R&D Internship - Shelf Life & Nut Fillings | Amsterdam

Ofi; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 13,392 - 17,856; Full time

Job summary

ofi invites a Bachelor or Master student in Food Technology, Food Science, Chemistry, or a related field to join our R&D internship focused on understanding how critical ingredients affect shelf life and product quality in nut fillings. You will work hands‑on in a laboratory and contribute to stability and performance.

You will collaborate with R&D, Application, and Sensory teams to generate actionable insights for product development, design shelf‑life storage protocols, and summarize

Qualifications

• You are pursuing a Bachelor or Master in Food Technology, Food Science, Chemistry, or a related field and eager to apply theory in practice.
• You value accuracy, organization, and precise handling of samples and data.
• You enjoy working in a lab environment and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Prepare nut fillings at lab scale and measure key baseline parameters after production.
• Support application testing and evaluate product performance with the Application team.
• Design and validate shelf-life storage protocols, including ambient, accelerated, and cold storage.
• Prepare, label, and manage samples under controlled storage conditions, including temperature cycling.
• Conduct periodic shelf-life evaluations: sensory analysis, appearance, texture, chemical and performance assessments, and data summarization.

Skills

Lab testing

Data handling

Collaborative work

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor or Master student in Food Technology/Food Science/Chemistry

Job description

The internship

We are offering an exciting R&D Internship focused on understanding the impact of critical ingredients on the shelf life and quality of nut fillings. In this internship, you will work hands‑on in a laboratory and application‑driven environment, contributing to product quality, stability, and performance.

The objective of this role is to evaluate how key ingredients influence shelf life, taking into account different starting points of raw material shelf life. You will collaborate closely with R&D, Application, and Sensory teams to generate actionable insights for product development.

Responsibilities

During your internship, you will be involved in the full shelf‑life evaluation process, including:

• Preparing nut fillings at lab scale and measuring key baseline parameters immediately after production.
• Supporting application testing, working closely with the Application team to evaluate product performance.
• Designing and validating shelf‑life storage protocols, including ambient, accelerated, and cold storage conditions.
• Preparing, labeling, and managing samples under controlled storage conditions, including day/night temperature cycling where relevant.
• Conducting periodic shelf‑life evaluations, including:
  • Sensory analysis (with guidance from a sensory technologist)
  • Appearance, texture, and physical assessments
  • Chemical and performance evaluations in final applications
  • Consolidating data, interpreting results, and summarizing conclusions and recommendations.

What you'll gain

• Hands‑on R&D experience across shelf‑life testing and product evaluation.
• Exposure to real industrial product development challenges.
• Close collaboration with R&D, Application, and Sensory experts.
• Ownership of experimental work with clear deliverables and conclusions.

Are you passionate about food science, product quality, and shelf‑life performance?
Join ofi and contribute to better, longer‑lasting food solutions.

About you

You are:

• A Bachelor or Master student in Food Technology, Food Science, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Interested in product quality, shelf life, and ingredient functionality.
• Comfortable working in a lab and structured testing environment.
• Accurate, organised, and detail‑oriented when handling samples and data.
• Able to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Curious, proactive, and motivated to understand how ingredients impact real food applications.
• Interested in the food & beverage sector—and ideally enthusiastic about nuts, cocoa, and chocolate.