Fermentation/Enzyme Application Development Specialist

IFF • Cedar Rapids, IA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Are you ready to take your skills to the next level and make a real impact? IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences. We deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products. Health & Biosciences: Channeling our passion for nature and bioscience into sustainable, life-enhancing technologies that power innovative solutions across healthcare, food, consumer and industrial markets. The role is based on Cedar Rapids, IA (On- site role). Be part of a creative, solution-oriented team where together we can achieve greatness and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration. Where You’ll Make a Difference Support the development of yeast and enzyme products for North American fuel ethanol and carbohydrate processing customers. Perform hands-on laboratory work to support product development projects and customer technical requests. Design, execute, interpret, and report experiments at lab and pilot scale to generate meaningful technical insights. Provide day‑to‑day support for laboratory operations, including maintaining equipment and ensuring workflow efficiency. Generate technical data for application development, product evaluation, and customer troubleshooting. Contribute to commercialization activities, including formulation, stability testing, performance evaluation, and marketing content. Support pre-commercial and commercial trials of enzyme and yeast products at customer sites. Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales, Technical Service, R&D, and Marketing teams to understand customer needs and regional process challenges. Prepare and deliver technical presentations to internal stakeholders and customers. What Makes You the Right Fit MSc with 3+ years of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or similar with 6+ years of relevant experience. Hands‑on experience performing biochemical or fermentation experiments at lab and/or pilot scale. Strong understanding of enzyme kinetics, fermentation fundamentals, and bioprocess principles. Experience using analytical techniques such as HPLC, IC, GC, spectrophotometry, viscosity measurements, and biochemical assays. Ability to analyze complex datasets and apply statistical inference to experimental results. Experience using Design of Experiments (DoE) software for experimental design. Strong problem‑solving, critical thinking, and scientific decision‑making abilities. Excellent written and verbal communication skills to support cross‑functional interactions and customer engagement. Highly organized self‑starter with strong attention to detail and ability to work independently and collaboratively. How Would You Stand Out? Experience in industrial biotechnology, dry‑grind fuel ethanol, carbohydrate processing, or brewing. Knowledge of enzymes and yeast used in starch/biomass processing or ethanol fermentation. Experience with project management, process scale‑up/scale‑down, or statistical software such as JMP. Why Choose Us? Work at the intersection of innovation, biotechnology, and sustainability in a global science‑driven organization. Collaborate with expert teams developing world‑changing enzymes and yeast technologies. Engage directly with customers to influence real‑world biofuel and bioprocess performance. Opportunities for professional growth in a highly technical, cross‑functional environment. Competitive compensation, benefits, and development programs. Contribute to sustainable solutions that shape the future of the bio‑based economy. We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability. Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more At IFF, we make joy through science, creativity and heart. As the global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, we deliver groundbreaking, sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products – advancing wellness, delighting the senses and enhancing the human experience. We value an inclusive, creative workplace where all individuals can thrive and do their best work. We consider all qualified candidates equally and based on merit, without regard to religion, ethnicity, national origin, race, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or disability.

Requirements

• MSc with 3+ years of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Biochemistry, Microbiology, or similar with 6+ years of relevant experience.
• Hands‑on experience performing biochemical or fermentation experiments at lab and/or pilot scale.
• Strong understanding of enzyme kinetics, fermentation fundamentals, and bioprocess principles.
• Experience using analytical techniques such as HPLC, IC, GC, spectrophotometry, viscosity measurements, and biochemical assays.
• Ability to analyze complex datasets and apply statistical inference to experimental results.
• Experience using Design of Experiments (DoE) software for experimental design.
• Strong problem‑solving, critical thinking, and scientific decision‑making abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to support cross‑functional interactions and customer engagement.
• Highly organized self‑starter with strong attention to detail and ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in industrial biotechnology, dry‑grind fuel ethanol, carbohydrate processing, or brewing.
• Knowledge of enzymes and yeast used in starch/biomass processing or ethanol fermentation.
• Experience with project management, process scale‑up/scale‑down, or statistical software such as JMP.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of yeast and enzyme products for North American fuel ethanol and carbohydrate processing customers.
• Perform hands-on laboratory work to support product development projects and customer technical requests.
• Design, execute, interpret, and report experiments at lab and pilot scale to generate meaningful technical insights.
• Provide day‑to‑day support for laboratory operations, including maintaining equipment and ensuring workflow efficiency.
• Generate technical data for application development, product evaluation, and customer troubleshooting.
• Contribute to commercialization activities, including formulation, stability testing, performance evaluation, and marketing content.
• Support pre-commercial and commercial trials of enzyme and yeast products at customer sites.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales, Technical Service, R&D, and Marketing teams to understand customer needs and regional process challenges.
• Prepare and deliver technical presentations to internal stakeholders and customers.

Benefits

• Opportunities for professional growth in a highly technical, cross‑functional environment.
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and development programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level