This opportunity is located within our AFB International business, the global science and technology leader in pet food palatability. We develop and produce a full range of liquid and dry palatability enhancers using high-quality ingredients proven to optimize companion animal response and consumption. Click here (http://afbinternational.com/about/) to learn more. Job Description Overview/Objective As a member of the Research and Development (R&D) Flavor & Data SciencesTeam, your objective will be to generate knowledge and develop technologies that enhance taste and mouthfeel in our palatants. As a Taste & Mouthfeel specialized scientist, you will play a key role in exploring taste enhancers (such as peptides, nucleotides, and organic acids) and advancing mouthfeel modulation technologies (e.g., lipid systems, emulsions, encapsulation, hydrocolloids). You will be responsible for conducting research, identifying and developing new processes, and correlating mouthfeel properties with palatability outcomes. By leveraging your expertise in flavor chemistry, food physics, and fat-based taste enhancement, you will help drive innovation in palatants design and contribute to our mission of providing pets with highly palatable and enjoyable food experiences. Responsibilities + Conduct research to explore and apply taste enhancers (peptides, nucleotides, amino acids, organic acids) in palatants development. + Investigate and develop mouthfeel modulation technologies (lipid structuring, emulsions, encapsulation, hydrocolloids). + Design and execute experiments to study how processing methods (enzymatic hydrolysis, Maillard reaction,, spray drying) impact taste and mouthfeel. + Develop strategies to use fats and oils as enhancers of both taste and oral texture. + Correlate physicochemical and rheological properties (viscosity, lubrication, coating) with palatability outcomes in pets. + Utilize advanced analytical and sensory tools (rheology , texture analysis, particle size distribution, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry) to characterize palatants. + Collaborate with product and process sciences team to integrate mouthfeel insights into product innovation. + Scout and evaluate new ingredients, processes, and technologies from suppliers, academia, and the broader food industry that can enhance taste and mouthfeel. + Generate comprehensive reports, data interpretations, and presentations to communicate findings and guide product development. + Contribute to building internal expertise and knowledge leadership in food physics, rheology, and mouthfeel science for pet food palatants. Qualifications and Requirements: + MSc or PhD in Food Science, Food Physics, Rheology, Food Colloids, Sensory Science, or Flavor Chemistry (or related field). + Proven expertise in food physics and rheology, with strong understanding of flow, viscosity, lubrication, and textural properties. + Knowledge of lipid systems and fats as carriers of taste and modulators of mouthfeel. + Familiarity with palatability drivers in pet food and ability to correlate physicochemical properties with animal response. + Experience designing and conducting research projects and translating scientific findings into product innovation. + Strong analytical mindset with ability to generate insights from experimental data. + Collaborative, innovative, and comfortable working in cross-functional R&D environments. + Excellent communication skills in both technical and applied contexts. Technical Skills: + Rheology & Food Physics: Rheometers, texture analyzers, and lubrication science techniques. + Colloid & Lipid Science: Emulsion design, fat structuring, hydrocolloid and protein–polysaccharide systems. + Data Analysis: Experimental design, statistical analysis, and interpretation of multi-parameter datasets. + Innovation Scouting: Ability to identify and adapt cutting-edge technologies from human food and other industries to the pet food context. AFB International is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status. Ensign-Bickford Industries, (http://e-bind.com) (EBI), founded in 1836, is a privately-owned high technology conglomerate that participates in businesses that are relevant to the future of the world and have multigenerational growth prospects. As One EBI, we innovate in science and technology for the safety, health, and well-being of society, creating exceptional long-term value. Watch the video above to learn more about some of the incredible challenges we take on every day to deliver the best product for our customers, and ultimately the world. Ensign-Bickford Industries (EBI) is a global science and technology organization with unparalleled leadership positions in attractive industries and markets. We are EBI, positioned to take on some of the world's most complex technological and scientific challenges in diagnostics, pet food science, and aerospace and defense. Click here to learn about our Core Values (https://ensign-bickfordind.com/ebi-core-values/) We conduct business in a manner that reflects the highest human and ethical standards. With that commitment to mutually beneficial partnerships and a belief in the efficacy of genuine economic and social service, this cornerstone is the foundation of who we are as a company and our winning vision. AFB International (http://www.ensign-bickfordind.com/subsidiaries/afb-international/) + AFB is the leader in pet food flavor enhancers. Ensuring product performance for pet food manufacturers—and their customers—is our business. ⠀ Cawood (https://cawood.co.uk/) + Cawood is the UK’s leading scientific group, recognized for its technical capability and value-added service to customers in land-based industries. ⠀ Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (http://www.ensign-bickfordind.com/subsidiaries/ensign-bickford-aerospace-defense/) + EBAD is a global leader in precision energetic systems and other innovative explosives, non-explosive and electromechanical solutions for the defense and aerospace markets. ⠀ EnviroLogix (http://www.ensign-bickfordind.com/subsidiaries/envirologix-inc/) + EnviroLogix is an industry leader in the development and manufacturing of tests for the rapid detection of GMOs and mycotoxins throughout the worldwide food production chain.