Overview

Job Title: Formulation Technologist - Flavour
Location: Colworth Science Park, Unilever

The job holder will be a member of the Ingredients & Formulation Team within RD&I Ice Cream, predominantly supporting the Differentiating Components and Ingredient Expertise Pillars. The team focuses on our ingredient portfolio, formulation & microstructure design and novel ingredient & component led innovation, understanding ingredients and their interactions to yield differentiated superior quality products. The role will support flavour innovation and portfolio activities across the Ingredient & Formulations programme to deliver into the I&F projects and goals.

Responsibilities

• Support flavour activities across I&F, working on innovation projects to deliver into the Differentiating Components Programme and on flavour portfolio activities with the Ingredients team.
• Liaise with multidisciplinary teams to deliver agreed work plans in the laboratory and the pilot plant, to develop novel technology solutions.
• Support collaboration with internal and external networks of flavour expertise (academia, flavour houses) within the collaboration framework.
• Develop samples, demos & prototypes to demonstrate relevant technology benefits.
• Characterise products through measurement techniques such as chromatography, particle sizing, rheology, penetrometry, etc.
• Run internal sensory panels and analyse results.
• Evaluate laboratory and pilot-scale processes for production of food materials.
• Record experimental objectives, methods, results and conclusions in ELN and WOR systems, and provide recommendations to key stakeholders.
• Plan own time to meet objectives and maximise efficiency; maintain safety, including curatorship of equipment and writing SOPs.

All About You

• A graduate or equivalent in food science, flavour science, chemistry, biology or related science.
• Ideally experience in flavour application in ice cream or confectionery.
• Basic knowledge of product characterisation and basic formulation knowledge for ice cream; ideally experience in chocolate or confectionery formulation.
• Ideally practical experience of making ice cream at the pilot plant scale and experience of solving scale-up challenges.
• Good analytical skills to write up results and draw conclusions.
• A self-starter with strong proactivity and bias for action.
• Flexibility and willingness to learn new science areas quickly; ability to gather and synthesise information to scope new areas as required.
• Strong team alignment to deliver to diverse customer project requirements and timelines; good communication and organisational skills to manage time on projects independently.
• Team player, proactive in the wider I&F team; passionate about personal development via training and mentoring.

Key Behaviours

• Curiosity
• Innovative
• Adaptability
• Personal Drive
• Forward thinking

Key Interfaces

• I&F team (Differentiating Components, Ingredient Expertise)
• Wider RD&I team (CTI, Ecosystems, Processing, Chefs, Brand, Regions)
• External (academia & flavour houses)
• Wider Ice Cream Community (Marketing and Supply chain)

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands, including Dove, Tresemme, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, Graze and Pot Noodle.

What We Offer

We offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work with renowned brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment. We are open to flexible working options and provide wellbeing support, development opportunities, and a family-friendly, inclusive workplace.

Recruitment Integrity

We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and will provide reasonable adjustments during the application and interview process. For more information, see Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Unilever. We will not be liable for any candidates financially impacted by recruitment fraud; your vigilance is key.