Scientist or Senior lab assistant - Instrumental Analytics / LC-MS

Research & Innovation

About the job

Join Danone's Human Milk Research & Analytical Sciences team and be at the forefront of pioneering nutritional solutions that transform lives. Our team leverages cutting-edge instrumental analytical technologies to advance our understanding and development of nutritional products.

As a Scientist in Instrumental Analytics / LC-MS, you will support our analytical goals with your senior expertise in advanced analytical methods. You will focus on developing and conducting methods like ESI-LC-MS, MALDI-/ESI-LC-MS, HPLC-CAD, HPLC-RI, or GC-MS for the structural characterization and quantitation of biomolecules in milk and other matrices. This role is based at our Danone Research & Innovation Center in Utrecht, where you will be at the heart of applied life science research and product development. You will report directly to Marko Mank, the Senior Team Leader Analytical Discovery.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and conduct advanced analytical methods such as ESI-LC-MS, MALDI-/ESI-LC-MS, HPLC-CAD, HPLC-RI, or GC-MS for the structural characterization and quantitation of biomolecules (e.g., oligosaccharides, peptides/proteins, metabolites) in milk and other matrices.
• Perform daily lab analysis using the aforementioned technologies, and evaluate, report, and present results in alignment with your team leader.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support the analytical goals of the Human Milk Research & Analytical Sciences team.
• Ensure the accuracy and reliability of analytical data through rigorous method development and validation.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in instrumental analytical technologies and apply this knowledge to improve existing methods and develop new ones.

About you

We are looking for a passionate and driven individual who thrives in a dynamic and innovative environment. You should have:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Biotechnology, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Food Chemistry, Biology, or a related natural science.
• At least 8 years of hands-on experience in life science research or within the food sector, including method development and application of ESI-LC-MS, MALDI-/ESI-LC-MS, HPLC-CAD, or GC-MS, including (SPE) sample pretreatment and organization of lab workflows.
• Proficiency in using software necessary to run the described analytical instrumentation (e.g., Explorer Series, Analyst (ABSciex), Exalibur, Bioworks, Chromeleon (Thermo Scientific), Chemstation (Agilent), Chromeleon, and Unifi (Waters).
• Ability to evaluate large, complex data sets using advanced (multivariate) statistics-software tools, such as PCA and related software solutions.
• Experience in preparing standard operation procedures (SOPs) and working under ISO 90xx and/or GMP conditions in an L2 lab.
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English; other languages (German, Dutch, French) would be a plus.

About Danone

Working at Danone is a unique experience. It’s fast-paced and complex, and at times, it can be challenging. But it’s packed with opportunities to learn and grow, working with some of the best-known brands in the world, like Evian, Alpro, Nutricia, Activia, and Nutrilon. Bring your unique perspective, ambitions, and entrepreneurial ideas to the table – the impact you could make might just surprise you. One Planet. One Health – BY YOU.

We’re proud to be a B-Corp certified company. That means we meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability in everything we do.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we base our hiring decisions on merit, job requirements, and business needs.

“Join us in our mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible.” Marko Mank, Senior Team Leader Analytical Discovery