Junior Development Specialist (temporary position till end of year)

Junior Development Specialist (temporary position till end of year)

The development specialist is a dynamic, detail-oriented, and proactive member of the Proteins development team. With a good foundation in food science or food technology, the development specialist brings expertise in dairy proteins from both development and application perspectives. This role demands a hands-on approach, the capability to support projects, and a readiness to work in laboratory and small pilot plant settings. Ultimately, the development specialist is pivotal in advancing milk proteins from lab-scale development to factory implementation. The team develops and maintains protein ingredients for early life, medical, performance and active nutrition.

What we ask

• Bachelor’s degree (HBO) in Applied Sciences with over 3 years of experience, or a university degree in Food Science, Dairy Technology, or a related field with less than 3 years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience in milk protein development and functionality testing, specifically within the context of adult nutrition and a B2B innovation environment.
• Strong physical/chemical understanding of milk proteins and their applications in food products.
• Proficiency in experimental design, data analysis, and reporting.
• Hands-on experience in a laboratory or (small) pilot plant setting.
• Accurate work and reporting
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Resilient and problem solver: can-do mentality

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; Workweek of 40 hours, 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.

Vacancy description

In this position, your tasks and responsibilities include:

• Utilize knowledge of milk proteins to develop innovative dairy ingredients, focusing on medical and sports nutrition applications. Responsibilities include recipe and specification development, contributing to the clearance, validation, and implementation of new products and processes, and improving existing ones.
• Support scale up of new or improved products and processes in an operational environment. In all instances adhering to innovation, safety, quality, and local site procedures.
• Conduct practical experiments and product development tasks, ensuring high standards of accuracy and reliability.
• Operate and maintain laboratory, Technolite, and pilot plant equipment [including UHT, retort, various equipment to test powder properties and separation techniques]
• Set up, plan, execute, analyze, and report on experiments, ensuring proper documentation and data integrity.
• Contribute to multiple projects simultaneously, demonstrating organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including R&D, quality assurance, and production, to drive product development initiatives.
• Continuous Improvement: Stay updated with 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.