Senior Research & Development Engineer

Westfalia Fruit Group; Wingene; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation days

Hospitalization

Group insurance

Mobile phone

Meal vouchers 9.5€

Bike leasing

Eco vouchers

Job summary

Westfalia Fruit Group in Wingene, Belgium is seeking a Senior R&D Engineer to drive product and process innovation across our scaling convenience team. You will translate customer needs into technically viable food solutions.

You will lead industrial trials, optimise recipes, validate processes, and collaborate with Quality, Production, Sales and Supply Chain while upholding HACCP and food safety standards.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent higher education qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering or related discipline.
• Several years of relevant experience in food manufacturing with product development and process engineering/production optimization.
• Experience developing food formulations and transferring concepts to industrial production.
• Strong knowledge of food processing technologies, ingredient functionality, food chemistry and microbiology.
• Understanding of production equipment, process validation and manufacturing constraints.
• Experience evaluating packaging materials and compatibility with food products and processes.
• Knowledge of HACCP and food safety systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end development and industrialisation of new food products translating requirements into viable solutions.
• Develop, formulate and optimise recipes balancing ingredients, nutrition, product quality, cost and manufacturing capabilities.
• Plan, coordinate and evaluate laboratory, production and industrial trials scaling concepts to full production.
• Develop, validate and optimise manufacturing processes addressing freezing, thawing and processing conditions.
• Research, develop and validate innovative packaging materials and configurations compatible with products and processes.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across products, processes and packaging to improve efficiency, quality, cost, sustainability and waste reduction.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to support innovation and technical development.
• Manage validation activities including customer samples, sensory evaluations, shelf-life testing and technical specifications.

Skills

Food science expertise

Process engineering

Product development

Packaging technologies

Project management

Quality HACCP

Dutch & English (C1)

Education

Degree in Food Science/Technology/Engineering

Tools

Laboratory equipment

Job description

Come and join the leading #avoexperts

Westfalia Fruit is a leading multinational supplier of fresh fruit and related value-added products to global markets. Through our vertically-integrated supply chain we grow, source, ripen, pack, process and market quality avocadoes & fresh produce – 365 days a year & across the globe.

With the largest avocado-growing footprint in the world, we are recognised as the leading #avoexperts and considered as the supplier of choice to both retail & wholesale customers whom we serve from sales offices in the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America & Southern Africa.

We’re looking for a Senior R&D Engineer to join our team in Wingene, Belgium.

The Senior Research & Development Engineer will drive product and process innovation across Westfalia Fruit within it’s scaling convenience team, combining expertise in food product development, manufacturing processes and packaging technologies.

Responsible for managing projects from initial concept through to commercial production, the role will develop and optimise recipes, processes and packaging solutions, ensuring alignment with customer requirements, food safety standards and operational capabilities.

Working collaboratively across Quality, Production, Sales and Supply Chain, the role will lead industrial trials, process validation and continuous improvement initiatives, identifying opportunities to enhance product quality, manufacturing efficiency, sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the end-to-end development and industrialisation of new food products, translating customer requirements, market trends and commercial opportunities into technically and commercially viable solutions.
• Develop, formulate and optimise recipes, balancing ingredient functionality, nutrition, product quality, cost, raw material utilisation and manufacturing capabilities.
• Plan, coordinate and evaluate laboratory, production and industrial trials, successfully scaling concepts from development through to full commercial production.
• Develop, validate and optimise manufacturing processes, identifying and resolving technical challenges relating to product consistency, processing conditions, freezing and thawing, production performance and product quality.
• Research, develop and validate innovative packaging materials, technologies and configurations, ensuring compatibility with products, manufacturing processes, customer requirements and operational needs.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities across products, processes and packaging to improve efficiency, quality, cost, sustainability and waste reduction.
• Identify, evaluate and collaborate with ingredient, raw material, packaging and technology suppliers to support innovation, alternative sourcing and technical development.
• Manage product and process validation activities, including customer samples, sensory evaluations, shelf-life testing, nutritional analysis, technical specifications and first-production monitoring.
• Maintain accurate and controlled technical documentation and data, including recipes, production instructions, process parameters, packaging specifications, GS1/customer specifications and relevant internal systems.
• Act as a key technical partner across Sales, Marketing, Quality, Production, Supply Chain and Customer Service, providing technical expertise, project updates and practical solutions while supporting food safety, HACCP and quality requirements.

• Degree or equivalent higher education qualification in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Several years of relevant experience within food manufacturing, combining product development with practical exposure to process engineering or production optimisation.
• Demonstrable experience in developing food formulations and successfully transferring new products from concept or laboratory scale into industrial production.
• Strong knowledge of food processing technologies, ingredient functionality, food chemistry and microbiology.
• Practical understanding of production equipment, process validation and manufacturing constraints.
• Experience evaluating packaging materials and their compatibility with food products and manufacturing processes.
• Sound knowledge of food safety, quality management systems and HACCP principles.
• Fluent in both Dutch and English, written and spoken (C1/Native) is essential

We value your efforts, and we show it not only with words but also with actions.

• You work full-time with flexible hours and working from home days.
• The extensive package of extra-legal benefits includes many vacation days, hospitalization and group insurance, a mobile phone, 9.5 euros meal vouchers, bike leasing and eco vouchers.
• You get a versatile job with impact, a lot of independence, and growth opportunities.
• You can take home dips, and many other avocado treats.
• Even outside the workplace, the #guacsquad is a close-knit and fun group. From the annual team building to jogging in the forests of Wingene, playing padel, or the legendary football tournaments. And of course, the fun lunch breaks and after work drinks.

SYROS DNA

• I MAKE IT HAPPEN
• I TAKE OWNERSHIP
• FOCUS TO GET THINGS DONE GOOD AND FAST
• I AM THE CUSTOMER.
• CELEBRATE EVERY SUCCESS, big or small.

Please note that this position does not have a specific closing date. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and the advert may be removed at any time.

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, or veteran, neurodiversity or disability status.