Covance Careers | Food Chemistry Opportunities

Calories = fat(9) + (protein+carbohydrates)(4)

BUT... there is so much more to Nutritional Chemistry & Food Safety @ Covance.

Meet Covance, NCFS (Nutritional Chemistry & Food Safety).
Be part of tomorrow's solution... today.

Covance, NCFS offers:

Wide Range of Work

The work we do at Covance matters!

Food quality, nutrition, and packaging affect nearly every person around the world.

Vitamins<p>Analysis of fat soluble (A,E,D, K, Beta-carotene) and Water Soluble (B vitamins, such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, B6, 12, and Vitamin C) vitamins in foods and supplements. HPLC, HPLC-MS, flourometric tests, and microbiological assays are used.</p>

Lipids<p>Analysis of fat and its components: trans, saturated, unsaturated, Omega 3 and 6, etc, and other oil chemistry tests. GC, titrimetric, and gravimetric (weight based) tests.</p>

Amino Acids<p>Analysis of the building blocks of proteins, including taurine and creatine. Certain foods and protein sources have unique amino acid profiles. Mainly HPLC.</p>

Fiber<p>Analysis of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber (human food) and crude fiber (grains and pet foods). Gravimetric and enzymatic tests, as well as utilization of HPLC and Ion chromatography.</p>

Inorganic<p>Analysis of minerals, elements, like heavy metals, and inorganic compounds such as nitrates. ICP, ICP-MS, Flame AA are common instruments.</p>

Contaminants<p>Analysis of pesticides and contaminants like BPA that can occur in ingredients and food packaging. HPLC, GC, GC-MS are used.</p>

Bacteriology<p>Analytical microbiology, testing for the presence/absence or level of pathogens, toxins, and probiotics (good bacteria, such as yogurt). Bacti techniques such as plate counts are used.</p>

Proximates<p>The crude components of food, protein, moisture, ash (mineral), fat, and carbohydrate. These are tested to determine calories by calculation. Gravimetric and potentiometric tests.</p>

Sugars<p>Analysis of simple sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, galactose, lactose) as well as complex sugar alchohols and artificial sweeteners in foods, soft drinks, and supplements. HPLC and GC.</p>

Method Development<p>A team of experienced chemists who create and re-engineer analytical tests to provide cutting edge methodology to our clients as they research their products and new formulations. HPLC, UPLC, HPLC-MS-MS, GC-MS-MS.</p>

Fast-paced work environment

The industry we serve
We do work for most of the "Top 100" food companies, as well as many ingredient manufacturers, infant formula and pet food companies.

We generate a lot of data
Largest independent laboratory in the US, with more state-of-the-art instruments and scientific professionals than any other research laboratory.

Be a part of cutting-edge research
We have developed more than 40 new test methods in the past three years!

Diverse and interesting team members

Food Chemistry Analyst/Sugars

What do you do in NCFS?
I extract sugars from different food sources to be analyzed using GC and HPLC instrumentation.

Tell us about your typical day.
My typical day includes checking e-mails, utilizing instrumentation to analyze samples, and sample extraction. I also calculate results for samples that are due the following day. I often multi-task to make effective use my time. As you would expect in science/research, not everything will run smoothly, so it is my responsibility to troubleshoot and address problems as they arise.

Share some of your interests outside of the lab.
Some of my interests include: watching movies, trying new foods/places to eat, reading, visiting home to see family and friends, and going to the farmer's market in the summer.

Food Chemistry Analyst/Lipids

What do you do in NCFS?
I started working here about five years ago in fibers analysis, while I was completing classes for my Biotechnology Laboratory Technician Associate's Degree. Later, my weekend work schedule was great for going back to obtain a Bachelor's degree, so that's what I did (and Covance has tuition reimbursement!). After a few years in fibers, I moved to the sugars analysis group, where I was able to work with GC and HPLC's. After graduating, I moved to second shift in the lipids group, where I spend most of my time in the lab working on a variety of assays. It has been great getting to work in different groups and learn new things. I have had great supervisors and coworkers, and Covance has outstanding benefits!

Tell us about your typical day.
In lipids there are so many different assays I usually don't do the same thing every day. Some days I follow a method for methylating samples, so they can be injected onto a GC and later analyzed for the percentage of different types of lipids present (saturated, unsaturated, trans fatty acids). Some days, I extract fat from samples, which is then titrated to get a peroxide value (which gives information about sample rancidity). I enjoy working in the lab rather than at a desk all day, and I like learning about the chemistry behind the work I am doing.

Share some of your interests outside of the lab.
Outside of work I enjoy mountain biking and snowboarding.

Research Associate/Method Development

What do you do in NCFS?
I am part of the technical development group. My focus is to research and develop new analytical methods for our clients or our internal needs. I work on projects for weeks or months at a time, and consistently have the opportunity to work on new projects, which offer new challenges every day. Along with developing new methods, I also work in developing new chemists. I teach and train fellow colleagues the fundamentals of good lab technique and how to maintaining the equipment we use. My job is extremely rewarding both personally and professionally, and I know my work makes a difference!

Tell us about your typical day.
During a typical day I come in and calculate/quantitate the experiments I ran the day before. I then take those numbers and plan my experiments for that day. After the plan is set I put on my lab coat and glasses and head into the laboratory to execute the plan. It might consist of extracting samples with organic solvents, it might be using enzymes to break apart proteins, it might be using instruments to break apart molecules. Each day is truly unique and offers different challenges.

Share some of your interests outside of the lab.
My main interests revolve around my family. Both my daughters are in gymnastics, which keeps my wife and I quite busy. I am also an avid golfer and fisherman in the summer and in the winter, I enjoy getting out on the snowmobile trails.

Food Chemistry

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