Product Development & Culinary Scientist

Job Description:

Segment: Mars Food & Nutrition

Location: Oud-Beijerland, Netherlands

Type of contract: Permanent | Full-time

At Mars Food & Nutrition, we're passionate about creating foods that consumers love and brands that make a positive impact around the world. As a Product Development & Culinary Scientist, you will help shape the future of our global innovation pipeline by transforming consumer and customer needs into exciting product solutions.

In this role, you'll combine food science, product development, and culinary expertise to bring new products to life. From early-stage concepts through to technical readiness and market implementation, you'll play a critical role in delivering products that are desirable for consumers, viable for the business, and feasible to manufacture at scale.

You'll lead the product development workstream for global innovation projects while partnering with colleagues across R&D, Marketing, Commercial, Supply, Engineering, Consumer Insights, and Quality & Food Safety. Working across multiple projects, you'll influence stakeholders globally and help ensure our products continue to delight consumers around the world.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Lead product development activities across innovation and renovation projects from concept through launch.
• Translate product development briefs into compelling product propositions aligned with consumer, customer, and business needs.
• Develop scientifically sound and culinary-inspired product solutions that deliver against our global food strategy.
• Partner with Global and Regional teams to establish product targets and successful implementation pathways.
• Drive product development workstreams while balancing consumer desirability, technical feasibility, and commercial viability.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, risks, and technical deliverables to ensure successful execution.
• Own critical product attributes, including taste, product performance, nutritional profile, and recipe cost.
• Utilize prototyping, sensory evaluation, consumer insights, and technical testing to optimize product performance.
• Manage intellectual property opportunities and risks throughout the product development process.
• Support regional adaptation of propositions where required to meet local consumer and market needs.
• Communicate progress, recommendations, and technical decisions effectively to stakeholders at all levels.

Driving Culinary Excellence

A unique part of this role is bringing culinary thinking into product innovation.

You will:

• Champion culinary excellence throughout the product development process.
• Lead product-centered activities that strengthen engagement with customers, consumers, and internal stakeholders.
• Help build culinary capability across the global product development community.
• Stay connected to emerging culinary trends, food culture, and industry developments to inspire future innovation.
• Build and maintain relationships with external culinary experts, suppliers, and innovation partners.

What are we looking for?

We're looking for someone who enjoys turning ambitious ideas into great products and thrives at the intersection of science, food, and consumer experience.

• Degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related discipline.
• Culinary training, culinary education, or hands-on experience in a professional kitchen, foodservice, or product development environment.
• 3+ years of experience in developing food products within an R&D, innovation, manufacturing, or food development environment.
• Strong understanding of ingredients, recipe formulation, food technologies, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience leading complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong project management and organizational capabilities.
• Ability to build trusted relationships and influence stakeholders across functions and regions.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose-driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including a company bonus.

If you're excited by the opportunity to combine science, culinary expertise, and innovation to create the next generation of food products, we'd love to hear from you.