Senior Vice President, Research & Technology

Key Responsibilities

• Define and lead a global innovation strategy that aligns with Symrise’s divisional and corporate growth plans, translating emerging market trends, scientific developments, and customer needs into impactful product and technology innovations
• Oversee the end-to-end product innovation lifecycle, from early research, formulation, and ingredient development to testing, process scale-up, and commercial launch, ensuring quality, safety, and regulatory compliance throughout
• Direct and prioritize a global innovation portfolio, managing project pipelines, budgets, and timelines across regions and scientific domains to deliver on strategic business objectives and ensure cross-functional alignment
• Embed data science and AI into R&D workflows, steering the digital transformation of the function by integrating predictive models, automated systems, and scientific data infrastructure to accelerate product development and enhance technical precision
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams in food technology, chemistry, sensory science, toxicology, and application development, fostering cross-regional collaboration and excellence in scientific practice, pilot-scale production, and process innovation
• Scout, assess, and integrate new raw materials, technologies, and external partnerships, including collaborations with startups, academic institutions, and tech partners, to expand Symrise’s innovation ecosystem and pipeline
• Strengthen technical differentiation across product categories (including culinary, savory, plant-based, sweet, confectionery, bakery, cereals, dairy, and beverages) by guiding the development of proprietary ingredients, flavor systems, and texturization technologies
• Ensure functional integration and collaboration with Global Operations, Marketing, Key Account Management, Sensory & Consumer Insights, and Category Management to drive customer-centric innovation and global best practices
• Represent Symrise externally as a recognized scientific and technical leader in industry associations, research consortia, and innovation forums, shaping the external perception of the company’s scientific leadership
• Build and sustain internal R&D capabilities, nurturing a culture of innovation and accountability while investing in the development of future talent through the Flavor Academy and structured learning and succession planning initiatives

Qualification & Requirements

• Master’s degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Technology, or a related scientific field required; advanced degree (PhD) strongly preferred
• Deep expertise in flavor chemistry, product formulation, food ingredient development, and process engineering
• At least 15 years in innovation, R&D, or product development in the Flavor, Food, or Food Ingredients industry
• At least 10 years in senior R&D leadership roles within multinational, matrixed organizations
• Strong track record in launching new formulations, technologies, and ingredients at global scale
• Strong understanding of food safety, global regulatory frameworks, toxicology, and compliance standards
• Deep insight into the competitive landscape and emerging technology trends across the global Flavor and Ingredients market
• Experience in forming and managing strategic external partnerships at the intersection of food science and AI is advantageous
• Familiarity with intellectual property strategies and patent lifecycle management
• Strong cross-disciplinary collaboration skills across science, tech, and commercial functions
• Strong customer focus and history of co-development with key clients and commercial teams
• Entrepreneurial mindset with commercial orientation and executional drive
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and external representation skills
• Professional fluency in English and German required; additional languages are a plus

Benefits

Become part of our open and transparent culture. It will give you the opportunity to flourish and to develop inspiring experiences that contribute to the health and well-being of consumers in 160 countries around the world. Putting our employees in the focus fuels our strong company growth above market rates and makes us an excellent place to develop your career.