Plant Science Intern

Date: 17 Sep 2024

Country: Netherlands

Function: Innovation, Quality & Food Safety

Sub-Function: Innovation

ofi is a global leader at the forefront of food & beverage consumer trends. Through its complementary portfolio of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices ofi delivers sustainable, natural, and plant-based ingredients & solutions to its global and diversified customer base. ofi has 20,000+ employees, is in 51 countries and supplies food and raw materials to over 8,000 customers.

One in five chocolate bars produced anywhere in the world use our cocoa beans and products. We supply enough coffee beans to brew over 90 billion cups of coffee and our nuts, spices and dairy products are used in millions of products around the world. But we don’t just source or grow the raw materials for these products: our team of chefs and food scientists are working closely with our customers, sharing our fresh ideas to inspire new concepts. Making it real at every step, from plant to palate.

We’re also driven by our Purpose – ‘Be the change for good food and a healthy future’. By working with ofi, you’ll be helping to create real impact on the ground. Sustainability is built into our business model - from our offices to our farming operations and supply chains, we’re acting across issues as diverse as farmer poverty, deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Role

Are you passionate about Food Chemistry and driven to develop innovative solutions? ofi is looking to recruit a Plant Science Intern at our Koog aan de Zaan location. The Plant Science team is searching for a proactive and motivated student who is eager to learn.
We have an excellent opportunity for one HBO student, who is interested in learning more about the bioactive compounds of cocoa beans and roasting of cocoa. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in laboratory techniques, experimental design and data analysis.

Responsibilities

We are looking for a committed student to support our Plant Science team. We will provide you the opportunity to learn the following skills:

Design and execute experiments in the laboratory to evaluate new analytical approaches
Identify and quantify key chemical constituents that influence product quality
Optimize analytical techniques such as HPLC-FLD-DAD, UV/VIS spectrophotometry, XRF and Near-infrared spectroscopy
Analyze data, interpret results, and provide recommendations to drive process improvements
Develop new strategies to streamline and enhance the analytical methods used within ofi

Requirements

Current enrollment in HBO (Higher Professional Education) program in Chemistry or Food Technology
Full time, 40 hours per week. Able to commit 5 days per week for a 9-month duration.
Strong background in analytical chemistry laboratory techniques
Keen interest and enthusiasm for hands-on laboratory work and scientific exploration
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in an international, cross-functional team environment
Analytical mindset, detail-oriented and organized
Fluent in English, oral and written
Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office suite

What We Offer

A competitive internship allowance
Full ownership of project(s) with high impact on our business
Exposure to a professional and international Innovation environment
Support & mentoring by senior Innovation team

ofi is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, nationality, disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Applicants are requested to complete all required steps in the application process including providing a resume/CV in order to be considered for open roles