Job Description

Join the Magic

Research Manager Nutrition

Your Mission

As Research Manager Nutrition, you translate scientific knowledge into innovation and business growth opportunities for Puratos.

By connecting science, consumer needs, market trends and business strategy, you help identify where future Health & Well-Being growth will emerge and support the creation of innovation platforms, product concepts and substantiated benefits that strengthen Puratos' long-term competitive advantage in bakery, patisserie and chocolate.

By working in between R&D, H&WB, Business Units, Marketing and external partners, you transform scientific knowledge into differentiated solutions that create value for customers and consumers. You own/drive the nutrition science portfolio and ensure strong alignment with the corporate Health & Well-Being strategy.

Success is measured through the impact on innovation, customer value and long-term business growth, beyond scientific excellence.

Your Role

Science-to-Innovation Translation

• The role converts complex nutrition research, clinical evidence, dietary guidelines and emerging health trends into actionable recommendations for product development and innovation opportunities,
• Identify opportunities in nutritional territories linked to nutritional balance and solutions for bakery, patisserie and chocolate; healthy ageing; fiber and metabolic health,
• Advise NPD teams on where future growth opportunities exist and contribute to business cases supporting strategic innovation initiatives.

Strategic Innovation Support

• Act as a strategic scientific advisor for Health & Well-Being, Innovation and Business Development initiatives,
• Build nutritional product concepts, define nutritional criteria and support assessment of functional ingredients with NPD / R&D teams,
• Contribute to portfolio discussions and prioritization of future growth platforms,
• Ensure execution of Puratos' long-term Health & Well-Being innovation agenda through supporting development of new products and reformulations,
• Help identify emerging opportunities that can become future innovation platforms for the company.

Scientific Substantiation & Benefit Development

• Evaluate and interpret scientific evidence supporting ingredient functionality, nutritional benefits and product positioning.
• Support the development of science-based product benefits and claims in collaboration with regulatory and innovation teams,
• Help ensure that scientific communication remains relevant, accurate, credible and compliant.

Monitoring scientific Opportunities

• Identify future innovation opportunities and risks, by continuous scanning of nutrition science, consumer health trends, and public health priorities
• Monitoring scientific discoveries, technology advances, start-ups and market trends
• Translating scientific evidence and emerging insights into strategic recommendations for innovation and business teams.

Ecosystem & Partnerships

Internal

• Function as the Group’s internal nutrition expert, training colleagues from R&D, marketing, sales, regulatory affairs and general management on nutrition science and health-related topics,

External

• Build and maintain relationships with universities, research institutes, suppliers, start-ups and innovation networks,
• Represent Puratos at scientific conferences, innovation events and external stakeholder engagements, and ensure relevant scientific communications to stakeholders.

Who are we looking for?

• You hold a Master’s degree in Bio-Engineering, Food Technology, Food Chemistry, Biotechnology, Nutrition Science or a related scientific discipline, ideally with a strong food technology foundation.
• You have around 5 years of relevant experience in R&D, food science, nutrition, ingredient innovation or a related field, preferably in the food industry or with exposure to bakery, patisserie or chocolate applications.
• You combine a solid scientific background with the ability to understand business priorities and translate scientific insights into practical recommendations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess scientific evidence and identify innovation opportunities.
• You are curious and proactive, with the ability to capture new scientific developments, analyze markets and identify where Puratos should build additional knowledge or capabilities.
• Experience working across multidisciplinary and international teams.
• Strong networking and stakeholder management capabilities.
• You communicate clearly and convincingly, both verbally and in writing, and can adapt your message to different audiences: scientific, business-minded and customer-facing.
• You are collaborative, self-reliant and resilient, able to build trust across teams and work constructively with stakeholders with different points of view.
• You are fluent in English; knowledge of Dutch, French or other languages is an asset.

What you can expect from Puratos?

We at Puratos cultivate an inclusive global workplace, that fully embraces diversity and equal opportunities for all. We strive to reflect the richness of our customers, communities and society, accelerating our ability to innovate and deliver on our commitments.

You will be welcomed in a dynamic work environment where passion for innovation, team spirit and continuous improvement are key. You can count on a competitive salary package with attractive benefits such as:

• Meal vouchers (10€/day)
• Group, dental and hospitalization insurance fully paid by Puratos
• Company Car
• Bonus
• Minimum 5 training days per year
• A wide variety of Health&Wellbeing benefits
• Responsibilities and the possibility to take ownership of your work

Watch our corporate movie and feel the Puratos Magic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch-v=XNRsBzuRlNI

Working at Puratos is choosing a Top Employer in Belgium!

Shall we meet soon?