Food Savory R&D Technologist

Konvert HR NV; Louvain-la-Neuve; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Konvert HR NV seeks a Flavor Technologist to design and refine savory flavor solutions for soups, sauces, and snacks. You will lead recipe creation, perform sensory assessments, and translate market insights into scalable formulations.

The role requires a Master’s in Food Technology or related field, 5+ years in savory flavor development, strong sensory science knowledge, and fluent English. Occasional travel across Europe is expected.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field with strong academic record.
• 5+ years in savory flavor development.
• Fluent English; willingness to travel across Europe.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and refine savory flavor solutions (yeast extract-driven) for soups, stocks, sauces, and snacks.
• Drive recipe creation and continuous optimization to improve flavor intensity and umami balance.
• Perform sensory assessments and analyze results to support product development and market positioning.
• Translate customer requirements and market insights into scalable formulations.
• Investigate ingredient functionality and resolve formulation issues in complex systems.
• Conduct market intelligence and track emerging savory trends.
• Provide technical support through prototypes, problem resolution, and demonstrations.
• Collaborate with commercial, marketing, and international R&D teams to accelerate innovation.
• Maintain compliance with regulatory and quality standards.

Skills

Flavor formulation

Sensory analysis

Experimentation planning

Analytical skills

Team collaboration

English proficiency

Education

Master's in Food Technology

Job description

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and refine yeast extract-driven solutions for a variety of savory food applications, including soups, stocks, sauces, and snack flavoring systems.
• Drive recipe creation and continuous optimization to improve flavor intensity, enhance umami profiles, and achieve balanced taste performance.
• Perform sensory assessments and analyze evaluation results to support product development and strategic market positioning.
• Convert customer requirements and market insights into effective, scalable, and commercially viable formulations.
• Investigate ingredient functionality within complex food systems and resolve technical formulation issues.
• Carry out market intelligence activities, including competitive product reviews and emerging trend monitoring in savory applications.
• Provide technical support for customer projects through prototype development, problem resolution, and product demonstrations.
• Work closely with commercial, marketing, and international R&D teams to accelerate innovation initiatives and business growth.
• Maintain adherence to regulatory requirements, quality standards, and internal product development procedures.

Profile & Expertise

• Master's degree in Food Technology, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in product formulation and application development within one or more savory segments such as soups, seasonings, sauces, or bouillons.
• Outstanding junior professionals with strong academic achievements, internships, or relevant project experience are welcome to apply.
• Solid knowledge of sensory science, flavor characterization, and sensory-driven product development.
• Strong understanding of ingredient performance, flavor synergy, and behavior within food systems.
• Capable of planning and executing experiments independently while drawing meaningful conclusions from technical data.
• Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills with a focus on formulation improvement and optimization.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external clients.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to connect technical solutions to customer and business needs.
• Fluent English communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Availability for occasional travel across Europe for customer meetings, industry exhibitions, and knowledge-sharing sessions at the company's headquarters in China.

What We Provide

• The opportunity to play a key role in developing next-generation savory flavor and taste solutions.
• Participation in international innovation programs alongside experienced global R&D professionals.
• Continuous learning opportunities and clear career progression within a rapidly growing biotechnology organization.
• Attractive salary package complemented by competitive benefits.

Employment Type: Permanent, office-based position

Experience Required: Minimum 5 years of experience in savory food applications, flavor development, or a comparable technical field