Senior Flavorist (Taste)

About the role

IFF is looking for a Senior Flavorist to join its Creative & Design team in the Dubai offices. The role creates consumer-preferred flavors for food and beverage products, working across Dairy, Sweets and Beverages. It combines scientific expertise with creative innovation, covering flavor chemistry, sensory science and regulatory compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Design and formulate flavors for food and beverage applications, including compounded liquids, spray-dried powders, plated flavors, reaction flavors, emulsions and extracts, using GRAS and FDA-approved materials.
• Create, develop and optimize flavor profiles for beverages, sweet goods and dairy.
• Lead creative development projects from concept through launch, meeting timelines, specifications and quality standards.
• Use analytical data and sensory science to develop, characterize and match flavor materials.
• Develop flavors that meet U.S. and international regulations, including those for alcoholic beverages.
• Work with Applications, R&D, Marketing, Sales and Operations teams, and partner with account managers on customer needs and technical support.
• Mentor and train junior colleagues and collaborate with global innovation teams.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
• 10+ years of hands-on flavor creation and development, across sweet, dairy and beverage categories.
• Fully certified flavor chemist credentials, such as Society of Flavor Chemists certification, or an equivalent recognized qualification.
• Ability to manage multiple customer and internal projects while keeping quality and timelines.
• Strong communication skills and foundational leadership experience mentoring junior professionals.
• An advanced degree (master's or doctorate) is a plus.

Required skills

• Knowledge of food science, chemistry, aroma molecules, natural extracts and flavor manufacturing.
• Ability to identify, characterize, formulate and match flavors using analytical and sensory techniques.
• Working knowledge of U.S. and international flavor regulations.
• Clean label and natural flavor development is a plus.