Tessenderlo Group is a diversified industrial group that focuses on agriculture, valorizing bio-residuals and providing industrial solutions. The group employs approximately 4,600 people, and recorded a consolidated revenue of 1.6 billion Euro in 2018. Expertise, technical strength and know-how are key for the Group to secure its position as a global leader in most of its products and markets. Tessenderlo Group beliefs that Innovation and R&D capabilities and mindset are indispensable for a successful future. The group’s R&D and technical support centers are located in Tessenderlo/Ham (BE), in Phoenix (US) and across the different Business Units. The Innovation Center in Tessenderlo supports the growth and innovation strategy of the different business units by offering scientifically based project management, from prospection/feasibility studies over development and optimization studies, up to scale-up and process validation. To accomplish its mission, the Tessenderlo Innovation Center employs 22 people and is equipped with an R&D laboratory, a food application lab, an 8100 m2 Pilot Plant and a tooling workshop.

Currently the Tessenderlo Innovation Center is looking for motivated R&D technicians

Are you inspired by science mainly related to (bio)chemical processes and technology? Do you like a challenging job in a research environment with R&D topics ranging from bio-valorisation (gelatin, protein hydrolysates, animal side streams), agriculture (fertilizers) to diverse industrial applications (mining, sulfur derivates, coagulants for water purification)? Do you want to explore new applications for our innovative products? Do you want to work in a diverse team together with creative and quality-focused people? Are you interested to see products and processes evolve from ideas over lab and pilot scale to eventually get industrially implemented? Then the Tessenderlo Innovation Center is the right place for you!

Your function:

• You independently plan and perform non-routine R&D experiments and test new technologies in an efficient and safe way.

• With your creative and critical mindset you actively participate in optimizing the tests to successfully deliver the new developments that meet the business needs in the end.

• You report and document the tests executed by you and interpret the results.

• You participate in project meetings and take the lead in presenting tests and solving technical problems.

• You support implementation of results from lab to pilot and industrial scale within the team of the Tessenderlo Innovation Center.

• You evaluate the analysis methods suited for the R&D tests, adapt them when needed and execute (internally) or overlook (externally) the analyses.

• You follow up the evolutions in your research field and occasionally participate in relevant courses, workshops,  symposia or fairs.

• You support the overall lab maintenance, safety and coordination.

• Your daily workplace is the Innovation Center in Tessenderlo, where you report to the Lab manager and project managers of the projects you are working on. Occasionally, when it is required for the project, you are prepared to work from another lab or production site  within the Tessenderlo Group.

Your profile:

• You minimally have a Bachelor degree in chemistry, biochemistry, food technology or a related field. 

• Preferably you have experience in life sciences and/or food science. Experience in agrocultural chemistry is also an asset.

• You are comfortable in a non-routine R&D setting and are able to cope with the rapidly changing environment in innovation.

• You have a positive attitude and are curious and eager to gain new knowledge and expertise.

• In your job you can think critically and out of the box. You can plan and perform your work independently.

• You have a strong problem-solving mindset.

• You are flexible and can handle diverse tasks, from lab work to support of scaling up and implementation in production.

• You communicate proactively, and can present your results clearly.

• You are fluent in English and Dutch. French is a plus.

• You are a team player and can work in different teams according to the project