Position Snapshot

Location: Konolfingen, Switzerland
Company: Nestlé Product & Technology Center (NPTC) Nutrition
Act. Rate: Full-Time
Type of contact: Temporary contract, Internship, 9-12 months
Start date: January 2025


What we offer at Nestlé


International, diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment : Read more about our Nestlé Community
Opportunities to have an impact and contribute to your team’s success!
Endless learning opportunities and enriching experiences!
Strong mentorship for your professional growth
Professional network and route to entry level position


Position Summary


We at Nestlé Research & Development in Konolfingen near Bern / Switzerland develop for Nestlé worldwide new products, processes, and packaging concepts in the areas of Dairy and Nutrition.


As a Food Safety Microbiology Intern, you will be spearheading the effort to develop novel process technologies, and to drive Data-driven Insights, by connecting multiple sources of information, cleaning, analyzing and structuring them into business-relevant recommendations that drives future Innovation strategy. In your role, you will be leading your own project, partnering with internal technical and commercial function, and, external partners, based across the globe.


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 a Food Safety Microbiology Intern


Develop and conduct laboratory and pilot plant qualification and validation trials for liquid decontamination technology

• Develop Do E and perform challenge tests with Enterococcus faecium in laboratory and pilot plant, and MS2 phage testing in the laboratory.
• Qualification testing will require working with pathogen and surrogate strains
• Organise and accompany treatment tests in the pilot plant to prove the laboratory concept
• Computer analysis of the data received from challenge studies to develop predictive inactivation models

Evaluate novel environmental monitoring technologies associated with microbiological and data sampling, and management software.

• Develop Do E and analytical protocol and perform pilot trials of automated microbiological sampling equipment.
• Assess and test movement tracking and analysis concepts within manufacturing environments.
• Conduct a pilot trial of environmental monitoring management software, supporting implementation and assessment.

Assessment and validation of aseptic fillers during development trials in the pilot plant

• Define and implement procedures to test sterility, using media fill trials and challenge studies.
• Provide data analysis and assistance in root cause analysis, and design improvement opportunities.

What will make you successful

• Master’s student and / or post-graduate experience in Food Microbiology, Food safety or related field
• Microbiological laboratory experience acquired in corporate or academic environment
• Established experience and interest in quantitative microbiology and modelling concepts
• Experience or strong interest in working with dairy products
• Good communication skills
• Computing and IT skills in Excel and databasing, and Power BI a bonus
• Fluent in English, any other language is a plus

Nestlé is committed to the accessibility of its recruitment process. If you require an adaptation during the recruitment process, please do let us know so we can support you effectively. All information will be treated confidentially.

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.