You will be supported and developed by a manager, mentor and a buddy. The training you receive will combine group and self-paced development.

We are offering graduate opportunities across the divisions listed below. Each of our graduates will gain valuable insights through rotations into different areas of our business, cross-divisional projects, travel to sites and training programs.

• Innovation & Growth 
• Commercial
• Finance 
• Supply Chain

Outside of our Graduate Program there are opportunities to join our business in entry level roles across all our divisions. These roles could include, but are not limited to: 

• Sales Support Representative 
• Engineers
• Quality Assurance Technician (Food Science)
• Logistics Administration (Supply Chain Management)
• Finance Officer
• Assistant Brand Manager
• Customer Service Officers
• Human Resources 

 Simplot Careers Page

At Simplot Australia, we' are inspired by our mission of Bringing Earth's Resources to Life, which enables us to deliver on our company purpose and Contribute to Feeding our World. We do this by providing quality, sustainable and nourishing food for the ever-changing needs of customers and consumers.

The Simplot Australia Graduate Program (office-based) and Supply Chain Graduate Program (office-based OR site-based) are highly competitive programs for candidates seeking an exciting leadership career with Simplot. Our programs are designed for top talent who seek a performance-based culture that is built on our values of Passion for People, Respect for Resources and Spirit of Innovation.

As part of our two year program, you will join a cohort of other ambitious Graduates to learn directly from Simplot leaders, get exposure to a range of different functions, have the opportunity to travel to our various sites to see exactly how our products are made, and work on business projects where you will have a real impact from day one.

Eligibility criteria:

• completed your undergraduate or postgraduate degree within the last 2 years of the program start date (e.g. in either 2021, 2022 or January 2023)
• achieved a credit average (65% or higher)
• have completed a relevant Degree
• be available to commence late January 2023
• are an Australian or NZ citizen, hold Australian Permanent Residency, or have full working rights for full-time employment in Australia

We are looking for graduates who:

• are innovative thinkers
• have strong analytical skills
• possess a growth mindset
• love to be challenged
• are resilient & resourceful 
• have highly developed communication skills

Our hiring process:

• Submit your application - applications open July 11th 2022 / Applications close August 7th 2022
• Complete an online assessment  - Mid August 
• Complete a panel presentation - Week commencing 15th August 
• Attend an Assessment day onsite – Week commencing 22nd August 
• Onsite Interview – Week commencing 22nd August 
• Receive an offer - Week commencing 22nd August 

Annette,
Supply Chain Graduate,
Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science and Chemical Engineering

I was thrilled to be able to learn from a diverse pool of experienced employees, as well as develop well-rounded skills that will set me up to become a better leader. Another aspect of the rotational program that stood out to me was the networking opportunities and the huge amount of support around personal and professional growth. One thing that was consistent across all the highlights is the people I have met – everyone is friendly, passionate about what they do and not afraid to have a bit of fun – which has made the Simplot Australia Graduate Program all the more enjoyable. 

Jo Finney,
Head of Finance - Corporate & FP&A,
Graduate Mentor

Over the last 18 months I have had the privilege of mentoring one of the finance graduates as part of the Simplot Australia Graduate Program. Understanding the goals and ambitions of my mentee has been vital to guiding them through their graduate journey. It has been very rewarding to be able to impart my knowledge and experience from the last 25 years in the workforce, and provide the learnings and advice I wish I had been given when starting out in my career. 

Nina,
Commercial Graduate,
Bachelor of Marketing and Media 

Simplot’s graduate program has offered such a wide variety of learning experiences, from working with our agencies in comms and social media across a range of retail brands, gaining valuable sales and field experience as a SSR and learning about activation across foodservice. The opportunity to work in three different roles within two years is a huge advantage to a graduate program such as Simplot’s and has really fast-tracked my learning and capability. When accepting the graduate role, I knew that I would have the opportunity to work across some of Simplot’s big household brands throughout the graduate rotations; but further to this, I have developed a wealth of knowledge of the FMCG industry and all that it entails. 
So far, my highlight at Simplot was attending the ad shoot for our Birds Eye Deli range. It was insightful to follow the ad’s journey and seeing it come to life- from working with our creative agencies, to filming, to then seeing it on tv. 

Sabrina,
Supply Chain Graduate,
Bachelor of Commerce 

The variety of rotations offered across the program was a key standout for me. From going out to the fields and harvesting potatoes, to being in our factories and seeing our products being made, to learning about how these products get delivered to our customers and more – I have been able to get a breadth of experience across the Supply Chain. This has been helpful for me to narrow down what interests me the most and what future role I'd like to pursue, which was what appealed to me about having rotations. It has also been a great way to understand how different areas of the business work together to bring seed-to-plate. Moreover, contributing to feeding our world, such as through Simplot’s iconic Australian brands that many of us know and have grown up with, is a vision that resonated with me and was something I was keen to be a part of. 

Leanne,
Commercial Graduate,
Bachelor of Business

Throughout my time in uni, I always took a particular interest in the marketing of supermarket goods, particularly packaging and design. When I noticed that Simplot had started to offer a graduate program, I was extremely excited as it seemed like the perfect place to jump start my career in the FMCG industry! 
The graduate program stood out to me because it offered two weeks in the Simplot factories across Australia, as well as graduate development days and exposure in the Sales department. These are opportunities and experiences that wouldn’t be offered in a standard full-time role and have assisted me in building fundamental skills and knowledge across all areas of the business. It also seemed like a great way to discover different aspects of marketing that I hadn’t had exposure to during my time in university, allowing me to discover what I am truly passionate about and what path I’d like my career to go down.

Roxanne,
Bachelor of Commerce and Nutrition Science Degree,
Brand Manager

I first graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Melbourne in 2013, followed by a Nutrition Science degree from Monash University – The combination of which led me to pursue a career in food industry, combining my love of food & nutrition with business. I have held various roles at Simplot Australia, the last of which was Senior Nutritionist and now I’m a Brand Manager in the Marketing team! 

When I first graduated, I didn’t know much about food industry, much less who to work for. During interviews, I fell in love with the Simplot culture and have chosen to stay for with the company for over five years, taking my career to new heights.

Something I truly value about Simplot is its investment in my career progression & development. When you’re dedicated to delivering value for the business, it’s good to know the company you work for recognises that and continually supports you to reach that next level, whatever that means to you.

Bennett Norbury, Finance Graduate

Work

8:30-8:45am

I arrive to the office most mornings at 8:30am. This gives me 15 minutes to read my emails and prioritise my day accordingly. 

9:00-9:30am

On the odd occasion, I’ll go for a morning coffee and catch up with my manager for a general check in. We usually discuss what I’m working on currently, future projects/work that will need my input, and how everything else is going outside of the office. 

10:00-11:00am

Usually around this time, I will have some sort of meeting to attend to that will relate to either a general routine scope of work or perhaps it’s project related.

12:30-1:15pm

I will go for lunch and catch up with either some team members, a fellow grad or another external team to chat and eat lunch together.

2:00-3:00pm

There will more often than not be an afternoon meeting that is related to an internal project. 

4:30-5:00pm

I will usually finish between 4:30 and 5:00pm depending how busy I am. There have been a few occasions when I’ve had to work back later but they’re uncommon. 

Meetings: There are daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings that can range from 30 minutes to 4 hours. These will be prebooked in advance and work around your routine calendar. The purpose of meetings can revolve around mentorship, everyday work, projects and so on. 

Training: Every couple of months, you will need to complete some sort of mandatory training online relating to SAPL’s ethical policies and standard practices. These course can range from 30 minutes to over an hour. You may also take part in a larger workshop that involves a guest trainer over a two day period. 

Graduates: Once every three months, there will most likely be a graduate program that involves a training workshop for a whole day. 

Supporting our Communities

We’re part of many communities and maintaining a strong and supportive relationship with all of them is vital to our success.

One of the ways we demonstrate this commitment is by supporting organisations and programs that benefit both the communities in which we operate and society as a whole and align with our purpose of Contributing to Feeding Our World.

We have long-established corporate partnerships with several organisations. For over 25 years we have been working with Foodbank Australia and we’re part of their Collaborative Supply Program. In 2021, nearly 1.2 million meals and over 155,000 kgs of pasta sauce were donated to Foodbank to help people in need.

Since 2016, Simplot Australia and the Karrkad Kanjdji Trust have worked together to fund a regular air charter service to the remote Warddeken communities of Kabulwarnamyo, Manmoyi and Mamardawerre located in Arnhem Land. This service ensures these communities have access to essential supplies, including food and medicine. Enabling these communities to live on Country year-round.

We also partner with WWFAustralia and the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program to support coastal communities in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

The project aims to protect over-exploited reef ecosystems, create food security, boost local economies, and support business opportunities for local women.

In addition to our corporate partnerships, we provide support to select organisations that address food insecurity, health and wellbeing initiatives, and sustainability programs in the communities where we operate and to organisations important to our employees.

Respect for Resources

We acknowledge the responsibility we have to tread lightly on the earth’s resources. Our commitment to sustainability means we’re constantly looking for new ways to produce more with less of our Earth’s resources as we believe this is good for our business and simply the right thing to do.

Undertaking sustainable practices on land and in the sea is key to the way we operate and is reflected by this core value. For us, sustainability comprises the vision to meet the economic, environmental and social needs of our employees and communities, while preserving the opportunity for future generations to do the same.

We have an unwavering commitment to transparency, quality, and mutual respect and are steadfast in our ethical approach to business.

We have an ethical and responsible sourcing program that details the ethical, social and environmental standards that we expect our suppliers to meet and is a key component of how we approach our business practices.

We try hard to make Simplot a happy and rewarding place to work. Part of our offering is an extensive range of benefits including: 

• discounted health plans and products 
• travel arrangements and gym memberships
• salary packaging and novated car leasing
• confidential counselling and support through our Employee Assistance Program 
• flexible working arrangements and numerous other discounts through our industry memberships.

Graduates will be based at our newly renovated Head Office in Mentone, Victoria, where they have access to free parking, coffee machines throughout the office and employee discounted vending machines (packed with Simplot products!). 

Sensory Club and Product Launches 

We are fortunate to have our product sensory evaluation conducted in-house. Almost every day individuals are given the opportunity to participate in our Sensory Club which undertakes research, taste testing and analysis of our consumer products.

We also provide tastings and giveaways of our new products. It’s a great way to become familiar with our brands and products.

An inclusive place to work

At Simplot, People are central to everything we do.  We believe in creating a safe, diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that supports a healthy work-life balance. Because of this, our broad-ranging business continuously fosters a 'Grow with Us' mindset and an impressive community of talent. One of the benefits of working at Simplot is knowing that you can bring your whole self to work and be supported in all that you do. We are continuing to create platforms to enhance inclusion and we know this is core to employee wellbeing.

Contributing to Reconciliation: Our First Reconciliation Action Plan

Together with the support and endorsement of Reconciliation Australia, our employees, customers, and the communities who rely on us, we aim to help to influence a more unified Australian society. 

A society that values, respects and recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and heritage as a proud part of a shared national identity.

Contributing to Reconciliation

Simplot Australia has its own Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council

Our Simplot DEI Council was established in 2019, and team members from different divisions, locations and levels of the organisation make up its membership. They are responsible for helping drive our DEI strategic direction and bringing the pillars of Educate, Celebrate and Evaluate to life. Through this, and uniting under our core value of Passion for People, we aim to create a workplace that is welcoming, accepting and truly inclusive.