Specialty Ingredient Scientist

Koninklijke Co?peratie Agrifirm U.A.; Wormerveer; Hybrid; EUR 56,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary €5,000-€6,500 gross/month

Leave days & flexible hours

Laptop and iPhone

Secondary employment conditions

Agrifirm Academy development

Job summary

Royal Agrifirm Group seeks a SpecialtyIngredientScientist to translate science into practical nutrition solutions and to lead testing programs across the R&D team. You will collaborate with Quality, Operations, Procurement and external suppliers to deliver value and innovations for animal nutrition.

The role is hybrid, allowing two days of remote work; based on Belgium or the Netherlands, with travel to Belgium as needed. Strong English skills required, Dutch a plus.

Qualifications

• Masters or PhD in Food Science, Bioscience Engineering, Chemistry, Animal Nutrition, Feed Technology or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in feed, food, ingredients, additives or process technology.
• Strong understanding of structure-function relationships in specialty ingredients, including the link between composition, molecular structure, physicochemical properties and in vivo functionality.
• Experience with ingredient functionality, laboratory testing, process technology or formulation science.
• Curious, analytical and hands-on mindset.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English; Dutch language is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical expertise on specialty ingredients and raw materials.
• Drive laboratory and pilot-scale testing programs to understand structure-function relationships of specialty ingredients.
• Support innovation projects by identifying and developing next-generation ingredients and solutions.
• Manage technical knowledge, specifications, and supplier collaboration.
• Act as the go-to expert for technical questions and knowledge sharing across the organization.
• In this role, you report to the R&D Director Feed & Specialties.

Skills

Experience in feed/food/ingredients

Structure-function relationships

Laboratory testing

Process technology

English fluency

Dutch language (plus)

Education

Master's or PhD in Food Science or related field

Job description

Belgium or the Netherlands | Hybrid | Full time

- Please consider that we can only hire applicants who currently live in Belgium or the Netherlands -

Join our international R&D community that is shaping the future of animal nutrition. Across Feed and Specialties, our teams work on tomorrow’s nutritional concepts, specialty ingredients and functional solutions, combining scientific expertise with a strong understanding of market needs. Working closely with colleagues across functions and regions, you will contribute to innovations that make a real difference for our customers and a responsible food chain for future generations.

Your challenge As SpecialtyIngredientScientist, you translate science-backed knowledge of the physicochemical properties of specialty ingredients into practical solutions for (young) animal nutrition, taking into consideration requirements regarding product performance, processability and biological efficacy. Through scientific research, experimental design and data-driven insights, you create the foundation for current and next-generation nutritional and functional solutions that support innovation and customer value. You are a member of the R&D team, working in close collaboration with Quality, Operations, Procurement and external suppliers. If you live in Belgium, your work location is Drongen. If you live in the Netherlands, your work location will be Apeldoorn - because you are expected in Belgium occasionally, it is preferable you live south of Apeldoorn. Working from home is possible for about two days a week.

Key responsibilities

• Lead technicalexpertiseon specialty ingredients and raw materials.
• Drive laboratory and pilot-scale testing programs to understandstructure-function relationships of specialty ingredients.
• Support innovation projects byidentifyingand developing next-generation ingredients and solutions.
• Manage technical knowledge, specifications, and supplier collaboration.
• Act as the go-to expert for technical questions and knowledge sharing across the organization.
• In this role, you report to the R&DDirectorFeed & Specialties.

Our offer

We offer a highly visible expert role withinAgrifirm'sinnovation and specialty ingredients activities, with the opportunity to influence ingredient strategies and innovation projects across multiple business areas. You will work in an entrepreneurial environment where technicalexpertisedirectly contributes to business success.You will have thepossibilityto work from home occasionally, as long as you are at the office at least three days a week.

Furthermore

• A gross monthly salary between €5.000,- and €6.500,- (based on full time) depending on experience and work location (Belgium or the Netherlands);
• Plenty of leave days and flexible working hours;
• Laptop and an iPhone;
• Good secondary employment conditions;
• Extensive development opportunities through our Agrifirm Academy.

Who are you?

• PhdorMaster's degree in Food Science, Bioscience Engineering, Chemistry, Animal Nutrition, FeedTechnologyora relatedfield.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in feed, food, ingredients,additivesor process technology.
• Strong understanding of structure-function relationships in specialty ingredients, including the link between chemical composition, molecular structure, physicochemicalpropertiesandin vivoingredient functionality
• Experience with ingredient functionality, laboratory testing, processtechnologyor formulation science is highly valued.
• Curious,analyticaland hands-on mindset.
• Strong communicationand stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable working in multidisciplinary and international teams.
• FluencyinEnglishisnecessary.Commandmentof theDutch language is a plus.

Who are we?

At Royal Agrifirm Group, we strive for an inclusiveculture , in whichall ofour employees can say: "I'm a valued member of a winning team, doing meaningful work in an environment of trust. Embedded in our company culture are ourSTARvalues,representingnot only what we value but also how we act; Sharp, Together, Ambitiousand Responsible. We have the reach to bring different players and different worlds together. Combining the ideas,skillsand knowledge ofall ofour employees enables us to be at the forefront of the development of new concepts,productsand tools to deliver on our purpose; a responsible food chain for future generations.

At Agrifirm, we are committed to equal opportunities and encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.

An online assessment is part of the application procedure.