Food Science Consultant Job Essential

Engineering Jobs. Essential Jobs

About the role

We are seeking a Food Science Consultant to complement our existing teams in culinary product development team and bio-science / -technology by bringing a more systematic, science-based understanding of our ingredient’s functional and sensory properties. The consultant will help translate underlying biochemical and process drivers into actionable insights for product development and commercial applications.

Read More>>>How Advanced Excel Skills Can Help You Get Promoted and Earn More

Key project areas

• Flavour chemistry analysis: Identify compounds and process steps contributing to both desirable and off-flavours; recommend process or downstream adjustments to reduce off-flavours and create product variants that enhance umami, natural sour fermented tastes, and / or achieve neutral profiles.
• Functional performance mapping: Characterize how the ingredient behaves under different cooking and processing conditions (heat, water, shear, pH, etc.), and how this affects texture, taste, aroma, functionality, and nutritional value.
• Ingredient interaction analysis: Evaluate how our protein product interacts with other compounds and food matrices (e.g., other proteins, starches, lipids), identifying potential effects such as foaming, agglomeration, or phase separation.
• Application suitability: Systematically test and document how different product variants perform in target use cases (e.g., rice, beans, baked goods, porridges, beverages).
• Flavour modulation: Evaluate potential masking agents or flavour pairings that improve sensory acceptability while maintaining a clean label.
• Formulation translation: Develop pathways for adapting the ingredient into new product formats (e.g., protein powders, shakes, dairy products or their vegan alternatives).
• Shelf-life suitability: Assess how formulations and processing choices impact product stability over time and recommend strategies (e.g., drying, blending, packaging, moisture control) to ensure long shelf life for final products (e.g., flours, spice blends, ready-to-cook products, meat and dairy alternatives) within cost- and context-specific constraints (e.g., lack of cold chain access).

Profile

• Industry experience in food science mandatory; experience in fermentation and / or flavour chemistry desirable; understanding of fungal or microbial proteins a strong advantage.
• Experience designing and interpreting structured food functionality and sensory tests.
• Ability to collaborate closely with both the culinary and product development, as well as the technical (science, engineering, ops) teams to translate lab findings into practical recommendations.
• Open to both local (Kenyan) and international experts; preference for those with prior work on mycelium-based or fermented proteins.

Read More>>.Ready For A Job Search Breakthrough? Start With Your CV. 

How to Apply

Interested candidates should send their CV to talent@essentialimpact.org. (Subject: Food Science Consultant)