Internship (Research & Innovation): Protein processing and application

Research & Innovation

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 Danone as a Protein processing Intern in Utrecht, starting in September 2026.

About the job

In this internship, you will be part of the Advanced Liquid Processing team within Danone’s Research & Innovation business category. The team develops new product concepts for nutrition, creating formulas that provide substantiated health benefits for consumers, including infants, toddlers, elderly people and patients. You will support lab and pilot trials of protein processing and application testing, optimize processing conditions, and investigate large-scale production possibilities.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Conducting literature reviews on relevant topics
• Designing and executing lab and pilot plant trials, while 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: Liya Yi, Compactification Senior Scientist.

About you

• You are a student pursuing a Master degree 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 strong 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. You are a curious aspiring food technologist who is always looking for opportunities to learn and develop.

There are also some compulsory requirements:

• Enrolled as a Master’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 September 2026 for a minimum of 6 months, 4-5 days per week
• You are fluent in English, spoken and written
• You are able to work from the Utrecht office at least 5 days per week

About Danone

At Danone, the Research and Innovation center builds bridges between food and science and has a global reach. It is at the forefront of 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 that enables flexibility. You can work from People Hubs in Hoofddorp, Utrecht and Rijswijk, or from home.