It’s amazing what can happen over a cup of coffee. At JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS, we’ve made it our mission to find out. Since day one, our people have been raising the bar, thinking fast and acting even quicker to make an impact that’s felt around the world. 

JDE is home to some of the most well-known coffee brands in the world. Our coffee and tea portfolio is available in over 100 countries and includes iconic household names such as Jacobs, Tassimo, Moccona, Senseo, L’OR, Douwe Egberts, TiOra, Super, Kenco, Pilao and Gevalia. We’ve built our business on the belief that everyone deserves the coffee they love – no matter who you are, where you live or how you take it.

At JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS, we are inspired by our belief that it’s amazing what can happen over a cup of coffee. We are driven by the vision that everyone deserves the coffee they love. 

As part of our Research, Development and Operations (RD&O) organization, the JDE R&D function is on a journey to transition into a world-class organization delivering innovation and excellence for all JDE business ambitions. In this job opportunity, you will be part of the Research and Development Center, reporting to the R&D Director Technology Solutions.

The tasks and responsibilities in this role: 

• Understanding and evaluation of consumer and business drivers, technology challenges, new trends and needs in the markets where JDE operates or has the ambition to operate
• Understanding of adjacent technology areas, for example outside of the food industry, which JDE can rapidly benefit from by implementing
• Coordination and linkage of resources with the other Technology Solutions Managers and team leads
• Uses proven evaluation techniques to evaluate new technology potentials. Joins up with Engineering and OPS directors to define plans to test and implement opportunities as required by the business plans, linking across innovation, category and value engineering teams
• Leads Technology Platform in the Technology Steering Committee, which is chaired by the R&D VP
• Brings together functional experts to agree on the potential of new technologies. Brings together the best of internal and external technology capability, from food and other industries
• Coaches team and resources to support CQV processes
• Supports evaluation of Capital Expenditure Requests from an R&D perspective
• Leads optimisation workstreams from an R&D perspective

If you’re brimming with an entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to succeed, you’ll fit right in at JDE. Working globally and locally, our Associates have been positively influencing the world of coffee for over 265 years. We love people who are not afraid to try and who try until they get it right. We value strong convictions and encourage debate. And all this in an open, friendly environment where you can approach anyone and grow any way you like. 

The preferred qualifications and skills for this role: 

• PhD or Masters degree in science or engineering
• 10+ years’ experience as technical leader working in a food manufacturing industry, at least half of which in front–end technology strategy development
• Inspiring leader with excellent people leadership capability
• Significant experience with: commercializing technology solutions; developing equipment with suppliers technology project management
• Able to work independently
• Able to influence across multiple stakeholders to energize on opportunities and potential
• Experienced at coaching and leading cross functional teams to deliver required business benefits
• Experience in coaching junior scientists and engineers in technical strategy development
• Comfort with financial analysis / business metrics
• Fluent in English
   

Additional information
Next to an attractive and rewarding salary, we offer a variety of secondary employment conditions.

This includes:
•    Year-end bonus 
•    Favourable pension-plan
•    Remuneration for health, life- and other insurances
•    Fitness allowance
•    Discount on coffee and tea products 
•    A flexible, international work environment with many career opportunities

Your application at JDE
If you are interested in this career opportunity at JDE, hit the “I’m interested” button and upload your application. After receiving your application, we will do our utmost to give you quick feedback. Part of the recruitment procedure at JDE will be an online assessment, followed by two interviews. Pre-employment screening can be part of the recruitment process.