Senior R&D Beverage Scientist

Glanbia Dairy Nutrition
 
Join this dynamic team focused on delivering better nutrition for every step of life’s journey!
 

The Opportunity

Based in Kilkenny, Ireland, and reporting to the Senior R&D Applications Manager, this role focuses on the development of advanced nutritional beverage and fresh dairy applications. You will play a key role in bringing innovative concepts from ideation through to commercialization, working closely with cross-functional teams including commercial, product management, and marketing across Europe.

Customer engagement is central to this role, requiring strong collaboration with business development and commercial teams, as well as direct interaction with customers and partners.

Key Responsibilities

Design and develop innovative beverage and fresh dairy applications using Glanbia ingredients.
Assess technical feasibility across multiple beverage formats, ensuring stability, scalability, and manufacturability.
Apply expertise in ingredient functionality (dairy proteins, nutritional vitamin and mineral premixes, flavour systems) to optimize formulations.
Evaluate ingredient compatibility and performance under various processing conditions.
Conduct flavour validation and contribute to sensory research to ensure superior product performance.
Ensure formulations meet regulatory, quality, and customer requirements.
Support scale-up trials, process optimization, and manufacturing transfers.
Build and manage relationships with co-manufacturers to support commercialization.
Collaborate with European commercial and marketing teams to deliver technical and application support.
Support in the development of other applications using Glanbia ingredients e.g. bars, beverages, baked goods, extruded snacks etc.
Prepare nutritionals, application documentation, and prototype samples.
Provide technical support to distributors and customers across Europe.
Stay current with market trends, competitor activity, and emerging nutritional ingredients.
Represent the business at industry events, preparing for and attending tradeshows across Europe.

The Skills you will bring to the team

Degree in Food Science, Dairy Science, or a related discipline (postgraduate qualification preferred).
5+ years’ experience in product development within dairy or nutritional beverages.
Proven track record of delivering products from concept through commercialization.
Strong knowledge of dairy systems, vitamin/mineral fortification, flavour science, and formulation.
Solid understanding of nutrition, chemistry, and ingredient functionality.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels.
Commercial awareness with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Highly collaborative, detail-oriented, and customer-focused mindset.
Fluent in written and spoken English.
Proficient in Microsoft Office tools.

If you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please apply!

Where and how you will work
The opportunity will be based onsite in our newly refurbished Kilkenny office at Leggettsrath Business Park, R95 YTD5. The role includes approximately 15% international travel, offering opportunities to support exciting project work, attend industry trade fairs, and participate in key company events.

What we would like to offer you! 

The opportunity to develop your career on a global stage, continuous learning through an on-demand learning platform, and a competitive compensation package including staff discounts, generous family leave policy, healthcare and pension.

About Glanbia 

Glanbia is a better nutrition company with three divisions: Performance Nutrition, Health & Nutrition and Dairy Nutrition. Collectively and with our partners we offer an incredible breadth of expertise in nutrition. We employ a team of 5800 people, work with global food and beverage companies, and sell our award-winning and market-leading brands and ingredients in more than 100 countries worldwide

Applications Scientist

Benefits

Job Description