Seasonings Scientist/Research Chef

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.; Carrollton (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. in Carrollton, Texas is seeking a senior Food Scientist to lead seasoning development and culinary innovation.

Based on-site 5 days a week, you will translate customer briefs into viable flavor systems, create prototypes, and drive successful product launches across multiple food categories. You will work with cross-functional teams, applying sensory evaluation, scale-up, and regulatory knowledge to deliver compelling, safe, high-quality flavor solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant food science or culinary field required.
• Minimum of 8 years in food product or seasoning development, savory applications, or related areas.
• Professional culinary experience with recipe development and application creation.
• Strong knowledge of seasoning systems, ingredient functionality, flavor technologies, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience supporting customer-facing projects and cross-functional collaboration.
• Understanding sensory evaluation methods, product optimization, and experimental design.
• Knowledge of food safety, labeling, quality systems, and regulatory compliance in food industry.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25% as required for customer engagements and trials.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize seasoning blends, dry mixes, coatings, marinades, sauces, and flavor delivery systems across multiple food categories.
• Create finished food applications and prototypes showcasing flavor performance and consumer appeal.
• Translate customer briefs into commercially viable flavor solutions through formulation and culinary know-how.
• Conduct bench-top development, pilot plant trials, and scale-up activities for commercialization.
• Lead customer tastings, culinary demonstrations, and ideation workshops to showcase concepts.

Skills

Culinary expertise

Sensory evaluation

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Organizational skills

Flexibility to travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, Culinary Arts, Food Technology, or related discipline

Job description

Job Summary

Are you passionate about creating innovative seasoning and culinary solutions that bring food concepts to life and delight consumers around the world? IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, and health & biosciences. We deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products. Taste: Crafting unique, technology-enabled flavor designs that define the identity of food and beverage brands, shape trends in flavor building and fuel market success. The role is based in our Carrollton, Texas facility (on-site 5x/week role). Be part of a creative, customer-focused, solution-oriented team where together we can achieve greatness and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration.

Where You'll Make a Difference

• Develop and optimize seasoning blends, dry mixes, coatings, marinades, sauces, and flavor delivery systems across a variety of food categories.
• Create finished food applications and prototypes that demonstrate seasoning performance, functionality, and consumer appeal.
• Translate customer briefs into commercially viable solutions through formulation development, culinary expertise, and food science knowledge.
• Conduct bench-top development, pilot plant trials, and scale-up activities to support successful commercialization.
• Lead customer tastings, culinary demonstrations, innovation sessions, and ideation workshops to showcase product concepts and capabilities.
• Design and execute experiments to evaluate flavor performance, ingredient functionality, shelf life, stability, and processing requirements.
• Partner with customers and internal stakeholders to troubleshoot technical challenges and provide recommendations that support business growth.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, procurement, regulatory, marketing, sales, and product development teams to ensure successful product launches.
• Monitor market trends, emerging flavors, consumer insights, and culinary techniques to drive innovation and strengthen project pipelines.

What Makes You the Right Fit

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, Culinary Arts, Food Technology, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in food product development, seasoning development, savory applications, culinary innovation, or related areas.
• Professional culinary experience with demonstrated expertise in food preparation, recipe development, and application creation.
• Strong knowledge of seasoning systems, ingredient functionality, flavor technologies, and food manufacturing processes.
• Experience supporting customer-facing projects, product commercialization activities, and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Understanding sensory evaluation methods, product optimization, and experimental design.
• Knowledge of food safety, labeling requirements, quality systems, and regulatory compliance within the food industry.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25% as required to support customer engagements, plant trials, and business initiatives.

How Would You Stand Out?

• Culinary certification and/or formal culinary training.
• Prior working experience in an R&D corporate environment a huge plus.
• Experience developing seasonings, coatings, marinades, sauces, snack seasonings, or protein-based food applications.
• Advanced degree in Food Science or a related technical discipline.

Why Choose Us?

• Competitive Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), vacation, holidays, 16 weeks paid parental leave, and annual incentive plan.
• Diversity & Inclusion: Recognized for disability inclusion and fostering an inclusive workplace.
• Innovation: Gain exposure to cutting-edge flavor, seasoning, and food application technologies.
• Global Collaboration: Work across diverse, cross-functional teams around the world.
• Sustainability: Contribute to solutions that support a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world.
• Professional Perks: Career development, commuter benefits, and tuition reimbursement incentives.

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 At IFF, we make joy through science, creativity and heart.

As the global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we deliver groundbreaking, sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products – advancing wellness, delighting the senses and enhancing the human experience. We value an inclusive, creative workplace where all individuals can thrive and do their best work. We consider all qualified candidates equally and based on merit, without regard to religion, ethnicity, national origin, race, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or disability.