Development Specialist (all genders)

FrieslandCampina group; Wageningen; Hybrid; EUR 44,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Train card

Company pension

Annual leave 200 hours

Laptop & home office gear

Annual bonus 10%

Holiday allowance 8%

Job summary

FrieslandCampina’s Friso ROW cluster in Wageningen, the Netherlands, is seeking a Development Specialist to design and implement next-generation infant and toddler nutrition products within a global innovation program.

You will work in multidisciplinary teams across marketing, regulatory, supply chain and QA, guiding recipe design, process optimization and scale-up trials, while ensuring regulatory compliance and data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Food Technology or Chemistry with at least 2 years’ hands‑on experience.
• Relevant experience with product development (>3 years), preferably in infant or medical nutrition.
• Demonstratable understanding and experience with recipe design and knowledge of product-process interactions in powdered products production.
• Analytical mindset with demonstratable understanding of regulatory requirements of IFT, in particular Greater China regulations on Infant Formula (GB), Codex, EU regular and FSMP regulations on Infant Formula.
• Know‑how of project management.
• Entrepreneurial with an open attitude, working well independently as well as in a team.
• Demonstratable understanding of data processing and statistics.
• Good communication and presentation skills in English.
• In depth‑experience with SAP PLM.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative products, processes/packages/applications and manage full implementation as R&D team member or R&D lead.
• Use your creativity and hands-on mentality to improve projects and products.
• Plan and organize pilot and production scale trials in close collaboration with pilot plant and Supply Chain and analyse, interpret, and report results to key stakeholders.
• Manage internal relationships with multidisciplinary stakeholders across the organisation, e.g. marketing, digital, regulatory, supply chain, QA, development, compliance team, and raw material specification team.

Skills

Product development

Regulatory expertise

Project management

Data analytics

English communication

Team collaboration

Recipe design

Statistical knowledge

Entrepreneurial mindset

Education

Master's degree in Food Technology or Chemistry

Tools

SAP PLM

Job description

Development Specialist (all genders) Join the Friso ROW & Specialties team in Specialised Nutrition to develop next-generation products for infants and toddlers. Within FrieslandCampina Innovation, we create and improve products and processes for healthy infants and those with special medical needs across Rest of World (ROW) (MX, GR, MY & VN), Greater China and CBEC markets. As a Product Developer, you will contribute to innovation, compliance and optimization projects in multidisciplinary teams for the global Friso brand.

What we ask

• Master's degree or PhD in Food Technology or Chemistry with at least 2 years’ hands‑on experience.
• Relevant experience with product development (>3 years), preferably in infant or medical nutrition.
• Demonstratable understanding and experience with recipe design and knowledge of product-process interactions in powdered products production.
• Analytical mindset with demonstratable understanding of regulatory requirements of IFT, in particular Greater China regulations on Infant Formula (GB), Codex, EU regular and FSMP regulations on Infant Formula.
• Know‑how of project management.
• Entrepreneurial with an open attitude, working well independently as well as in a team.
• Demonstratable understanding of data processing and statistics.
• Good communication and presentation skills in English.
• In depth‑experience with SAP PLM.

What we offer

At FrieslandCampina you work on strong, globally loved brands enjoyed by millions every day, like Friso, Campina, Chocomel and Frisian Flag. As a farmer-owned cooperative, we combine an international environment with a clear social and sustainable purpose. We support your growth through training, coaching and internal career opportunities. With trust and autonomy, you can make real impact.

Employment benefits:

• Salary between €3.903 and €5297 gross per month (full-time), depending on experience and fit for the role;
• A workweek of 32 to 38 hours, a 5% year‑end allowance, 10% bonus, 8% holiday allowance and a pension scheme;
• Hybrid working with flexible working hours, a train card and/or €0.23 per km (max. 30 km one way);
• 200 hours of annual leave, with the option to buy or sell up to 40 hours;
• A laptop, phone and home office equipment to support flexible working.
• Wellbeing and inclusion initiatives, such as health support, employee assistance programs and diversity initiatives;
• A cycle-to-work scheme and corporate fitness plan;
• Extras at the R&D office, such as milk and cheese during lunch, fresh fruit and barista coffee.

Vacancy description

Your main accountabilities will be as follows:

• Develop innovative products, processes/packages/applications and manage full implementation as R&D team member or R&D lead;
• Use your creativity and hands‑on mentality to improve projects and products;
• Plan and organize pilot and production scale trials in close collaboration with pilot plant and Supply Chain and analyse, interpret, and report results to key stakeholders;
• Manage internal relationships with multidisciplinary stakeholders across the organisation, e.g. marketing, digital, regulatory, supply chain, QA, development, compliance team, and raw material specification team.

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 part of the Friso ROW cluster within the business group Specialised Nutrition, located in Wageningen, The Netherlands. Your team, Friso ROW, consists of 12 other product developers of different nationalities. Within this team, you are exposed to work in key innovation projects for business group Specialized Nutrition for Rest of the World focus countries (MY, VN, MX & GR) and Greater China with a multidisciplinary team and stakeholders, including marketing, digital, regulatory, supply chain, QA, development, compliance team, and raw material specification team.

Why work with us:

An inspiring purpose

Better nutrition for the world and a good living for our farmers, now and for generations to come.

A cooperative culture

Driven by global collaboration, respect, and shared success

Space to aim higher, with autonomy and a clear focus

Your growth fuels ours

We invest in your personal and professional development through training and education.