Product Development Internship: Novel Ingredients

Rival Foods; Nederland; Hybrid; EUR 3,900 - 5,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stipend €400/month

Professional development

Dynamic start-up environment

Job summary

Rival Foods, a plant-based food tech start-up, offers a 4–6 month product development internship focused on researching novel ingredients and optimizing formulations. You will work with the product development team to improve sensory properties while maintaining health and sustainability goals.

You are in your final year of a relevant BSc or MSc in Food Technology, with a passion for ingredient functionality and a hands-on, proactive mindset.

Qualifications

• Final-year student in BSc or MSc in Food Technology or related field.
• Solid foundation in food technology, ingredients and protein functionality.
• Ability to design and run lab or pilot plant experiments.

Responsibilities

• Experimentation and optimization of formulations.
• Research novel ingredient functionalities for formulation optimization.
• Data analysis to identify trends and propose improvements.
• Cross-functional collaboration with product development and quality teams.
• Documentation and reporting of experiments and findings.

Skills

Ingredient functionality

Proactive mindset

Team collaboration

Plant-based interest

Education

Food Technology degree

Job description

Gain hands‑on experience in food innovation and research novel ingredients during a 4–6 month product development internship.

Description of the internship:

At Rival Foods, you will help build a future where plant‑based products match the sensory properties of animal products, without compromising on health, animal welfare, or sustainability. During this internship, you’ll contribute to the development of new products by researching and experimenting with novel ingredients to enhance the quality and functionality of our offerings. You will collaborate closely with the product development team, evaluating the latest prototypes and identifying opportunities for innovation through ingredient research. Your role will focus on designing and implementing studies to optimize product formulations and contribute to the future of sustainable food. In short, if you are passionate about food innovation, take initiative, and want to help shape our sustainable company, this is the place for you!

Your Profile:

Background: Final year of relevant BSc or MSc study, e.g., Food Technology, with a solid foundation in food technology, food ingredients, and knowledge of protein functionality.

Knowledgeable: Strong interest and understanding of ingredient functionality.

Proactive: Hands‑on mentality with a tendency to take initiative.

Passionate: Keen interest in the plant‑based product sector.

Team Player: Enjoy working in a team and involving others when needed.

About Your assignment:

Experimentation and Optimization: Optimize existing formulations by leading and conducting lab or pilot plant experiments to enhance product quality and performance.

Ingredients Research: Deep dive into novel ingredient functionalities or sensory attributes to identify opportunities for formulation optimization.

Data Analysis: Analyse data to identify trends, evaluate product performance, and propose innovative solutions for continuous improvementt.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Work alongside product development and quality teams to align project goals and ensure product success.

Documentation and Reporting: Maintain thorough documentation of experiments and findings, and communicate results effectively to the team.

We Offer:

Internship reimbursement: A 40-hour work week with a monthly reimbursement of €400.

Professional Development: An opportunity to enhance your CV by gaining valuable experience in a dynamic foodtech start‑up.

Collaborative Environment: Join an enthusiastic team of young professionals committed to innovation and sustainability in the food sector.

Working at Rival Foods

Rival Foods is a young and fast‑growing company that uses new technologies to produce the next generation of plant‑based protein products. The team at Rival Foods consists of machine engineers, process technologists, product developers and commercial talents. The people at Rival Foods are driven by being able to make a positive contribution to the future of our food supply. A young team with many ambitions provides a very positive and challenging working environment. We work hard, always find creative solutions to challenges and enjoy our work. We believe that our technologies can make a difference, but only with the right team!

Final-year BSc or MSc in a relevant field