Quality Graduate

Quality Associate, 2026 Graduate Programme — Onsite in Kilkenny at Tirlán.

Tirlán is a world-class food and nutrition co-operative, with a diverse portfolio of quality ingredients, leading consumer and agri brands.

Tirlán owns leading brands such as Avonmore, Kilmeadan Cheese, Millac, Solmiko, Truly Grass Fed, Premier Milk, Wexford, and GAIN Animal Nutrition.

We nurture a talented team across Ireland, the US, MEA and China, delivering annual revenues of over €3 billion and more than 2,300 people to manage our network of 11 processing plants and 52 agri branches. Our purpose is to nourish the world, while safeguarding our environment for future generations.

Our Graduate Programme is designed to take you through a series of real-world learning experiences, helping you build confidence in your abilities and flourish in your career. We are looking for people who care about the world and each other, who want to build their career with likeminded and passionate people. If you want a career where you can truly make a difference, join us.

Tirlán is offering a unique opportunity for a graduate to join our Quality team as a Quality Associate. This role will be onsite and located at one of our state-of-the-art facilities. The role reports to the Site Quality Head and supports the delivery of our Quality functions. A key deliverable is reducing the occurrence of defects against the Quality Standard across all functions. You will work as part of a Quality team in driving a Right First Time culture and performance in a plant environment by ensuring that processes and operations meet customer requirements. You will operate in a fast-paced, innovative environment with a focus on continuous improvement.

• Adhering to site-wide KPIs relating to quality, continuous improvement, and regulatory compliance.
• Supporting the quality team to drive a strong quality culture on site.
• Ensuring that all processes within the quality operations remit comply with the Quality Management System through the provision of quality data.
• Planning and participating in audits with customers and other third parties.
• Working with the Production Manager and broader team to ensure quality operations requirements are fully resourced at a shift level to deliver on in-process, sampling and testing schedules.
• Overseeing and supporting the site/area RCAs for all process deviations.
• Ensuring effective CAPA implementation and verification.
• Maintaining customer product specifications/certifications and supporting final product grading.
• Supporting audit quality practices and processes within the site to prevent deviations.
• As part of the Tirlán Quality community, contributing to ongoing development of best-in-class standards across the organisation.

• High academic record to date and expected minimum of a 2.2 honours degree in a related discipline.
• Record of high achievement and delivery.
• Strong problem solving skills.
• Proven self-starter with the drive and desire to succeed.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and independently.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills.

• 2-year structured graduate development programme.
• Site or team rotations as part of the programme.
• Year-on-year salary increment.
• Free parking including EV charging – where applicable.
• Bike to work scheme.
• Work/life balance and collaborative work culture.
• Career progression opportunities.

Through our expertise in research and development, customer insights, food safety and state-of-the-art manufacturing we bring innovative food and nutrition solutions to a global market. Our new and vibrant headquarters in Kilkenny City operates as a collaboration hub where multi-functional teams come together in a hybrid work environment.

We believe in the value of difference. We know that different perspectives, life experiences and backgrounds can drive innovation and deliver growth. We welcome people from all walks of life without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, or disability status.

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Tirlán is a Values Based Organisation.