Trainee Flavorist - Savory

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

The Trainee Flavorist will undergo comprehensive training under the mentorship of experienced Flavorists to learn how to identify raw materials, develop complex flavor formulations, and understand the chemical interactions of ingredients in various food and beverage applications.

Reporting to the Principal Flavorist within the Global Taste Innovation Savory team, this role provides hands‑on experience working closely with Flavorists, Flavor Technologists, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and Flavor Application teams.

As part of the flavorist apprenticeship, the trainee will support customer requests, assist in flavor scale‑up and commercialization activities, execute lab experiments, maintain and update flavor formulas, introduce new raw materials, and help prepare samples for sensory evaluation. The ideal candidate demonstrates scientific curiosity, strong multitasking abilities, excellent time management, and a collaborative mindset. A positive attitude, openness to learning, and comfort evaluating multiple products daily are essential.

• Dedicate daily time to smelling and tasting raw materials (aroma chemicals, essential oils, extracts, herbs/spices, yeast extracts, etc.) to build a mental and written sensory library.
• Conduct precise weighing and mixing of flavor formulas for internal evaluation, customer briefs, and stability testing.
• Apply experimental flavors into finished product bases (beverages, dairy, savory, snacks) to evaluate performance under varying processing conditions (heat, pH, shelf‑life).
• Assist in formula modifications to support regulatory updates, cost‑optimization projects, or duplication of existing flavors.

• Maintain meticulous experimental records, including trial results and stability data.
• Organize and maintain laboratory supplies, ingredients, and stocks following Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and safety protocols.
• Support sample preparation, setup for taste panels, and maintain sensory evaluation documentation.

• Work closely with Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Finance, Business Development, Production, and Sales to ensure flavor solutions are safe, compliant, and aligned with customer specifications.
• Communicate test results, observations, and progress clearly and concisely to internal partners.

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field;
  Master’s degree preferred.
• 1–2 years of experience in an R&D laboratory environment.
• Prior internships in a flavor house, food R&D lab, or sensory department are highly valued.
• Experience with scientific experimental design, laboratory data logging, and standard reporting practices.
• No food-related allergies or dietary restrictions that would prevent tasting a broad range of ingredients (including dairy, alcohol, and proteins).

The pay range for this position is $70,100 - $122,000 in Annual Salary. Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity. Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement. This job posting is anticipated to expire on April 30th, 2026.

We may use artificial intelligence tools to support the review and assessment of applications and assist with scheduling interviews. We do not use AI to make decisions during the interview process. All candidate assessments and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment and leadership teams.