Flavor Chemist

Job Title: Certified Flavor Chemist

Location: Addison, IL

Job Type: Full Time Permanent

Company Type: Specialized food and beverage flavor developer

Note: Candidate must be a certified member of the Society of Flavor Chemists

Job Description

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for formulating, testing, and evaluating flavor compounds and blends to meet the diverse needs of our clients and products. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product development, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance, to ensure that all flavor formulations align with industry standards and consumer preferences.

Job Responsibilities:

• Create and formulate new flavor profiles for a variety of food and beverage products, ensuring they meet customer specifications and market trends.

• Conduct sensory testing and analysis of flavors to evaluate their performance in different applications, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

• Work directly with customers to finalize customer projects as is required

• Stay abreast of industry trends, consumer preferences, and emerging technologies to drive innovation in flavor creation and application.

• Collaborate with quality assurance teams to establish and maintain quality standards for flavors, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and safety regulations.

• Maintain accurate records of formulations, experimental data, and sensory evaluations, and prepare comprehensive reports summarizing findings and recommendations.

• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including product development, marketing, and production, to support the successful launch and optimization of new flavors.

• Address any flavor-related challenges that arise during the product development process and devise solutions to improve flavor stability and performance.

• Provide technical support and training to internal teams and clients on flavor properties, applications, and trends.

• Collaborate with ingredient suppliers and vendors to source high-quality raw materials and explore new flavor ingredients.

• Ensure that all flavor formulations adhere to safety standards and regulatory compliance, including labeling and allergen management.

• Aid in training Flavor Apprentice(s) in preparation for testing with the Society of Flavor Chemists

Qualifications:

• Degree in food science, physical sciences, or related field required

• Desired 7 years of flavor development experience and a certified member of the Society of Flavor Chemists

• Experience with the creation and scaling of reaction flavors

• Proficient in flavor ingredient labeling

• Proficient in conducting pilot plant work.

• Proficiency with Office suites, as well as ability & willingness to learn new software applications

• Must possess a strong attention to detail and maintain a neat work environment

• Must possess strong and effective communication, organizational & interpersonal skills

• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as a team, in a fast-paced setting

Technical:

• Good working knowledge of Excel, Word, Access, and a comfort level with learning new systems

• Comfortable with the use of web-based systems

• Preferred experience in Flavor formula entry in Sage X3, E-Book File, and Product Vision is highly desirable

Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit at a desk and stand in the lab for extended periods, using arms, hands and fingers to feel/operate a computer, phone and other necessary office/lab equipment, talk with full power of speech, hear and reach; occasionally may also be required to balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, walk, turn the head and torso, taste or smell.

• Employees may have to exert up to 20-30 pounds of force to lift, carry, pull, push, or otherwise move objects.

Work Environment

• Work performed in an office environment with ambient room temperatures, lighting, and traditional office equipment as found in a typical office environment

• Daily trips out to the Production Department, where exposed to a manufacturing environment with exposure to odors, fumes, noise, and allergens (dairy & food colorings)

• Specific vision abilities include close visual acuity, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is mainly subjected to an indoor office environment.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• Non-Hybrid Role

Personal Protective Equipment

• Non-slip steel-toed shoes are required on the Production Floor

• Hairnets and facial hair nets are required to be worn on the Production Floor

• Lab coats, uniforms, or coveralls are mandatory on the Production Floor