Senior Application Scientist

Summary

We are seeking a Flavor Applications Scientist to join our Innovation R&D team and serve as the primary flavor subject matter expert supporting R&D initiatives across a fast-paced innovation pipeline.

This role will partner closely with R&D scientists, cross-functional stakeholders, and external flavor partners to identify, develop, optimize and commercialize flavor solutions that meet product, brand, technical, cost and timeline objectives. The successful candidate will lead flavor strategy and selection from concept through commercialization, providing hands-on application expertise, sensory evaluation, formulation support, and technical guidance throughout the development process.

The ideal candidate brings strong experience in flavor applications, flavor selection, dairy and beverage systems, vendor collaboration, and sensory evaluation, along with a natural curiosity and passion for translating product ideas into successful consumer experiences.

Location: North Brunswick, NJ (on-site); anticipated relocation to NYC 2027

Responsibilities

Flavor Development and Product Support

• Serve as the primary flavor subject matter expert supporting Innovation R&D projects.
• Lead flavor development activities across product innovation projects from concept through commercialization.
• Partner with scientists to translate project briefs into flavor strategies aligned with target sensory profiles, brand positioning, technical requirements and cost objectives
• Evaluate, screen, and recommend flavor systems across a variety of food and beverage applications.
• Conduct bench-top flavor trials and optimize flavor performance within finished product matrices.
• Troubleshoot flavor-related challenges including flavor impact, off-notes, masking requirements, flavor stability and interactions with sweeteners, proteins, cultures, stabilizers and other key ingredients.
• Provide flavor-focused guidance during formulation development to ensure flavor systems perform effectively through processing and shelf-life.

Vendor Management and External Collaboration

• Serve as the primary point of contact for flavor houses and external partners supporting innovation projects.
• Develop clear and effective flavor briefs outlining project objectives, target sensory attributes, formulation context, ingredient restrictions, timing requirements and business needs.
• Manage flavor submissions, coordinate tasting reviews, provide actionable feedback, and drive iterative development towards final flavor selection.
• Build strong strategic relationships with flavor partners to improve responsiveness, creativity and speed to solution.
• Evaluate emerging flavor technologies, ingredients, and external capabilities to identify new opportunities for the business.

Sensory and Technical Evaluation

• Lead and facilitate flavor reviews, sensory evaluations, benchmarking activities, and comparative tastings in finished product systems.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to assess flavor fit, performance, consumer relevance and technical feasibility.
• Maintain clear documentation of flavor submissions, evaluations, key learnings, and final decisions.
• Support the development of internal best practices for flavor evaluation, flavor communication and knowledge sharing.

Commercialization and Cross Functional Partnership

• Lead flavor selection and optimization through pilot, scale-up, and commercialization phases.
• Collaborate with New Product Development, Procurement, Quality, and Regulatory to ensure flavor decisions align with business and commercialization requirements.
• Assess flavor-related risks associated with supply continuity, cost, regulatory compliance and technical feasibility.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of flavor development processes, vendor management practices and innovation ways of working.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Food Engineering or related scientific discipline. Advanced degree preferred.
• 4-7+ years experience in flavor applications, flavor development, or related R&D roles.
• Experience working directly with flavor house and managing flavor development projects from brief through commercialization.
• Strong understanding of flavor functionality within dairy, cultured dairy, beverage, or adjacent categories.
• Hands-on bench formulation experience and comfort working in a laboratory environment.
• Strong sensory evaluation skills with the ability to translate flavor observations into clear technical recommendations for internal stakeholders and vendor partners.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced innovation environment.
• Strong communication and influencing skills with the ability to effectively partner across technical and cross functional teams.
• Ability to travel up to 30% to support vendor visits, pilot and plant trials, cross-site collaboration and other business needs.

About Us

Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, Chobani is a purpose-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and has been since its founding in 2005 byHamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S. The Company manufactures yogurt, oat milk, and creamers - Chobani yogurt is America's No.1 yogurt brand, made with natural ingredients without artificial preservatives. Following the 2023 acquisition of La Colombe, a leading coffee roaster with a shared commitment to quality, craftmanship and impact, the Company began selling cold-pressed espresso and lattes on tap at cafes nationwide, as well as Ready to Drink (RTD) coffee beverages at retail. In 2025, Chobani acquired Daily Harvest, a modern brand offering consumers nutritious, delicious and convenient ready-to-make meals.

Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world - putting humanity first in everything it does. The company's philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to its communities and beyond. Chobani manufactures its products inNew York,Idaho,MichiganandAustralia, and its products are available throughoutNorth Americaand distributed inAustraliaand other select markets.

For more information, please visit or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Chobani is an equal opportunity employer. Chobani will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on any basis including, but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, military and/or veteran status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics and genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws.

The salary range for this full-time position is $94,000.00 - $147,950.00, + bonus + equity + benefits. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Chobani provides a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision coverage, disability insurance, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, and tuition reimbursement. To help save for the future, all employees are eligible for a 401k match of 100% on up to 5% of eligible pay. To support growing families, we provide fertility and childcare assistance, and 12 weeks of parental leave at full pay after six months of continuous employment. In addition, we provide wellness resources which include an employee assistance program, fitness discounts, a wellness reimbursement, on-site gym access (certain locations) and a monthly wellness newsletter to connect you with resources and timely information. We offer various types of paid time of including: 120 hours of paid time off, 11 holidays, and paid volunteer time off.