Product Developer – Ripened Cheese Innovation

About the role

Join the R&D team to create innovative ripened cheese products using next‑generation dairy technology. You will transform microbially produced casein into real‑world cheesemaking processes and help shape the future of dairy‑free cheese.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and refine ripened cheese prototypes (hard, semi‑hard, soft, blue).
• Convert microbially produced casein into practical cheesemaking workflows.
• Optimize coagulation, acidification, salting and maturation conditions.
• Maintain clear laboratory records for traceability and reproducibility.
• Plan, conduct and analyse sensory evaluations.
• Support quality control and food‑safety testing.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external food‑safety 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 (e.g., cheddar, gouda, camembert, gruyère, blue).
• Degree in Food Science, Dairy Technology, Food Engineering or a related field.
• Strong expertise in cheesemaking processes (coagulation, cultures, curd handling, pressing, brining, maturation).
• Curious, structured and proactive attitude.
• Experience with sensory evaluation training or applied sensory work is a plus.
• Background in alternative dairy or plant‑based product development is a plus.
• Familiarity with preparing regulatory dossiers (EFSA, FSA or similar) is a plus.
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP and EU food‑safety standards.
• Experience in early‑stage or scale‑up R&D environments.

Required skills

• Cheesemaking processes
• Sensory evaluation
• Regulatory dossier preparation
• HACCP
• GMP
• EU food‑safety standards

What we offer

• Career growth in a rapidly expanding field.
• A unique “cowboy” name used within the company.
• Equity participation through a personnel share‑ownership program.