Senior Flavorist

IFF • Tastepoint South, PA, USA, PA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Flavorist is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is part of IFF’s creative, customer-focused and collaborative Creative & Design team. The role develops and optimizes consumer-preferred flavors for food and beverage products, combining scientific expertise with creative innovation across beverage, sweet goods and dairy applications.

The position leads flavor development from concept through launch, applying analytical data, sensory science and technical expertise to create, characterize and match flavor materials. It works closely with Applications, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales, Operations, account managers and global innovation teams to support customer needs, commercialization, scale-up and strategic flavor development. The role also mentors and trains junior colleagues.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive, hands-on flavor creation and development experience, with demonstrated expertise across sweet, dairy and beverage categories.
• Fully certified flavor chemist credentials, such as certification from the Society of Flavor Chemists, or an equivalent recognized qualification.
• Strong scientific knowledge of food science, chemistry, aroma molecules, natural extracts and flavor manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, characterize, formulate and match flavor materials using analytical and sensory evaluation techniques.
• Working knowledge of U.S. and international flavor regulations and experience formulating with approved flavor materials.
• Ability to manage multiple customer and internal development projects while maintaining quality, accuracy and agreed-upon timelines.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to explain technical information clearly to internal colleagues and external customers.
• Foundational leadership capabilities and experience mentoring, guiding or developing junior flavor professionals.

Nice To Haves

• An advanced degree, such as a master’s degree or doctorate, in Food Science, Chemistry or a related field.
• Experience developing clean label and natural flavors while navigating related technical and regulatory requirements.
• A strong record of combining consumer insights, sensory science and emerging technologies to deliver differentiated flavor solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design and formulate innovative, market-leading flavors for food and beverage applications, including compounded liquids, spray-dried powders, plated flavors, reaction flavors, emulsions and extracts, using Generally Recognized as Safe and U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved materials.
• Create, develop and optimize consumer-preferred flavor profiles across beverage, sweet goods and dairy applications.
• Lead creative development projects from concept through launch, building customer intimacy while ensuring timelines, specifications and quality standards are achieved.
• Apply analytical data, sensory science and technical expertise to develop, characterize and match flavor materials.
• Develop flavors that meet U.S. and international flavor regulations, including specific regulatory requirements for alcoholic beverages.
• Collaborate with Applications, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales and Operations teams to support project execution, commercialization and successful scale-up.
• Partner with account managers to understand customer needs, provide technical support and develop practical solutions to flavor challenges.
• Mentor and train junior colleagues by sharing technical knowledge, creative approaches and industry expertise.
• Collaborate with global innovation teams to leverage new technologies, support strategic priorities and identify opportunities for flavor development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior