Do you enjoy solving the practical, hands-on problems behind a better-for-you snack, from ingredient functionality through to shelf life? We are recruiting on behalf of our client, an international food company that has opened a new Research & Development hub in Wageningen to grow its work on plant-based ingredients and functional food products. Plant protein applications sit at the centre of the team's current research agenda, alongside a wider programme exploring new technologies and product concepts for healthier, more functional foods.
Your role in a nutshell:
As Food Technology Application Scientist, you will develop and optimise plant-based, minimally processed, and nutritionally balanced snacks, working with natural ingredients, functional formulations, and sustainable processing methods while keeping taste, texture, and shelf stability at a high standard. The role calls for a solid understanding of ingredient functionality, food structure, and processing techniques, applied to products that meet clean-label and health-conscious consumer expectations. You will work closely with marketing and production colleagues to bring scalable, high-quality products to market.
Key Responsibilities
Clean-Label Snack & Meal Innovation & Product Development
- Develop and optimise plant-based, high-protein, and functional snacks, including bars, bites, and convenient meal formats
- Formulate products using natural ingredients, whole foods, and clean-label alternatives such as plant proteins, ancient grains, nuts, seeds, and fruit-based sweeteners
- Design better-for-you formulations addressing sugar reduction, healthy fats, fibre enrichment, and nutrient density
- Safeguard sensory appeal, texture, and shelf stability while meeting clean-label requirements
Ingredient Functionality
- Work with natural binders, emulsifiers, stabilisers, and alternative sweeteners to build label-friendly formulations
- Optimise protein structuring, starch interactions, and lipid stability to improve product performance
Processing & Technology Optimisation
- Apply minimal processing techniques such as air drying, baking, cold pressing, and extrusion to preserve nutritional integrity
- Explore new texturisation methods to improve crunch, crispiness, and chewiness in snacks
- Improve water activity control and oxidative stability to extend shelf life naturally
Regulatory Compliance & Labelling
- Ensure compliance with clean-label claims, nutrition labelling, and relevant health regulations
- Develop transparent, simple ingredient lists that appeal to clean-label consumers
Qualifications & Skills
- Master's or PhD in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, or a related field
- At least 3 years of experience in food R&D, ideally within plant-based foods; experience in snack formulation and/or clean-label product development is an advantage
- Strong knowledge of ingredient functionality, clean-label formulation, and food processing
- Experience with texturisation techniques and improving mouthfeel
- Able to work cross-functionally with teams such as marketing and operations
Preferred
- Experience designing and developing plant-based food products, particularly tackling texture and mouthfeel challenges
- Experience with clean-label product development
Nice to have
- Experience with functional snacks and meals, such as protein bars, superfood blends, or prebiotic-rich snacks
- Scientific publications or patents
What's On Offer
- Salary range of 65.000 to 95.000 EUR annually, including the 8% holiday allowance, depending on the level of education (Master/PhD degree) and the years of experience
- 25 vacation days per year, on a full-time basis
- Hybrid working: 4 days on-site, 1 day from home
- 1-year contract directly with our client
- The chance to help shape clean-label and plant-based product development within a growing R&D team
- A multidisciplinary, international working environment
Interested? Apply directly!