Product Developer – Ripened Cheese Innovation

About the role

You will lead the R&D effort to create innovative ripened cheese products using next‑generation dairy technology. Working in a fast‑moving, science‑driven environment, you will turn microbially produced casein into real‑world cheesemaking processes that deliver authentic taste and texture.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and refine ripened cheese prototypes (hard, semi‑hard, soft, blue).
• Transform microbially produced casein into practical cheesemaking workflows.
• Optimize coagulation, acidification, salting and maturation conditions.
• Maintain clear laboratory records to ensure traceability and reproducibility.
• Plan and conduct sensory evaluations and use feedback to improve products.
• Support quality control and food safety testing, ensuring compliance with internal and external standards.
• Contribute to technical documentation and regulatory dossiers.
• Collaborate with food technologists, process scientists and commercial teams.
• Manage multiple R&D projects with defined milestones and timelines.
• Adapt quickly to changing ingredients, inputs and priorities.

Required profile

• Hands‑on experience developing ripened cheeses such as cheddar, gouda, camembert, gruyère or blue cheese.
• Degree in Food Science, Dairy Technology, Food Engineering or a related field.
• Strong expertise in cheesemaking processes (coagulation, cultures, curd handling, pressing, brining, maturation).
• Experience with sensory evaluation training or applied sensory work is a plus.
• Background in alternative dairy or plant‑based product development.
• Familiarity with preparing regulatory dossiers (EFSA, FSA or similar).
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP and EU food safety standards.
• Experience working in early‑stage or scale‑up R&D environments.

Required skills

• Cheesemaking process optimization (coagulation, cultures, curd handling, pressing, brining, maturation).
• Sensory evaluation methodology.
• Regulatory dossier preparation (EFSA, FSA).
• HACCP implementation.
• GMP compliance.
• EU food safety standards.
• R&D project management.

What we offer

• Career growth in a rapidly expanding alternative‑dairy sector.
• Participation in a personnel share‑ownership program.
• A unique “cowboy” identity within the company culture.