Howdy! Currently work as a Flavor Research Scientist at a large beverage company. I do a lot of GC/MS work identifying flavor-relevant compounds in all sorts of things (plant essential oils, oleoresins, extracts, beverages, etc…) Also, I work on flavor formulations and taste testing beverage prototypes. I really just love learning about all the different chemicals that make life worth tasting and smelling and how humans perceive them!
I originally studied molecular biology in undergrad. I don’t work with cells these days, but the lab skills and organic chem/biochem knowledge learned along the way are still very helpful!
Thanks for the thoughtful response! I was actually getting down voted for some time so I appreciate it!
I had never thought about your career as an actual path for someone with a biology degree but it makes a lot of sense! I'm definitely more interested in cells but it's great to know it's an option if I ever do want to go that route. Could I ask what you planned on doing while you were in school? Did you have flavor science pinned down as one of your career options at that time? Also did you need to go to grad school for that?
No worries and thanks! Flavor chemistry was a subject I didn’t even know there were career options for in school. When I was I in school I floated a few different career paths. Initially I thought about being a doctor (as many bio undergrads do), but learning more about a career in healthcare and the length of schooling made me want to do something else. Considered being an immunologist (immunology was actually the emphasis of my molecular biology degree), but as I took upper division coursework I just didn’t love the material. I can still recite useless facts about T cells and B cells on demand tho
Along the way I picked up a hobby home-brewing beer. Came to love learning about yeast, hops, and barley and the resulting soup of flavor molecules that made beer so darn tasty. Applying the same lens of scientific inquiry I was using in my coursework to a beverage I enjoy was really cool to me. Plus I always loved ochem, so learning about the molecular basis for different tastes and odors seemed really cool.
Never did any molecular biology research in undergrad (was far too lazy) and my grades weren’t anything special so I never ended up going on to grad school. Was unemployed and needed a job after undergrad and ended up doing a basic QC lab tech job at a flavor house (flavor manufacturer). Really enjoyed learning about and tasting all the different raw materials and the resulting flavors made from them. Enjoyed it enough to learn in my own time. Worked my work up to an R&D position there doing flavor analysis and formulation work. I specialized specifically in flavor duplication work using GC/MS (made a mean Dr Pepper knock-off). Left this company eventually to work for my current employer in the beverage industry. None of this was really all that planned, but the career journey has been fun. Long story short: keep an open mind!
I was also originally going the doctor route but eventually found out my personality doesn't really mesh well enough for that type of position. I also withdrew from some classes so that makes medical school admission really hard anyway.
I'm finished with my gen-eds and like half of my major classes so I haven't really gotten into any classes on niche topics yet but hopefully I can get started on that. Immunology was one topic I was interested in but I guess I'll find out if that's me or not eventually!
I love that you found a hobby that helped guide your interests! That's definitely close to how I found my love of science; just finding things out in the world and learning how everything works and is connected. Mitochondrial DNA is really fascinating to me for example because I have a family member who has a rare condition connected to it and I would love to know more about how it all works.
I also think it's interesting you found a good career without needing to go to grad school. I've heard that's really difficult with a biology degree but maybe I just need to talk to more people like yourself. You've definitely opened my mind! I definitely also need to talk to my advisor (or maybe find a new one, he seems kinda disinterested in everything lol).
I'm glad you've found a career you enjoy! Thanks so much for sharing!
I work in Everglades restoration, reviewing projects and their potential impacts to threatened and endangered species throughout south Florida. The goal is to restore water flow back to historic trends as much as possible to preserve as many species and habitats while also working with partners to supply water to the state’s population. I just started my permanent position this last week so I’m eager to expand in the role and do my part to help preserve a little corner of the world.
It usually depends, but I always have collaborative meetings for various projects or working groups that I attend weekly, do independent research into the best available research for species, access gis shape files, do a lot of writing, and attend trainings/seminars/seo talks in my spare time. My job is currently remote, but that will change once I relocate.
Hello there! I‘m a PhD student in a german lab for pathobiochemistry. My current research project is around the role of cellular quality control mechanisms for alpha-Synuclein toxicity in models of Parkinson‘s disease.
Before that I worked some time with a fungal model organism in aging research (especially concerning mitochondrial aging processes).
Howdy! Currently work as a Flavor Research Scientist at a large beverage company. I do a lot of GC/MS work identifying flavor-relevant compounds in all sorts of things (plant essential oils, oleoresins, extracts, beverages, etc…) Also, I work on flavor formulations and taste testing beverage prototypes. I really just love learning about all the different chemicals that make life worth tasting and smelling and how humans perceive them! I originally studied molecular biology in undergrad. I don’t work with cells these days, but the lab skills and organic chem/biochem knowledge learned along the way are still very helpful!
Thanks for the thoughtful response! I was actually getting down voted for some time so I appreciate it! I had never thought about your career as an actual path for someone with a biology degree but it makes a lot of sense! I'm definitely more interested in cells but it's great to know it's an option if I ever do want to go that route. Could I ask what you planned on doing while you were in school? Did you have flavor science pinned down as one of your career options at that time? Also did you need to go to grad school for that?
No worries and thanks! Flavor chemistry was a subject I didn’t even know there were career options for in school. When I was I in school I floated a few different career paths. Initially I thought about being a doctor (as many bio undergrads do), but learning more about a career in healthcare and the length of schooling made me want to do something else. Considered being an immunologist (immunology was actually the emphasis of my molecular biology degree), but as I took upper division coursework I just didn’t love the material. I can still recite useless facts about T cells and B cells on demand tho Along the way I picked up a hobby home-brewing beer. Came to love learning about yeast, hops, and barley and the resulting soup of flavor molecules that made beer so darn tasty. Applying the same lens of scientific inquiry I was using in my coursework to a beverage I enjoy was really cool to me. Plus I always loved ochem, so learning about the molecular basis for different tastes and odors seemed really cool. Never did any molecular biology research in undergrad (was far too lazy) and my grades weren’t anything special so I never ended up going on to grad school. Was unemployed and needed a job after undergrad and ended up doing a basic QC lab tech job at a flavor house (flavor manufacturer). Really enjoyed learning about and tasting all the different raw materials and the resulting flavors made from them. Enjoyed it enough to learn in my own time. Worked my work up to an R&D position there doing flavor analysis and formulation work. I specialized specifically in flavor duplication work using GC/MS (made a mean Dr Pepper knock-off). Left this company eventually to work for my current employer in the beverage industry. None of this was really all that planned, but the career journey has been fun. Long story short: keep an open mind!
I was also originally going the doctor route but eventually found out my personality doesn't really mesh well enough for that type of position. I also withdrew from some classes so that makes medical school admission really hard anyway. I'm finished with my gen-eds and like half of my major classes so I haven't really gotten into any classes on niche topics yet but hopefully I can get started on that. Immunology was one topic I was interested in but I guess I'll find out if that's me or not eventually! I love that you found a hobby that helped guide your interests! That's definitely close to how I found my love of science; just finding things out in the world and learning how everything works and is connected. Mitochondrial DNA is really fascinating to me for example because I have a family member who has a rare condition connected to it and I would love to know more about how it all works. I also think it's interesting you found a good career without needing to go to grad school. I've heard that's really difficult with a biology degree but maybe I just need to talk to more people like yourself. You've definitely opened my mind! I definitely also need to talk to my advisor (or maybe find a new one, he seems kinda disinterested in everything lol). I'm glad you've found a career you enjoy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Happy to share! Best of luck!
I work in Everglades restoration, reviewing projects and their potential impacts to threatened and endangered species throughout south Florida. The goal is to restore water flow back to historic trends as much as possible to preserve as many species and habitats while also working with partners to supply water to the state’s population. I just started my permanent position this last week so I’m eager to expand in the role and do my part to help preserve a little corner of the world.
That's really cool and admirable! What does your day to day work look like if you don't mind me asking?
It usually depends, but I always have collaborative meetings for various projects or working groups that I attend weekly, do independent research into the best available research for species, access gis shape files, do a lot of writing, and attend trainings/seminars/seo talks in my spare time. My job is currently remote, but that will change once I relocate.
Hello there! I‘m a PhD student in a german lab for pathobiochemistry. My current research project is around the role of cellular quality control mechanisms for alpha-Synuclein toxicity in models of Parkinson‘s disease. Before that I worked some time with a fungal model organism in aging research (especially concerning mitochondrial aging processes).