Development Specialist

Development Specialist at FrieslandCampina

The Development Specialist is an energetic, meticulous, and proactive member of the Proteins Development Team. With a robust background in food science or food technology, the specialist brings profound expertise in dairy proteins from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Experience and a fervent passion for innovation in dairy, particularly whey proteins, are essential. This role necessitates the ability to lead projects, provide comprehensive hands-on support, and demonstrate extensive knowledge of dairy proteins. Ultimately, the Development Specialist is instrumental in advancing dairy protein ingredients from lab-scale development to factory implementation.

What we ask

• Bachelor’s degree (HBO) in Applied Sciences with over 5 years of experience, or a university degree in Food Science, Dairy Technology, or a related field with more than 3 years of experience. A PhD in Dairy Proteins is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in milk protein development and functionality, particularly within the context of dairy proteins, preferably whey proteins, and a B2B innovation environment.
• Strong theoretical physical/chemical understanding of milk proteins.
• Demonstrated project leadership experience & stakeholder management.
• Proficiency in experimental design, data analysis, and reporting.
• Hands-on experience in a laboratory or (small) pilot plant setting.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Resilience in challenging times.
• Problem-solving and can-do mentality.
• Digital savvy.

What we offer

• Unique company culture of Dutch heritage and international presence.
• We offer great work life balance, and competitive salary & benefits package so you can enjoy it.
• Competitive pension scheme, holiday allowance of 8%, bonus scheme, flexible working hours and the ability to work from home.
• Diverse training and mentoring programs to help you grow on your own professional journey.
• Exceptional support of cross disciplinary movement within the company to broaden your knowledge and growth paths.
• A friendly and informal working environment, yet professional team members as sparring partners.
• Autonomy and trust to create longer term impact that helps bring better nutrition to the world.
• Free cheese and milk at lunch in the central office, and barista coffee to help you go through your working days with a lot of joy.

Vacancy description

In this position, your tasks and responsibilities include:

• Leverage extensive knowledge of milk proteins to develop innovative dairy ingredients. Responsibilities encompass leading projects, developing recipes and specifications, managing clearance, validation, and implementation of new products and processes, and enhancing existing ones.
• Facilitate the scale-up of new or improved products and processes in an operational environment, adhering to innovation, safety, quality, and local site procedures.
• Independently conduct practical experiments and product development tasks, ensuring high standards of accuracy and reliability.
• Independently design, plan, execute, analyze, and report on experiments, ensuring thorough documentation and data integrity.
• Manage projects, demonstrating resilience and strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Develop and maintain internal relations and cultivate external relations at a tactical level.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including R&D, quality assurance, and production, to drive product development initiatives.
• Stay up to date of trends and advancements in the organization, industry, and science, contributing to continuous improvement and innovation within the team.

Staying true to who you really are, that is your starting point at FrieslandCampina. Because it is precisely by embracing our differences that we can grow together. We want to create a working environment that allows all employees to bring their best and authentic selves. If who we are suits you, but you're not sure if you're the best fit for the role, we still encourage you to apply so we can help you find the role that fits you best.

Team Details

For thousands of people every day, we are more than just a dairy company. To our farmers, our employees, the communities we serve, the businesses we work with and the people to whom we bring happiness, FrieslandCampina means something more. For them it's not just about what we do, but who we are.

We value talented people from any background who want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. We encourage all of our employees to make decisions that benefit our entire company. At FrieslandCampina we own our own career and act accordingly. We trust you to make a difference in your job and influence the bigger picture. Working at FrieslandCampina means you are contributing to a better world.

You will be a member of the cluster Proteins within the FrieslandCampina Ingredients development team. The position is based in Wageningen, the Netherlands, in the FrieslandCampina Innovation Centre. The Proteins team comprises a mix of highly skilled experts, project managers and development specialists.
The dairy protein ingredients we develop and maintain are targeted at the markets Early Life Nutrition, Medical Nutrition and Performance & Active Nutrition.

Contact

Esther.vanSchoonhoven@frieslandcampina.com