Flavourist II

BAT is evolving at pace into a global multi-category business. Our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow by Building a Smokeless World. To achieve our ambition, we are looking for colleagues who are ready to join us on this journey! Tomorrow can’t wait, let’s shape it together!

British American Tobacco UK has an exciting opportunity for a Flavourist II in Southampton This is an evergreen requisition, meaning that we do not have a position available for this role at the moment, but you will be contacted as soon as a position becomes available if your application is suitable.

What are the key objectives and expectations from this role?  This role applies flavour science, sensory expertise, and data-driven approaches to develop and deliver differentiated flavour systems that create competitive advantage within BAT’s product portfolio.

The Flavourist II operates with a strong focus on speed, quality, and consumer preference, delivering flavours that are optimised for specific product platforms and capable of rapid scale-up.

The role is expected to integrate digital tools, supplier innovation, and structured ways of working to accelerate flavour development, improve efficiency, and enable reuse of knowledge and systems.

What is the direct impact of this role on the team or organization?

Contributes directly to BAT’s product success by delivering flavour solutions that:

Improve consumer appeal and product superiority

Enable faster product development cycles

Build distinctive, proprietary flavour capability

Supports the development of internal capability and contributes to the evolution of flavour development as a data-driven, digitally enabled field.

Your key responsibilities will include:
Designs and delivers differentiated flavour solutions aligned with consumer preference, product, and brand requirements Develops and optimises flavours for specific product platforms, ensuring technical performance and regulatory compliance Owns end-to-end flavour development from concept to scale-up, ensuring robustness, consistency, and manufacturability Accelerates delivery through rapid prototyping, test-and-learn approaches, and data-driven decision-making (including digital and AI tools) Ensures structured data capture, documentation, and knowledge reuse to support traceability and continuous improvement Collaborates cross-functionally and with external partners to deliver high-quality outcomes within timelines, balancing speed and risk Leads co-creation with external flavour suppliers to leverage innovation and enhance differentiation Translates consumer insights into sensory targets while protecting and contributing to proprietary flavour IP and supporting capability building within the team

What are we looking for?

Demonstrated experience in flavour creation and sensory science, including translating consumer insights into flavour design across product categories (e.g., vapour, modern oral, food & beverage), with exposure to relevant regulatory requirements Experience working in cross-functional product development environments and collaborating with external flavour suppliers, using digital tools for formulation management, data capture, and project tracking to deliver against defined timelines

Background in food science, flavours, perfume, or scent-related subject areas, with a strong foundation in flavour chemistry and science Well-developed sensory capability, with the ability to evaluate, optimise, and develop flavours considering product platform constraints and delivery systems Strong problem-solving skills, using data-driven thinking and digital tools (including modelling/AI outputs) to make decisions under time pressure Proven track record to work in fast-paced environments, managing competing priorities while demonstrating strong project management, organisation, and time management skills Effective collaboration across functions and with external partners, with understanding of IP/confidentiality and a focus on continuous improvement and simplification of ways of working

Degree-level qualification in a relevant scientific field (e.g. chemistry, food science, or related subject area)
What we offer you?

We…