Senior R&D Technologist

Job Description

We have an excellent opportunity available for a Senior R&D Technologist to make a difference in the R&D organization at Kraft Heinz. This role sits within the EMDM Taste Elevation Product R&D and plays a critical role in shaping the future of Sauces and Condiments. You will operate in a high-performing team and international environment, leading complex initiatives and strengthening collaboration across teams and regions. You will report to the EMDM R&D Taste Elevation Product Lead.

This role requires a strong combination of technical leadership, business contribution, stakeholder management, and effective cross-functional collaboration to unlock growth and create value.

What you’ll do

· Contribute to business and category strategy discussions, ensuring R&D priorities, capabilities, and roadmaps support long-term growth ambitions in Sauces / Taste Elevation

· Lead large, technically complex, and strategically important projects through the company process, driving alignment, decision-making, and execution across multiple functions

· Translate consumer, customer, market, and technology insights into business-relevant opportunities that strengthen the portfolio and unlock growth

· Define and drive the R&D roadmap within the area of remit to enable innovation, renovation, productivity, and value creation

· Connect category strategy with technology platforms, capability building, and future-fit enablers to support both immediate delivery and long-term competitiveness

· Coach technologists, strengthening technical capability, collaboration, and execution standards across the broader team

What will make you successful

· Strategic thinking — connects technical decisions to business priorities, growth opportunities, and long-term category direction

· Stakeholder management — builds alignment across functions and guides senior stakeholders through options, trade-offs, and decisions

· Clear and effective communication — simplifies complexity into clear recommendations, implications, and next steps for different audiences

· Cross-functional collaboration and partnership — works effectively across teams, navigates differences constructively and with empathy, and creates alignment around common goals

Qualifications

· MSc (required) in Food Science & Technology (or equivalent in related fields such as Biology, Chemistry, Engineering)

· 6+ years of experience in Product Development in Food industry (expertise in sauces category is preferable)

· Relevant experience working in complex / matrix organization and international environment.

· Ability to deal with complex projects and build effective partnerships with other functions

· Consumer & customer focus.

· Ability to translate science & technology in consumers driven solutions, strategic thinking

· Creative & energetic, flexible & pragmatic, resilient.

· Strong communication skills, influencing and presentation skills.

· Excellent communication in English

Professional Attributes

· Team player

o Fast integration in the team. Build relationships with empathy and respect. Contribute to an engaged, high-performing team. Feel motivated by international environment.

· Ability to Simplify

o Pragmatism and simplification and will be highly appreciated, as your capability to translate complex data into a simple solution with your analytical mindset.

· Multitasking

o Manage multiple assignments concurrently, challenge priorities when needed, and stay resilient and effective in a high-pressure yet rewarding environment

· Technical expertise

o Possesses strong technical and functional expertise, sets high standards for execution through disciplined ways of working, and drives continuous improvement in quality, efficiency, and delivery

· Independent and Influencer

o High degree of autonomy and ownership. Open to give coaching and bring people along the journey.

What we offer you / You deserve

· An ambitious employer; we only want to the best for you;

· A fast career track like only few other companies can match;

· Reimbursement travel expenses;

· Always room for new ideas; if you have an excellent idea, please let us know and we can set it in action!

Location(s)

Nijmegen

 

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes.