People profiles
Some of our employees give you an insight into the opportunities in R&D in Unilever.
Career profile: Yann
"The most satisfying thing about working in Unilever R&D is the diversity of people, both in terms of cultures and backgrounds. I might find myself brainstorming an issue with ten scientists, all experts in different fields – it's fascinating."
Marcia – Global Appraisal & Consumer Technical Insights Manager, Port Sunlight, UK
"Some people think R&D is just about formulating products. But there's also how the product performs – does it really deliver the benefits we think it does, and can we legitimately tell consumers about those benefits, and that it is better than ever and so on? That's what I do."
Andrew – Ice Cream, Colworth UK
"There are two major plus points about working in Unilever R&D. One is the fact that you are given freedom to be adventurous in your research and do what you need to make it work. The other is the fact that you work in highly diverse teams, where you can always learn from others and also make your expertise count in delivering innovation."
Dr Stella - Beverages, Colworth UK
"Throughout my time with Unilever I have been amazed by the spectrum of activities that I have experienced. Working in multidisciplinary teams to drive technology into the marketplace provides thrills and challenges that I could never have anticipated when I made the step out of academia."
Ana – Director of Health and Nutrition, Unilever Latin America, Chile
"I really want to make a vital contribution to our children's nutrition and health."
Dave – Senior Scientist, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
"What I would like to achieve at Unilever is to be part of a team that creates innovative and beneficial products that are successes for us and for our consumers."
Hans – R&D Project Leader, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
"There are brilliant, brilliant scientists here. That's the reason I'm here. There is so much potential."
Irene – Product Development Manager, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
"It was also exciting to discover that the expertise I had gained in laundry could be applied to food research. That kind of research is often about emulsions and interfaces. Whether they’re for washing or for eating, from a scientific perspective doesn’t really matter."
Marti – Manager, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
"The private sector can help public health organisations tremendously by using their research, product development and marketing capabilities. For me, partnerships are not about charity, but rather how to combine our business objectives with our social objectives."
Sergey – Skill-Base Leader, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
"We performed studies, ran experiments and, what's very satisfying for a scientist, published papers. Essentially looking at food-body interactions and bioaccessibility. To me, this is a fascinating area. It's playing in the grey area between food and nutraceuticals."
Miriam - Portfolio Manager, Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
"My criteria for an employer were: a multinational, a job that allows me to go abroad, an international environment and career opportunities. This is what I really like about Unilever. You have a full range of opportunities. And I’m making use of them."
