Internship (Research & Innovation): Protein processing

About the job

Are you passionate about Food Technology and do you love working in a lab and a pilot plant? Are you detail orientated and not afraid to take charge? Then join as a Protein processing Intern in the Utrecht office starting in July 2026!

In this internship, you will be part of the Advanced Liquid Processing team within the Research & Innovation business category. The team develops new product concepts for Early Life Nutrition and Medical Nutrition. They create formulas that provide clinically substantiated health benefits to vulnerable consumers – infants, toddlers, elderly people and patients. In this internship you will support lab and pilot trials of protein processing and application testing, processing condition optimization, and investigation of large-scale production possibilities.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Conducting literature reviews on relevant topics
• Designing and executing lab and pilot plant trials, as well as maintaining accurate records of laboratory and pilot plant work
• Conducting experiments and analyzing results
• Preparing technical reports or presentations of experimental results for stakeholders

Meet your future manager! Your manager will be Liya Yi, Compactification Senior Scientist.

About you

• You are a student pursuing a Bachelor degree (BSc or HBO) in Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Food Chemistry, Food Processing Engineering or a related field
• You are comfortable working in a laboratory and in a pilot plant
• You have excellent data management skills
• You can accurately report scientific findings
• You have communication skills and can easily connect with others
• You are well-organized

As a protein processing intern, executing experiments will be second nature to you. You can work independently and have a proactive mindset. On top of that, you’re a curious aspiring food technologist who’s always looking for opportunities to learn and develop.

There are also some compulsory requirements:

• Enrolled as a Bachelor’s student during the whole internship period
• You are a resident of the Netherlands and hold a valid BSN number (if you are a non-EU citizen, you need to have a valid Dutch residency permit)
• Ideally available to start in July 2026 for a minimum of 6 months (preferably even longer), 5 days per week
• You are fluent in English - spoken and written
• You are able to work from the Utrecht office at least 4-5 days per week

About Danone

At Danone, the mission is “bringing health, through food to as many people as possible”. The company works to ensure that brands like Nutricia and Nutrilon create real benefits for people, communities and the planet. You will be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world.

The state-of-the-art research and innovation center builds bridges between food and science and has a global reach. It is at the forefront of pioneering advances in specialized nutrition.

We offer:

• A competitive gross internship allowance of 650 euros per month (based on a full-time internship)
• Home working allowance of 2.45 euros per day
• A public transport travel card covering all office-related travel
• Career advice opportunities such as workshops, seminars, and networking events
• An international environment with 140 different nationalities in Danone NL
• An active internship community with 100+ interns across the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, Danone also offers a hybrid working environment which enables flexibility. You can work from one of the People Hubs in Hoofddorp, Utrecht and Rijswijk or work from home.