What are the responsibilities and job description for the Application Scientist position at IFF?
Are you passionate about innovation that transforms everyday products into extraordinary experiences?
IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences, we deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products.
Health & Biosciences: Channeling our passion for nature and bioscience into sustainable, life-enhancing technologies that power innovative solutions across healthcare, food, consumer and industrial markets.
The role is tied to either our Cedar Rapids, Wilmington, or Palo Alto location. Be part of a creative, agile team where together we can achieve greatness and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration.
Where You’ll Make a Difference
- Serve as a technical subject matter expert in yeast physiology, fermentation performance, and process optimization for fuel ethanol and potable alcohol applications
- Design, execute, and interpret bench- and pilot-scale fermentation experiments to support internal development projects and customer needs
- Lead and support customer trials, including trial design, execution, on-site troubleshooting, and post-trial data analysis
- Translate fermentation data into clear, actionable technical recommendations and business-relevant insights
- Present technical findings and conclusions to diverse audiences, including Research & Development (R&D), Sales, Business teams, and customers
- Support commercialization of yeast and enzyme solutions through application evaluation, scale-up assistance, and post-launch technical support
- Collaborate cross-functionally within a global, multidisciplinary organization to advance product, technology, and customer objectives
- Mentor and support the development of junior scientists and technicians, strengthening fermentation and analytical capabilities within the lab
What Makes You the Right Fit
- PhD or Master’s degree in Microbiology, Fermentation Science, Yeast Physiology, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field
- Industry experience in fuel ethanol and/or potable alcohol fermentation, with hands-on exposure to yeast performance and process challenges
- Strong working knowledge of yeast physiology, stress responses, and substrate interactions in grain-based fermentations
- Demonstrated experience designing and running bench-scale fermentations; exposure to pilot or plant-scale environments is preferred
- Experience leading or supporting customer trials and working directly with customers in an applied or technical service role
- Strong analytical skills related to fermentation performance, yield optimization, and product evaluation
- Ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts in written reports and oral presentations
- Proven ability to work independently while contributing effectively within cross-functional teams
- Willingness to travel up to 25% to support customer trials and technical engagements
How Would You Stand Out?
- Experience presenting technical results to commercial or business-focused audiences
- Prior experience mentoring, coaching, or developing junior scientists or technicians
- Ability to connect scientific insight with application performance and commercial impact
Why Choose Us?
- Opportunity to work on impactful, industrial-scale fermentation challenges with real customer outcomes
- Blend of hands-on laboratory work and customer-facing technical leadership
- Collaborative, global team environment with strong cross-functional interaction
- Exposure to product development through commercialization and post-launch support
- Commitment to scientific excellence, learning, and professional growth
- Competitive compensation and benefits within a purpose-driven organization
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