IFF, a global leader in dairy solutions, is seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic candidate for the role of Application Specialist to join our North America’s Application team in New Century, Kansas. As an Application specialist, you will be responsible for providing technical support and expertise to our customers and distributors in the Dairy industry, with a focus on the use of cultures in fermented dairy and plant-based products (Yoghurt, butter milk, sour cream, and cream cheese). You will collaborate with internal and external technical experts, understand, and communicate market trends, and identify new opportunities for IFF products and solutions. You will be part of a dynamic and diverse team that is enthusiastic about being the premier partner with our customers to create delicious and sustainable dairy products for consumers around the world.

• Design and conduct experiments to evaluate the performance and functionality of dairy cultures in different fermented dairy product matrices and processing conditions.
• Prepare and present technical reports, presentations and product demonstrations to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Assist senior application scientist in developing and optimizing culture formulations for applications in the Fresh Fermented Products, including yoghurt, sour cream, buttermilk, and cream cheese.
• You will also be responsible for supporting new culture launch projects. Testing new underdeveloped culture products in the fresh fermented dairy products application, conducting shelf-life testing, preparing reports and presenting internally as well as to external customers.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as Marketing, Sales, Regulatory, Product managers, and R&D, to deliver innovative solutions that meet the customer needs and market trends.
• Work in tandem with internal and external technical experts, such as R&D, sales, product managers, marketing, and regulatory, to exchange knowledge, best practices, and insights concerning the fermented dairy market and applications.
• Collaborate closely with customers and distributors to understand their needs and challenges and provide technical support and guidance on the use of IFF cultures in fermented dairy products.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with the external academic authority in the field and influencers in the dairy industry, and position IFF as a trusted partner and solution provider. 
• Participate in trade shows, seminars, webinars, and other events to promote IFF's technical capabilities and product offerings. 
• Keep abreast of the latest scientific and technological developments in the field of dairy culture and identify new opportunities for innovation and improvement.
• Travel throughout USA and occasionally to Canada to visit customers and distributors, and support IFF's Dairy culture business.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's / MSc degree or equivalent in dairy science, food science, biotechnology, or related field. 
• BSc with 3 years or MSc with 1 years of experience in the dairy industry, with knowledge of food microbiology, fermented dairy production processes, formulations, ingredients, quality parameters and preferably familiarity with IFF's portfolio of dairy cultures. 
• Hands-on experience in laboratory and pilot plant equipment and techniques.
• Strong technical skills and problem-solving abilities, with attention to detail and customer satisfaction. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both verbal and written, in English. 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with a proactive and customer-oriented mindset. 
• Ability to travel up to 20 to 50% of the time and adapt to different work cultures and environments. 

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