Plant Technologist NL

Job description

Beyond Meat, Inc., otherwise known as Beyond The Plant Protein Company™, is a plant protein company offering a portfolio of plant-based products made from simple ingredients without GMOs, no added hormones or antibiotics, and 0mg of cholesterol per serving. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat’s core products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet. The Company’s brand promise, Eat What You Love®, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based protein to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare. Job Description The Plant Technologist strives for maximum production performance and is committed to improving food safety, quality, and efficiency at the Enschede plant and supporting our co-manufacturers. Effective collaboration with colleagues across departments is essential. As Plant Technologist, you are jointly responsible for validating and optimizing production processes in the factories where Beyond Meat manufactures semi-finished and finished products. You identify opportunities for performance and cost improvements and report directly to the Plant & EHS Manager. You lead and support related cost-saving projects. Daily activities include troubleshooting, analyzing performance data, identifying trends and causes of downtime, and finding relationships between discrepancies. You support data-driven problem solving, Root Cause Analyses (RCAs), SOP development, and periodic reporting to track progress. You work closely with the Process Technologist and departments such as Production, Quality, Innovation, R&D, and Engineering to optimize processes and improve efficiency and yield. Ideally, you have strong technical insight and experience with extrusion and packaging processes. TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES: Manage machine recipes, production checks, and OCAPs ; Identify and realize savings opportunities (waste reduction, output increases, process simplification, action matrices, and knowledge sharing) ; Monitor internal processes and implement technological developments to continuously optimize operations ; Automate quality-control tasks, identify relationships between discrepancies, and provide performance insights ; Set up, lead, and execute cross-functional (Kaizen) projects and implement resulting actions ; Perform problem-solving analyses and develop tools to support production ; Act as a sparring partner for Production, QA, R&D, Engineering, and Automation teams ; Promote an open culture where feedback and ideas are encouraged and freely exchanged ; Contribute actively to a safety-first culture by reporting, preventing, and resolving unsafe situations ; Prepare reports on incidents, trials, and disruptions. JOB REQUIREMENTS : EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology or equivalent. KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in a similar role within the food industry ; Knowledge of production processes ; Knowledge of HACCP ; Familiarity with continuous-improvement methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma ; Knowledge of project management ; Experience in a coaching role is an advantage. SKILLS Practical, proactive, results-oriented, and strong problem-solving skills ; Proven ability to communicate and present at all levels of the organization ; Skilled in processing data and analyzing trends ; Able to work independently and as part of a team ; Good command of Dutch and English ; Proficient in Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel. O THER Social, reliable, and punctual, with a strong sense of responsibility toward the company, colleagues, and work ; Positive attitude ; Flexible regarding activities that may occur outside standard working hours. WORK ENVIRONMENT: Office, production environment, warehouse of the Beyond Meat factory in Enschede, and external Beyond Meat production locations in the Netherlands and Germany **Annual salary commensurate with experience** The starting annual base pay for this role is between 45000 EUR and 54000 EUR. The actual base is dependent upon many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. The role may also be eligible for bonus, long-term incentives, as well as benefits. Beyond The Plant Protein Company is an equal employment opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, gender identify, sexual orientation, national origin, liability for military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you are interested in learning the status of your application, please note you will be contacted directly by the appropriate human resources contact person if you are selected for further consideration. Beyond Meat reserves the right to defer or close a vacancy at any time. For all U.S. based roles: Applicants must be authorized to work for a U.S. employer. E-Verify is used to validate employment eligibility. This role is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship at this time.