Junior Group Project Engineer

Job description

Share our taste for life! Want to empower you to achieve this mission with us. We value you as a person and actively support you on your professional journey, while caring about your future. Join our big little family and let’s make products for you and the world to love. Do you share our taste for life? Your role As a Group Project Engineer you are responsible for the end-to-end design, engineering, and execution of “small-scale” capital projects across the Vandemoortele group operations network. This role provides technical leadership on standard projects, ensures alignment with group engineering standards, and supports business objectives related to capacity expansion, efficiency, quality, safety, and sustainability. In this position, you will work closely with operations, quality, maintenance, procurement and HSE departments as well as external engineering partners, and act as a technical authority during project definition, execution, commissioning and start-up. Your key responsibilities Project Design & Engineering You lead the conceptual design, basic engineering, and detailed engineering of food manufacturing projects (process, utilities, infrastructure). You define technical specifications, equipment selection, layouts, PFDs, basic P&IDs and automation concepts in compliance with: Food safety standards (HACCP, BRC, IFS, …) Hygiene design principles (EHEDG, … where applicable) Local and international regulations You standardize engineering solutions and best practices across group sites. You apply the group “Project Management Process” during the project lifecycle Project Execution & Implementation You manage capital projects from feasibility through commissioning and handover. You develop and control project scope, schedule, budget, and risks. You coordinate internal stakeholders and external contractors, suppliers, and engineering partners when needed. You oversee construction, installation, site supervision, and FAT/SAT activities. You collaborate on creating an optimal plan for commissioning, start‑up, and performance verification (including OEE ramp‑up) Stakeholder & Cross‑Functional Collaboration You act as the technical interface between group engineering, plant teams, quality, HSE, procurement, and finance. You support sites during project execution and post‑implementation optimization. You provide technical input for CAPEX planning, business cases, and investment prioritization. Operations, Quality, Safety & Compliance You ensure all projects comply with food safety, hygienic design, HSE, and legal requirements. You initiate and support risk‑assessment sessions (FMEA, HAZOP, hygienic risk analysis, etc.) throughout the project lifecycle. You promote safe construction practices and strong contractor safety performance. Continuous Improvement & Innovation You identify opportunities for process optimization, energy efficiency, digitalization, and sustainability. You benchmark new technologies and drive the adoption of scalable, future‑proof solutions. You support continuous improvement initiatives and operational excellence programs. Team Contribution You actively participate in recurring engineering team meetings. You collaborate on internal or cross‑team initiatives to continuously improve internal engineering and project‑management processes. What’s in for you? You will join our big little family: Our associates are the beating heart of our company – they bring the flavour to our organisation. We cherish each member, prioritising their well-being and supporting their professional journey. We value you as a person: At Vandemoortele we value each one of our associates and recognise their unique contributions to team successes. You will have flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home 50% of the time. We also invite you to join our sports and wellbeing activities! We care for your future and we support your professional journey: We believe in the power of our associates and the value of their actions and support their career aspirations by offering internal mobility and promotional opportunities. We embrace individual ambitions and entrust our associates to take ownership. We make products for you to love: We are a team of passionate food enthusiasts. In our mission to shape a tasty future we strive to create a wide range of food solutions that connects people, cultures and traditions. You can kickstart your day with a delicious croissant fresh out of the oven and enjoy tasty food in our company restaurant. Easy to reach: The site in Izegem is located close to a train station and easy to reach by car. Want to come by bike? Lease a bike at Vandemoortele! Are you the one we're looking for? You hold a master’s degree in engineering and have 3+ years of experience managing greenfield and/or brownfield projects (major line extensions, plant refurbishments, …) You ideally bring experience from the food or beverage industry and are familiar with concepts such as Early Equipment Management (EEM). You have expertise in one or more relevant technical domains, such as food‑processing technologies, hygienic design, utilities (steam, refrigeration, compressed air, CIP, water treatment), automation and process control. You have experience or strong interest in sustainability, energy efficiency, or digital‑manufacturing initiatives. You combine project‑management with solid technical skills You communicate clearly, influence stakeholders effectively You remain flexible & resilient under pressure. You take a structured, analytical approach to problem‑solving and make sound, risk‑based decisions. You are fluent in English; knowledge of Dutch, French, or Italian is an advantage. You are willing and able to travel up to 30% of your time to support projects across Europe and potentially beyond. Join us in making sweet memories! We're looking forward to welcoming you to our delicious journey! Submit your updated CV and compelling cover letter (optional) highlighting your relevant experience and motivation. #ShareOurTasteForLife