Senior Flavourist Beverages

Givaudan; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Givaudan in Johannesburg is seeking an experienced Flavourist to manage flavour development projects and collaborate with customers to deliver innovative flavours. You will prepare samples, formulate flavours, and ensure compliance with EH&S and quality standards.

Candidate should have 3–6 years of post-training flavourist experience and a Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry or Biology, with strong tasting and formulation skills and the ability to mentor junior staff.

Qualifications

• Academic background with a degree in Food Science, Chemistry or Biology.
• 3–6 years of flavourist experience post-training or recognised industry equivalent.
• Strong tasting skills and ability to adjust flavours based on feedback and data.
• Experience coordinating with customers and internal teams to meet project objectives.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and evaluate flavour samples for customer briefs and testing.
• Formulate new flavours or modify existing ones for multiple flavour types.
• Provide technical expertise to resolve flavour issues and support customers.
• Supervise and mentor flavour assistants while managing projects end-to-end.

Skills

Flavour development

Tasting skills

Flavour formulation

Regulatory knowledge

Analytical methods

Customer liaison

Project supervision

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology

Tools

GC-HPLC

Job description

Join us and celebrate the beauty of human experience. Create for happier, healthier lives, with love for nature. Together, with passion and creativity, we deliver food innovations, craft inspired fragrances and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions. There’s much to learn and many to learn from, with more than 17,000 employees around the world to explore ideas and ambitions with. Every day, your talent, your innovative spirit, and your determination will shape our future, making a positive difference on billions of people. Every essence of you enriches our world. We are Givaudan. Human by nature.

Job Purpose

Manage flavour development projects, in order to ensure effective and successful creation process in cooperation with customers, according to business objectives and EH&S policies.

Core Responsibilities

Flavour Preparation & Evaluation

• Prepare flavour samples as requested for customer briefs, application needs, technology performance assessment, QC standards, physical testing, etc.
• Formulate new flavour creations or modify existing flavours to meet customer requirements, internal testing needs, or new technology development for multiple flavour types.
• Participate in the evaluation of materials developed internally or from external sources and assess potential for flavour creation.
• Execute daily tasks and fully manage assigned projects and provide flavours which meet all defined project needs, considering when relevant good manufacturing practices, sample scale-up, production requirements, regulatory compliance, etc.

Knowledge Sharing & Expertise

• When requested serve as technical expert to resolve flavour production issues and customer complaints and complete ownership of created flavours.
• Coach, train, motivate, and mentor flavour assistants.
• Participate and learn about all areas of the company (analytical chemistry, sensory, consumer understanding, regulatory, flavour delivery, manufacturing, etc.).
• Serve as technical expert and advisor to internal and external partners and customers for ingredient and flavour performance for multiple flavour types.
• Contribute to discussions of research plans, sensory results/insights, making experimental observations and helping to make connections to related, but separate technologies.
• Make suggestions for future research or sensory activities.
• Contribute to the planning of technical or sensory projects.

Environmental Health & Safety

• Maintain a safe, clean and organized lab environment in accordance with EH&S policies and hold others accountable for following these guidelines.

Your profile

Academic Background

• Polytechnic or Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology.

Professional experience

• Minimum 3-6 years of experience as a Flavourist AFTER completion of Givaudan Flavourist Trainee Programme or accepted industry equivalent.

Technical Skills

• Expert level tasting skills with an intermediate level ability to understand how to adjust a flavour formulation in the direction needed for flavour modifications.
• Intermediate level knowledge of raw materials and flavour ingredients with an expert level ability to formulate selected flavour types to deliver flavour performance for customer briefs, problem solving processes, research and development needs, etc.
• Intermediate level understanding of common Givaudan flavour creation solvent and carrier systems.
• Intermediate level ability to interface with customers and effectively discuss the flavour creation needs for selected flavour types and provide direction to help solve flavour performance issues in their applications.
• Intermediate level knowledge of local and regional regulatory requirements for flavours.
• Ability to prepare and present complex flavour creation related technical presentations.
• Intermediate level knowledge of application equipment, ingredients, and manufacturing procedures.
• Intermediate level knowledge of formulating suitable delivery systems for various application bases.
• Intermediate level knowledge of analytical methodologies (G.C. HPLC, Mass Spec.).
• Expert level knowledge of flavour manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Intermediate level knowledge of flavour performance and be able to formulate using this data to improve flavour performance.
• Ability to supervise flavour assistants.

At Givaudan, you contribute to delightful taste and scent experiences that touch people’s lives.

We value the different perspectives that come from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.

Everyone — regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, culture, religion, or any personal circumstances — is warmly welcomed at Givaudan, a place where we all love to be and grow.

Every essence of you enriches our world. Join us in making a difference together.