R&D Intern – Professional Spreads and Micro-Structuring

Location: Wageningen, Netherlands Hybrid: 4-5 days per week in the office Start date : September 2026 Duration : 6 months

We are looking for a motivated, curious, and hands-on R&D Intern to contribute to a project focused on emulsifiers, fat blends, product structure, and baking applications. In this role, you will investigate how emulsifiers and fat blends influence product structure and performance in baking applications, with a focus on puff pastry. The project will build on existing knowledge and focus on validating and expanding this information from a kitchen application perspective. You will work on your own project, combining practical testing with structured research. Your work will include developing and implementing a test matrix of emulsifiers and fat blends, evaluating their individual and combined effects on product structure and baking performance. You will gain hands-on experience in the lab, pilot plant, and kitchen environment. During the internship, you will design and execute trials, collect and analyse technical data, interpret your results, document your findings in reports, and present your insights to relevant stakeholders. This internship offers a hands-on opportunity to perform systematic experimental research, build data-driven insights, and contribute to a deeper understanding of ingredient interactions, product structure, and formulation functionality in a real product development environment. You will also take part in the intern challenge, collaborating with other interns on a shared project during your internship. Join us in shaping the future of baking performance and formulation functionality! So, what does it take to be successful in this role? You are currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Food Technology, Chemistry, or a related field at a Dutch or a European University. You are enrolled as a student for the full duration of the internship. You have a strong research background and are interested in building technical knowledge through structured experimentation. You have a solid understanding of food ingredient functionality and food structuring principles. You are familiar with lab equipment and comfortable with hands-on experimental work. You have an affinity for baking applications. You have strong analytical skills and can interpret experimental results and connect them to scientific literature. You are proactive, flexible, a fast learner, and able to think critically.