Pilot Line Operator

Nopalm Ingredients; Wageningen; On-site; EUR 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

NoPalm Ingredients in Wageningen, Netherlands, is seeking an experienced Pilot Line Operator for hands-on daily operation of our pilot line. You will run upstream and downstream pilot activities, manage media prep, sterilization, inoculation, fermentation monitoring, harvest and DSP steps, and maintain traceable batch records.

The role is on-site and involves a mix of routine runs and process improvements; you will work with Supervisor, R&D and process engineering to test changes and standardize

Qualifications

• Experience operating pilot lines and bioreactors in biotech or food biotech settings.
• Ability to monitor fermentation and DSP processes and interpret data.
• Strong record-keeping for batch records, logs and QA/audit trails.
• Familiarity with EH&S standards and SOPs.

Responsibilities

• Execute pilot runs in batch and continuous modes: media prep, sterilization, inoculation, fermentation monitoring and harvest.
• Operate DSP equipment for solid-liquid separation and extraction; perform in-process QC sampling.
• Maintain instrument readiness, calibrate sensors, and troubleshoot equipment as needed.
• Document results accurately; keep logs, cleaning records and batch traceability.

Skills

Bioreactor operation

Process monitoring

SIP/sterilization

Documentation

Troubleshooting

Tools

SIP equipment

Calibration tools

Job description

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on

Pilot Line Operator to join our team!

About us

NoPalm Ingredients produces yeast oils & fats, made from agri-food waste streams that are perfect substitutes to palm and other vegetable oils in food, cosmetics, and home care products. Our products offer a two-sided solution that reduces both the use of palm oil and food waste.

Founded in 2021, NoPalm Ingredients is on a mission to challenge companies and product manufacturers to implement our local, circular, and sustainable oils as an alternative to palm oil.

By upcycling agri-food side streams into circular yeast oils, we are making a worldwide environmental impact, contributing to a waste-free world, decarbonizing the entire value chain with 90% less greenhouse gas emissions, and limiting the impact on natural habitats as we reduce land-use by 99%.

About the role

As Pilot Line Operator, you run NoPalm’s pilot line day to day. Reporting to the Pilot Line Supervisor, you execute upstream (USP) and downstream (DSP) pilot activities at our facility: media preparation, sterilization, inoculation, fermentation monitoring, harvest, and the separation and extraction steps that follow. You work to clear standard procedures and keep the records that make every run traceable.

The work is a combination of routine and improvement. A large part of the week follows a fixed rhythm of runs, cleaning, calibration and documentation, executed precisely and the same way every time. The rest is development: the process is still young, and you are expected to notice what does not work, propose changes, and help test and standardize them together with the Supervisor, R&D and process engineering.

This is a hands-on, on-site role. The pilot line cannot be operated remotely, so the position is full-time at our facility and working from home is not possible.

The main focus of the role

• Fermentation & DSP execution
  • Prepare and execute pilot runs in batch and continuous mode: media prep, sterilization/SIP, inoculation, monitoring and harvest.
  • Operate bioreactors, following set points and feed strategies for DO, pH, temperature and agitation, and respond to deviations during the run.
  • Operate DSP equipment such as solid-liquid separation, extraction and carry out in-process QC sampling.
  • Take samples according to the sampling plan and record online and offline process data completely and on time.
• Equipment & daily readiness
  • Keep pilot equipment ready for use: bioreactors, pumps, sensors, DSP equipment and filters, including cleaning and set-up between runs.
  • Calibrate sensors and probes on schedule and flag anything out of specification.
  • Perform first-line troubleshooting and basic preventive maintenance; elevate to the Supervisor or vendor when needed.
  • Manage consumables and materials at the line: stock checks, ordering signals, and clear labelling and storage.
  • Safety, quality & documentation
    • Work to EH&S standards for chemical and biological safety.
    • Follow SOPs and checklists as written; record deviations instead of working around them.
    • Maintain accurate batch records, logbooks, cleaning logs, calibration records and electronic data entries, so runs stay traceable for QA and audits.
    • Keep the pilot hall orderly and hygienic, applying aseptic technique where the process requires it.
    • Improvement & standardization
      • Bring observations from the floor into post-run reviews: what cost time, what repeated, what could be simpler or more reliable.
      • Propose and trial practical improvements to set-up, cleaning, sampling and handling together with the Supervisor and R&D.
      • Help write and update SOPs, checklists and one-point lessons once a change proves itself.
      • Support the introduction of new equipment and new process steps, including trial runs and early operator training material.