Flavorist (Taste)

IFF Middle East FZ - LLC; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

IFF Dubai invites a senior flavorist to craft consumer-preferred flavors for dairy, beverages and sweet goods, blending flavor chemistry with sensory science. You will lead projects from concept to launch and mentor junior colleagues. This role resides in the Creative & Design team in our Dubai offices.

This position requires a strong background in food science, regulatory knowledge, and the ability to collaborate with Applications, R&D, Marketing, Sales and Operations to scale flavors globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive flavor creation and development experience across dairy, beverages and sweet categories.
• Fully certified flavor chemist credentials, such as from the Society of Flavor Chemists.
• Strong scientific knowledge of food science, aroma molecules, natural extracts and flavor manufacturing processes.
• Ability to identify, characterize, formulate and match flavor materials using analytical and sensory evaluation techniques.
• Working knowledge of U.S. and international flavor regulations and experience formulating with approved flavor materials.
• Ability to manage multiple customer and internal development projects while maintaining quality, accuracy and timelines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain technical information clearly.
• Foundational leadership capabilities with experience mentoring junior flavor professionals.

Responsibilities

• Design and formulate innovative flavors for food and beverage applications across dairy, beverages and sweet goods.
• Lead creative development projects from concept through launch, building customer intimacy and meeting timelines.
• Collaborate with Applications, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales and Operations teams.
• Mentor and train junior colleagues while sharing technical knowledge and industry expertise.
• Develop flavors that meet U.S. and international flavor regulations and quality standards.

Skills

Flavor creation

Sensory science

Regulatory compliance

Flavor chemistry

Project management

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or related field

Fully certified flavor chemist credentials (Society of Flavor Chemists)

Advanced degree (master’s/doctorate) preferred

Job description

Job Summary Are you passionate about creating innovative flavors that transform everyday food and beverage products into extraordinary consumer experiences? We are currently searching for a Senior Flavorist to join our Creative & Design team in our Dubai offices! You will work to create consumer preferred flavors for the food and beverage industry. The ideal candidate will create, develop, and optimize flavor profiles for products across categories such as Dairy, Sweets, and Beverages. This role blends scientific expertise with creative innovation, requiring deep knowledge of flavor chemistry, sensory science, and regulatory compliance. IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences. We deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products. Taste: Crafting unique, technology-enabled flavor designs that define the identity of food and beverage brands, shape trends in flavor building and fuel market success. Where You’ll Make a Difference Design and formulate innovative, market-leading flavors for food and beverage applications, including compounded liquids, spray-dried powders, plated flavors, reaction flavors, emulsions and extracts, using Generally Recognized as Safe and U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved materials. Create, develop and optimize consumer-preferred flavor profiles across beverage, sweet goods and dairy applications. Lead creative development projects from concept through launch, building customer intimacy while ensuring timelines, specifications and quality standards are achieved. Apply analytical data, sensory science and technical expertise to develop, characterize and match flavor materials. Develop flavors that meet U.S. and international flavor regulations, including specific regulatory requirements for alcoholic beverages. Collaborate with Applications, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales and Operations teams to support seamless project execution, commercialization and successful scale-up. Partner with account managers to understand customer needs, provide technical support and develop practical solutions to complex flavor challenges. Mentor and train junior colleagues by sharing technical knowledge, creative approaches and industry expertise. Collaborate with global innovation teams to leverage new technologies, support strategic priorities and identify opportunities for flavor development.

What Makes You the Right Fit

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive, hands‑on flavor creation and development experience, with demonstrated expertise across sweet, dairy and beverage categories.
• Fully certified flavor chemist credentials, such as certification from the Society of Flavor Chemists, or an equivalent recognized qualification.
• Strong scientific knowledge of food science, chemistry, aroma molecules, natural extracts and flavor manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, characterize, formulate and match flavor materials using analytical and sensory evaluation techniques.
• Working knowledge of U.S. and international flavor regulations and experience formulating with approved flavor materials.
• Ability to manage multiple customer and internal development projects while maintaining quality, accuracy and agreed-upon timelines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain technical information clearly to internal colleagues and external customers.
• Foundational leadership capabilities with experience mentoring, guiding or developing junior flavor professionals.

How Would You Stand Out?

• An advanced degree, such as a master’s degree or doctorate, in Food Science, Chemistry or a related field.
• Experience developing clean label and natural flavors while navigating the related technical and regulatory requirements.
• A strong record of combining consumer insights, sensory science and emerging technologies to deliver differentiated flavor solutions.

Why Choose Us?

• Create flavors that help shape the identity and market success of food and beverage brands.
• Work across a diverse portfolio of beverage, sweet goods and dairy applications.
• Collaborate with experienced colleagues across Creative & Design, Applications, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales and Operations.
• Access global innovation capabilities and emerging flavor technologies.
• Develop your leadership capabilities through the mentorship and development of junior colleagues.
• Contribute your scientific expertise and creativity to solutions designed around evolving consumer preferences.

We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability. Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more At IFF, we make joy through science, creativity and heart. As the global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we deliver groundbreaking, sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products – advancing wellness, delighting the senses and enhancing the human experience. We value an inclusive, creative workplace where all individuals can thrive and do their best work. We consider all qualified candidates equally and based on merit, without regard to religion, ethnicity, national origin, race, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or disability.