Researcher in Biocatalysis & Flavor Synthesis

Hausmann Aromatic; España; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Academic-industry bridge

Health insurance

Equity/stock options

Flexible work arrangements

Professional development stipends

Job summary

Hausmann Aromatic is seeking an exceptional newly qualified PhD to work in a joint industry-academic initiative aimed at developing and scaling enzymatic processes for sustainable production of natural flavour compounds.

The initial focus is vanillin produced through an innovative enzymatic pathway with the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). The role blends academic research with industrial bioprocess development, enabling scale-up from lab to pilot plants.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biocatalysis, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Applied Enzymology, or related field.
• Non postdoc experience required; industrial R&D collaboration experience valued.
• Proven track record in biocatalytic reaction kinetics, enzyme immobilization, co-factor regeneration, and solvent compatibility.

Responsibilities

• Biocatalytic Process Design & Optimization in collaboration with UAB (Eng4Bio) to design, characterize, and optimize multi-enzyme systems.
• Process Scale-Up & Bioprocessing: transfer bench-scale reactions to Hausmann-scale (1L–5L) with optimized mixing, aeration and product recovery.
• Downstream Processing & Analytics: develop scalable isolation and purification protocols and robust analytical assays (GC-MS, HPLC, NMR) for monitoring quality.
• Academic Liaison & Project Leadership: lead biotech lab activities and strengthen industry-academic partnerships.
• Intellectual Property & Dissemination: drive patent filings and manage publication rights in collaboration with RD management.
• Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance: ensure adherence to GRAS and EU food regulations with Regulatory.

Skills

Biocatalysis

Chemical Engineering

Biotechnology

Biochemistry

Applied Enzymology

Analytical Chemistry

Education

PhD in Biocatalysis/related

Tools

HPLC

GC-MS

NMR

Immobilized enzymes

Job description

Organisation/Company Hausmann Aromatic Research Field Technology » Biotechnology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Application Deadline 18 Oct 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Hausmann is seeking an exceptional newly qualified PhD to work in a joint industry-academic research initiative aimed at the development and scale-up of novel enzymatic processes for the sustainable production of natural flavour compounds.

The initial focus of the position will be the development of natural vanillin through an innovative enzymatic pathway using agricultural by-products, within a collaborative R&D project involving Hausmann and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).

The role sits at the interface between academic research and industrial biotechnology, offering the opportunity to translate lab-scale biocatalytic discoveries into robust, scalable, cost-effective, and commercially viable manufacturing processes.

This position is particularly suited to a researcher who wants to transition from academia into industrial R&D, while maintaining a strong interaction with a leading academic research environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Biocatalytic Process Design & Optimization: in collaboration with UAB (Eng4Bio research group) the Project aims at designing, characterizing, and optimizing multi-enzyme for target flavor compounds.
• Process Scale-Up & Bioprocessing: Transfer bench-scale enzymatic reactions performed at UAB into bench-scale initiative at Hausmann (1L–5L), optimizing parameters including mixing, aeration, substrate feeding, mass transfer, and product recovery.
• Downstream Processing (DSP) & Analytics: Develop scalable isolation and purification protocols (e.g., extraction, membrane filtration, crystallization) and robust analytical assays (GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS) for reaction monitoring and quality control.
• Academic Liaison & Project Leadership: act as the leader to drive the biotech laboratory and help Hausmann to become a leader in flavor development.
• Intellectual Property & Dissemination: Drive IP capture (patents, trade secrets) while strategically managing joint academic publication rights and patent filings. With RD management department
• Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance: Ensure all bioprocess development adheres to international regulatory frameworks for food-grade flavor ingredients (GRAS, EU Food Regulations). With Regulatory department.

Candidate Profile

Required:

• Education: PhD in Biocatalysis, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Applied Enzymology, or a related discipline.
• Experience: non posdoc experience is required. Experience in industrial R&D environment or collaboration Project is valued positively.
• Technical Expertise:
  • Proven track record in biocatalytic reaction kinetics, enzyme immobilization, co-factor regeneration, and solvent system compatibility.
  • Hands-on experience scaling bioprocesses from milliliter/liter bench scales to pilot-scale systems.
  • Proficiency in analytical chemistry techniques (HPLC, GC-MS, NMR) for flavor/aroma profile characterization.
• Collaborative Capabilities: Prior experience working within or managing industry-academic partnerships, grant-funded consortia, or joint venture research initiatives.

Preferred:

• Specialized knowledge in flavor & fragrance chemistry, natural aroma precursor transformations, or green chemistry principles.
• Familiarity with techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) for bio-based chemical routes.

What We Offer

• Competitive Compensation: Salary range according to internal standards.
• Bridge Academic Freedom and Industry Impact: Direct state-of-the-art industrial resources while maintaining active access to university infrastructure and academic networks.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Health assurane, equity/stock options, flexible work arrangements, and continuous professional development stipends.