Position Snapshot

Location: Nestlé Research, Lausanne, Switzerland
Institute: Institute of Food Safety & Analytical Sciences
Company: Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
Act. Rate: Full-Time Act. Rate 100%
Type of contract: Permanent contract

Please note that as a first step of the recruitment process, once you have submitted your application, you will be invited to complete a recorded video introduction.

What we offer at Nestlé

Genuine opportunities for career and personal development
Modern “smart office” locations providing agile & collaborative workspaces
Dynamic international working environment
Attractive additional benefits

Position Summary

Nestlé Research is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, employs approximately 1000 people and is comprised of five Nestlé Institutes: Food Sciences, Health Sciences, Food Safety & Analytical Sciences, Packaging Sciences, and Agricultural Sciences. Please have a tour of our facilities using this link or read more about Nestlé Research at our website. Please follow us on Nestlé R&D on LinkedIn.

Learn more about the Institute of Food Safety & Analytical Sciences here: Institute of Food Safety & Analytical Sciences.

We are looking for an Associate Specialist in Vitro Toxicology, to lead the implementation of the Nestlé’s New Approach Methodologies strategy towards a more human centric assessment approach in food safety, providing scientific expertise in in vitro toxicology. You will be focused on providing high-quality, reproducible data and investigating different cell lines, endpoints, and time points to identify hazardous compounds from complex mixtures (food ingredients, packaging) and interpret gathered data to support risk assessment. Bringing together your expertise in toxicology and assay development, you will work closely with our risk assessment team.

We offer a dynamic, inclusive, and international working environment with many opportunities across different companies, functions, and regions. Don’t miss the opportunity to join us and work with different teams in an agile and diverse context.

A Day in the Life of an Associate Specialist in Vitro Toxicology

• Develop, validate, and implement New Approach Methodologies for the safety of Nestlé products.
• Identify new and apply existing cell-culture and microbial-based bioassays relevant for Food Safety such as endocrine activity and genotoxicity/mutagenicity testing.
• Assess quality parameters of our current bioassays and search for improvement (sensitivity, specificity, limit of detection).
• Validate alternative in vitro methods to animal testing (predictive ability and reliability of the methods: sensitivity, specificity, predictivity and accuracy) and derive thresholds below concern.
• Collaborate with external partners and suppliers to optimize Nestlé-specific applications.
• Lead projects and activities related to in vitro toxicology.
• Provide toxicological input for decision-making and prioritization.
• Collaborate with business activities, regulatory entities, and external experts.
• Propose and execute experimental activities in key projects and support the safety-by-design process in R&D.
• Train and coach colleagues and project team members.

What will make you successful

• PhD in toxicology or in vitro toxicology or related life sciences.
• Master in life sciences or equivalent study.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in vitro toxicology, particularly for complex mixtures, including various cell-based methodologies, 3D cell cultures, and in vitro qualification guidelines.
• Familiarity with New Approach Methodologies, effect-based analysis, high throughput omics technologies, and next generation sequencing for hazard characterization analysis.
• Understanding of the effect-based trigger value and extrapolation from in vitro to in vivo situations, with knowledge of food safety assessment concepts being a plus.
• Interest in developing expertise in modern experimental toxicological approaches.
• Strong skills in lab management, communication (both written and oral), teamwork, collaboration, and networking. Ability to teach and coach junior colleagues.
• Experience in contributing to or chairing international expert groups.

At Nestlé, we want to help shape a better and healthier world, inspire people to live healthier lives and deliver impact at a scale and pace that makes a difference. We do this by fostering a diverse, friendly, supportive, and collaborative environment, that creates positive disruption, embraces innovation, and empowers people and teams to win. We aim to hire friendly, respectful, inspiring people who care about the people’s lives that we touch every single day.

Be a force for good. Join Nestlé and visit us on www.nestle.com.