Application Scientist

IFF; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences. The role sits in Madison, Wisconsin, an on-site position with travel to support innovative dairy enzyme applications.

You will lead technical projects, executing lab, pilot and commercial experiments to evaluate enzyme performance in dairy products, while developing formulations and providing expert assistance to customers and distributors.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Doctorate with 3+ years in dairy industry, or Bachelor’s with 9+ years of experience
• Strong knowledge of dairy chemistry and enzyme functionality
• Laboratory and pilot plant experience for dairy applications and analytical methods
• Ability to translate data into practical dairy solutions and drive projects

Responsibilities

• Lead a diverse dairy enzyme project portfolio including technical sales support and product development
• Design and execute lab, pilot, and commercial experiments to evaluate enzyme performance in dairy products
• Develop and optimize dairy product formulations with enzyme solutions to meet customer needs
• Provide technical support to customers and distributors, troubleshooting with analytical techniques
• Translate data and market insights into opportunities for enzyme innovation
• Collaborate with R&D, marketing, regulatory, and global teams across functions

Skills

Dairy chemistry

Enzyme functionality

Analytical problem solving

Project management

Communication skills

Travel ability

Education

MSc/PhD or BSc with dairy experience

Tools

HPLC

Laboratory equipment

Pilot plant

Job description

Are you passionate about innovation that transforms everyday products into extraordinary experiences?

IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences, delivering sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products.

Health & Biosciences: Channeling our passion for nature and bioscience into sustainable, life-enhancing technologies that power innovative solutions across healthcare, food, consumer and industrial markets.

The role is based in Madison, Wisconsin (on-site role with travel). You will be part of a customer-focused, collaborative, and solution-oriented team that partners closely with customers to develop high-quality, innovative dairy products using enzyme-based solutions. Together, we make a meaningful impact across the global dairy industry by applying strong technical insight, analytical problem-solving, and application expertise. Your potential is our inspiration.

Where You’ll Make a Difference

• Lead a diverse project portfolio, including technical sales support, customer trials, troubleshooting, training, and new product and analytical method development for dairy enzyme applications
• Design and execute laboratory, pilot, and commercial-scale experiments to evaluate dairy enzyme performance in dairy products, including activity, functionality, stability, and impact on texture, flavor, and shelf life
• Develop and optimize dairy product formulations by selecting and applying enzyme solutions to meet customer needs, processing requirements, and product performance targets
• Provide technical expertise and hands-on support to customers and distributors in the use of dairy enzymes, including troubleshooting through compositional, rheological, and performance-based analytical techniques
• Translate customer challenges, product performance data, and market insights into actionable opportunities for dairy enzyme innovation
• Collaborate cross-functional with research and development (R&D), marketing, product management, regulatory, and global application teams
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, including customers, distributors, and academic experts
• Deliver technical presentations, reports, and product demonstrations to internal and external audiences
• Represent IFF at industry events such as trade shows, seminars, and webinars

What Makes You the Right Fit

• Master’s (MSc) or Doctorate (PhD) degree with 3+ years of experience, or Bachelor’s (BSc) with 9+ years of relevant experience in the dairy industry
• Strong knowledge of dairy chemistry, enzyme functionality, dairy processing, and product formulation
• Hands-on experience in laboratory and pilot plant environments for dairy applications, with emphasis on analytical techniques used to assess enzyme performance in products such as yogurt, cheese, UHT milk, cream cheese, buttermilk, and sour cream, including HPLC-based analysis where applicable
• Proven ability to manage independent and cross-functional projects in a fast-paced environment
• Strong technical problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret analytical results and translate findings into practical dairy application solutions
• Solid commercial acumen and ability to balance technical requirements with business needs
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively across diverse teams
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 20-50% domestically and occasionally internationally

How Would You Stand Out?

• Industry experience in yogurt and/or high protein beverage manufacturing
• Familiarity with dairy enzymes, enzyme application strategies, and analytical approaches for product and process optimization, including HPLC for compositional and performance analysis
• Established network within the dairy or food science community

Why Choose Us?

• Contribute to solutions that support a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world
• Be part of a global organization that values innovation and creativity
• Collaborate with diverse, cross-functional teams on impactful projects
• Gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies in dairy and biosciences
• Work in a dynamic, customer-focused environment with growth opportunities

We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more