Senior Application Scientist - Meat & Prepared Food

Interested in a career that matters?

At Novonesis, we develop innovative biosolutions that help the food industry produce safe, high‑quality and sustainable products.  Our Applied R&D Meat & Prepared Food (M&PF) department is looking for a committed and skilled Senior Application Scientist with a strong passion for food, fermentation and microbiology.  In this role, you will work at the interface between customers, sales, production, and global R&D, translating science into practical solutions that create real value. You will collaborate closely with local sales teams and production & process management, as well as Applied R&D colleagues mainly based in Europe, to deliver Novonesis solutions and provide dedicated field technical service.

The Role & Your Impact

This is a highly applied, customer‑facing scientific role with a strong focus on innovation and technical partnership. You will play a key role in supporting growth within the meat and prepared food segment by delivering robust, science‑based solutions to customers.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and supporting application and innovation projects from experimental design through trials, data interpretation and stakeholder communication.
• Driving a strong new product development (NPD) pipeline by developing innovative, customer‑driven application concepts.
• Acting as a trusted technical partner for customers, translating needs into value‑adding solutions and business opportunities.
• Supporting local sales teams during plant and field trials as well as strategic customer engagements.
• Contributing to knowledge sharing and capability building through customer innovation days, trainings and internal knowledge exchange.
• Performing analyses and contribute to continuous improvement of laboratory setups and processes.

What You’ll Need to Be Successful

To succeed in this role, you bring a strong scientific foundation combined with hands‑on industrial experience and a pronounced customer mindset.

Must‑have qualifications and experience:

• MSc or PhD in Food Microbiology (preferred), Food Science, or a closely related scientific discipline.
• More than 10 years of experience within the meat and/or food industry, from production, applied R&D, or technical services.
• Strong hands‑on experimental experience, including plant or factory trials, challenge tests, fermentation work and microbiological analyses.
• Proven ability to translate scientific results into practical, industrial solutions, with a very strong applied and customer‑centric mindset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; German language skills are a strong advantage.
• Ability to engage confidently with multiple stakeholders, including customers, academics, food authorities and internal teams across cultures.
• A curious, self‑driven mindset and strong collaboration skills.

Additional Skills & Interests We Value

While not required, the following experience would be considered an advantage:

• Bioinformatics skills.
• Experience working in international or cross‑regional R&D environments.
• Prior exposure to regulatory or food authority interactions related to meat or fermented food products.

What We Offer

At Novonesis, you will be part of a purpose‑driven organization where science, collaboration and innovation go hand in hand.

We offer:

• The opportunity to work with leading biosolutions in a highly applied and customer‑focused role.
• Close collaboration with global experts across R&D, sales and operations.
• Strong focus on professional development, learning and knowledge sharing.
• A collaborative, inclusive culture where your expertise and ideas make a real impact.

Ways of Working / Working Conditions

This role is based in Milwaukee, USA, with close collaboration across Europe and the US.The position includes up to 30% travel to customer sites, production facilities and internal stakeholders across Europe and the United States. 

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary:  $100,000-$110,000 base on experience
• 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution 
• Minimum of 3 weeks of vacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time 
• Health, Dental, Vision & Life insurance  
• Healthcare savings accountoption
• Employee assistance program 
• Parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement 
• All benefits begin on your first day

Relevant information

Application deadline: 6/12/26

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Explore other openings

If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career