Product Design & Development Manager

About The Job

Utrecht / Hybrid

Are you passionate about early life nutrition, consumer‑centric product design, and bringing science to life through innovative liquid formulations? Are you an experienced liquid product developer with a strong background in specialized nutrition and R&D? We have an exciting opportunity for a Product Design & Development Manager to join our Specialized Nutrition R&I (SN R&I) division, within the Early Life Nutrition Category – IFFO Liquid Team.

Our team’s mission

Our team designs and delivers high‑quality, scientifically robust and consumer‑relevant Infant Formula and Follow‑On (IFFO) liquid products that support category growth and reflect our commitment to nutrition, health, safety, and excellence.

Key priorities include

• Designing consumer‑centric liquid IFFO products aligned with category mission and growth.
• Ensuring robust, right‑by‑design formulation and development processes.
• Securing strong cross‑functional collaboration and execution excellence.
• Guaranteeing quality, safety, qualification, and validation of new formulations.
• Embedding scientific, regulatory, and cost/value considerations into product design.
  
  

In your role as Product Design & Development Manager, being part of the IFFO Liquid Team within SN R&I, your key responsibilities are

• Leading the design and development of liquid IFFO products through close cross‑functional collaboration.
• Acting as the SN R&I voice and technological lead in project teams.
• Securing quality, consistency, and robustness in formulation qualification and validation.
• Ensuring formulations follow right‑by‑design principles, with appropriate risk mitigation.
• Maintaining accurate and compliant documentation in line with SN R&I processes.
  
  

Meet your future manager! You will report to Arnaud LYOTHIER, Product Design & Development Team Leader.

About You

You are an experienced liquid product developer with an innovative mindset, strong attention to detail, and a passion for creating meaningful impact in Early Life Nutrition. You thrive in cross‑functional environments and build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

You also bring

• An MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Food Technology, Bioprocessing, Nutrition Science, or a similar field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in Product Development or R&D within Liquid Specialized Nutrition.
• Strong technological background and proficiency with product design and development tools.
• Solid understanding of quality, food safety, qualification, and validation processes.
• Ability to execute projects autonomously while seeking support when needed.
• Critical thinking, problem‑solving skills, and a result‑driven mindset.
• Comfort working in an international, dynamic, and multidisciplinary organization.
• A collaborative, team‑player approach with strong communication skills.
  
  

About us

At Danone we are committed to our mission “bringing health, through food to as many people as possible”. We are working together to make sure that our brands, like Nutricia and Nutrilon, create real benefits for people, communities and the planet. You will be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world. Being B Corp means to be part of a select movement of companies verified to be meeting the highest standards of social and environmental criteria and using business as a force for good. One Planet. One Health.

Our state-of-the-art research and innovation center builds bridges between food and science and is global in reach, founded on over 125 years of experience in life & food science, technology and user experience and is at the forefront of pioneering advances in specialized nutrition.

We offer

All Danoners receive a complete package of benefits. This includes a competitive salary and yearly bonus, a premium free pension, 30 days of annual leave (with the opportunity to purchase more) and you will receive a monthly health care allowance. In addition, you can get discount on your gym membership, and we offer initiatives focused on nutrition, physical, and mental health. We provide continuous learning opportunities through workshops, online courses and training sessions.

We put people at the center of everything we do. Bring your unique perspective, ambitions and ideas to the table – the impact you could make might surprise you. We are committed to embrace diversity, nurturing an inclusive workplace where every individual is valued; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is deeply embedded in Danone's DNA.

What's Next

It’s simple – hit the “apply” button before the application deadline of 14-04-2026. In order to comply with GDPR we can’t process your personal data without your given consent, so please apply directly via this website. Good luck! We can’t wait to meet you.

Need more information? Please contact Camila Grosso, Talent Manager, via [email protected]

• All applications will be considered for a vacancy without discrimination based on ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.