[ref. f58996522] Food Innovation Intern
About Us:
At Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition, we are making significant advances in food and health with new ideas and innovative technologies. We are seeking candidates with energy and enthusiasm to be part of our growing team throughout North America. As an Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition employee, you are part of a diverse, innovative, and collaborative community committed to enhancing lives through nutrition and health.Our team is committed to providing amino acid-based solutions that create better lives for all.
Overview:
The Food Innovation Team at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America is seeking an organized and scientifically oriented summer intern. This role focuses on contributing to innovation and sustainability in the food ingredient space. During the summer of 2025, the intern will tackle real-life challenges, gain customer exposure, and achieve both personal and team accomplishments.
As an intern, you will be assigned to one or multiple projects, providing an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in food science research and innovation at a global company.
The individual will be responsible for providing technical support to new product development, ingredient innovation, sample preparation, and sensory evaluation across our diverse portfolio of food ingredients and applications. The intern will be in this position for 10 weeks over the summer, starting either late May or late June.This is a paid, in-person internship.
Qualifications:
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Currently pursuing PhD, or an advanced master’s student in Food Science, Food Technology, Agriculture and Biological engineering, or a related field.
- >2-3 years laboratory experience
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Strong background in basic food science principles, food processing, chemistry and research abilities, experimental design, and data analysis.
- Experience with laboratory techniques and equipment used in food science research
- Experience is dehydration processing technologies (Spray, fluid bed, freeze, drum-drying) and powders/evaluation of powder properties is preferable.
- Basic knowledge of sensory evaluation and consumer testing methods is a plus.
- Initiative to work independently. Self-motivated with strong organizational and time management skills.
- Proficient oral and written communication skills
- Comfortable and experienced with Excel, Word, and other general computer applications
Working Conditions / Physical Requirements:
OCCUPATIONAL DEMANDS:
- Must be able to stand for an extended period
- Must be able to lift 30 pounds
- Must be safety oriented
Responsibilities:
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Collaborate with R&D team members to assess process flows, generate proof of concepts, develop new or improve already existing ingredients supporting key future-looking initiatives.
- Evaluate effect of different processing methods on ingredients’ functionalities, including interactions with other ingredients, sensory characteristics, and test performance in finished product applications.
- Provide technical expertise to address ingredient, product, and process-related challenges.
- Conduct shelf-life evaluations. This includes setting up testing protocols, forms, samples, and administering sensory evaluations.
- Analyze data from experiments, trials and shelf-life testing, drawing meaningful insights and providing recommendations for future innovation.
- Participate in brainstorming sessions to identify emerging ingredient trends and new development opportunities within the innovation strategy framework.
- Attend and showcase innovative solutions and ingredients to a global audience at the largest US food trade show, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Food Expo based in Chicago, IL as an Ajinomoto representative.
- Document processes, formulas, ingredients, and results related to production tests, samples and product evaluations consistent with Ajinomoto standard operating procedures.
- Perform all work in accordance with Ajinomoto GMP, Allergen, and Quality Programs and participate in annual training for these programs.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Effectively collaborate with other scientists, culinary, sales, and marketing departments as well as participate in cross functional teams as requested.
Salary Range: $20.60 - $28.85
EEO Statement:
Ajinomoto is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40 or older) or genetic information (including family medical history) for recruitment, hiring, and promotion decisions.