BAT is evolving at pace into a global multi-category business. Our purpose is to create A Better Tomorrow™ by Building a Smokeless World.
To achieve our ambition, we are looking for colleagues who are ready to join us on this journey! Tomorrow can’t wait, let’s shape it together!
British American Tobacco UK has an exciting opportunity for a Flavourist II in Southampton
What are the key objectives and expectations from this role?
This role applies flavour science, sensory expertise, and data-driven approaches to design and deliver differentiated flavour systems that create competitive advantage within BAT’s product portfolio.
The Flavourist II operates with a strong focus on speed, quality, and consumer preference, delivering flavours that are optimised for specific product platforms and capable of rapid scale-up.
The role is expected to integrate digital tools, supplier innovation, and structured ways of working to accelerate flavour development, improve efficiency, and enable reuse of knowledge and systems.
What is the direct impact of this role on the team or organization?
Contributes directly to BAT’s product success by delivering flavour solutions that:
- Enhance consumer appeal and product superiority
- Enable faster product development cycles
- Build distinctive, proprietary flavour capability
Supports the development of internal capability and contributes to the evolution of flavour development as a data-driven, digitally enabled discipline.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Designs and delivers differentiated flavour solutions aligned with consumer preference, product, and brand requirements
- Develops and optimises flavours for specific product platforms, ensuring technical performance and regulatory compliance
- Owns end-to-end flavour development from concept to scale-up, ensuring robustness, consistency, and manufacturability
- Accelerates delivery through rapid prototyping, test-and-learn approaches, and data-driven decision-making (including digital and AI tools)
- Ensures structured data capture, documentation, and knowledge reuse to support traceability and continuous improvement
- Collaborates cross-functionally and with external partners to deliver high-quality outcomes within tight timelines, balancing speed and risk
- Leads co-creation with external flavour suppliers to leverage innovation and improve differentiation
- Translates consumer insights into sensory targets while protecting and contributing to proprietary flavour IP and supporting capability building within the team
What are we looking for?
- Demonstrated experience in flavour creation and sensory science, including translating consumer insights into flavour design across product categories (e.g., vapour, modern oral, food & beverage), with exposure to relevant regulatory requirements
- Experience working in cross-functional product development environments and collaborating with external flavour suppliers, using digital tools for formulation management, data capture, and project tracking to deliver against defined timelines
- Background in food science, flavours, perfume, or scent-related fields, with a strong foundation in flavour chemistry and science
- Well-developed sensory capability, with the ability to evaluate, optimise, and develop flavours considering product platform constraints and delivery systems
- Strong problem-solving skills, using data-driven thinking and digital tools (including modelling/AI outputs) to make decisions under time pressure
- Proven track record to work in fast-paced environments, managing competing priorities while demonstrating strong project management, organisation, and time management skills
- Effective collaboration across functions and with external partners, with understanding of IP/confidentiality and a focus on continuous improvement and simplification of ways of working
- Degree-level qualification in a relevant scientific field (e.g. chemistry, food science, or related subject area)
What we offer you?
- We offer a market leading annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility)
- Our range of benefits varies by country and includes diverse health plans, initiatives for work-life balance, transportation support, and a flexible holiday plan with additional incentives
- Your journey with us isn't limited by boundaries; it's propelled by your aspirations. Join us at BAT and become a part of an environment that thrives on internal advancement, where your career progression isn't just a statement – it's a reality we're eager to build together. Seize the opportunity and own your development; your next chapter starts here.
- You'll have access to online learning platforms and personalized growth programs to nurture your leadership skills
- We prioritise continuous improvement within a transformative environment, preparing for ongoing changes
WHY JOIN BAT?
We’re one of the few companies named as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute – certified in offering excellent employee conditions.
Collaboration, inclusion and partnership underpin everything we do here at BAT. We are looking forward to enabling every individual to thrive, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, skills, experience, education, socio-economic and professional background, veteran status, perspectives and thinking styles. We know that embracing talent from all backgrounds is what makes us stronger and best prepared to meet our business goals.
We see the career breaks as opportunities not obstacles. Through The Global Returners program, we support professionals looking to restart their careers after an extended absence from the workforce (e.g. time out caring for family, parental leave, national service, sabbatical and/or starting an own venture).
Come bring your difference and see what is possible for you at BAT. Learn more about our culture and our award winning employee experience here.
If you require any reasonable adjustments or accommodations to help you perform at your best during the recruitment process, you are encouraged to notify us. We are fully committed to support you by making appropriate arrangements for you to demonstrate your full potential.
