About the job
Food Impact Partners is exclusively partnered on this search for a Carbohydrates Ingredient Specialist. This is an exciting opportunity to join a newly established and fully funded food-tech start-up as a specialist in carbohydrate ingredient development. Working with amaranth-derived starch streams, you will be responsible for characterising, purifying, and developing functional food ingredients to create value-added products for the food industry.
The successful applicant will focus on transforming prototype starch streams into commercially viable functional ingredients through advanced characterisation, purification techniques, and targeted application development.
Responsibilities:
• Characterise prototype starch streams using advanced analytical techniques to understand molecular structure, functionality, and performance characteristics of amaranth-derived carbohydrates
• Develop and optimise purification processes to increase starch purity and enhance functional properties, working with both established and novel separation techniques
• Design and execute functionality testing protocols to evaluate ingredient performance across key parameters including viscosity, gel strength, thermal stability, and water-binding capacity
• Create targeted food applications that showcase ingredient functionality and commercial potential, working across categories such as bakery, dairy alternatives, sauces, and processed foods
• Develop technical documentation including ingredient specifications, application guides, and performance data sheets for potential clients and commercial partners
• Collaborate with equipment vendors and external testing facilities to access specialized characterization and processing equipment
• Support customer engagement activities by preparing samples, conducting application trials, and presenting technical data to potential clients
• Maintain detailed records of experimental work, ensuring reproducibility and supporting IP development and regulatory submissions
• Stay current with industry trends in functional carbohydrates and clean-label ingredients to identify new opportunities and applications
• Work closely with the CEO and CMO to align ingredient development with overall company strategy and commercial objectives
Requirements:
• MSc/PhD in food science, food technology, carbohydrate chemistry, or related field
• 3-7 years of experience in ingredient development with specific focus on carbohydrates, starches, or functional food ingredients
• Deep technical knowledge of starch chemistry, functionality, and modification techniques
• Hands-on experience with analytical techniques for carbohydrate characterisation (rheology, DSC, RVA, microscopy, chromatography, spectroscopy)
• Understanding of food applications and how ingredient functionality translates to product performance
• Experience with purification and separation techniques such as chromatography, filtration, precipitation, and centrifugation
• Knowledge of food industry regulations and ingredient approval processes
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on complex technical challenges
• Excellent communication skills for presenting technical information to both technical and commercial audiences
• Knowledge of grain processing or protein-starch separation is preferred
This role offers significant opportunity for professional growth within our expanding R&D team, with potential to lead specialised projects and mentor junior team members as the company scales.
If this seems like a fit with your background, we encourage you to apply, if you have any queries please reach out to Anna Heslop at anna@foodimpactpartners.com.
