Director of Extrusion

about 3 years ago
Full time role
El Segundo, CA, US... more
El Segundo, CA, US... more

Company

At Beyond Meat, we believe there is a better way to feed the planet. Our mission is to create The ...

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Job Description

COMPANY DESCRIPTION
At Beyond Meat, we started with simple questions. Why do you need an animal to create meat? Why can’t you build meat directly from plants? Thus, we make plant-based meats that allow families to eat more, not less, of the traditional dishes they love while feeling great about the health, sustainability, and animal welfare benefits of plant protein. Our goal is to bring exciting change to the plate—and Beyond.
OVERVIEW
The Beyond Meat Innovation team is seeking an outstanding individual to lead extrusion research at the company’s Innovation Center based in El Segundo, CA. The Director of Extrusion will be a resident expert on extrusion and will affect innovative extrusion technologies working with the team. This position comprises primary responsibility for food extrusion-based process and product development from the initial concept through final commercialization phases. The ideal candidate has excellent scientific, analytical, strategic, and leadership skills to lead the development of extrusion processes in an innovative food company and an outstanding record of impactful contributions to the extrusion field.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Conceptualize and deliver new food products and novel texturized ingredients using extrusion
  • Design research plans and run experiments to achieve Innovation project goals and new extrusion-based technologies, including small-to-large scale extrusion trials in the research and pilot plant environments
  • Develop custom extrusion technologies and die designs
  • Optimize extrusion processes for product quality, throughput, and yield
  • Support and proactively engage in technology transfer to Commercialization and Production teams including optimization of extrusion processes for scale-up manufacturing and participate in trials
  • Oversee the development of specifications for extrusion-based products and work with scientific teams to employ quantitative and qualitative characterization
  • Comprehend and apply principles of scale-up of unit operations within the food industry
  • Develop a close functional relationship with Innovation team members to review projects and products, and provide expert opinions and manage the allocation and engagement of extrusion team on projects
  • Define processing core competencies and future goals in terms of playbooks, white papers, or other forms of knowledge capture
  • Be a resident expert for extrusion and food texturization and ensure that the extrusion team and operators are up-to-date with the latest developments in the field
  • Leverage both internal and external resources to identify and analyze problems, develop solutions, and implement recommendations in the achievement of team and project goals
  • Engage in cross-functional collaborations within the Innovation team to inform extrusion-directed product development and goals; participate in stage-gate processes
  • Maintain accurate and complete records of all experimental and design work
  • Preserve all forms of intellectual and material property, support IP development, and ensure confidentiality and security of information
  • Understand and comply with all relevant food and safety regulations in pilot and food manufacturing environments

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Process Engineering, or Food Science required; Ph.D. preferred
  • An outstanding record of innovative and/or fundamental contributions to extrusion science and protein extrusion-based product development;  experience in the food industry strongly preferred
  • In-depth understanding of mechanical and electrical components of an extruder
  • In-depth knowledge of protein extrusion for meat analogs
  • Strong analytical and creative thinking skills with demonstrated experience in quantitative characterization of extrusion-based products and structure-function knowledge
  • Mechanical and engineering knowledge in the design and machining of extrusion parts and past successful collaborations with engineering teams
  • Knowledge of unit operations and pilot/production food processing equipment
  • Detail-oriented, extremely organized, and able to coordinate multiple tasks in a timely manner, with minimal supervision and self-starting work style
  • Good documentation and organizational skills and practices/project management skills
  • Disciplined and critical approach to research with high attention to details
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Successful experience managing and administering a team of scientists, engineers and equipment operators
  • Communicate and collaborate effectively with internal and external customers, collaborators, and strategic partners
  • Works well in a diverse team environment and capable of affecting leadership in a cross-functional matrix organization
  • Demonstrated research excellence in the extrusion field with record of publications, conference presentations, and recognition by peers 
  • Excellent problem solver, capable of distilling complex challenges into problem definitions and actionable research hypotheses
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders; fluent in both written and spoken English
  • Capable of responding quickly to evolving priorities and comfortable dealing with ambiguity in a fast-moving environment

WORK ENVIRONMENT

  • Depending on the role, the work setting involves an office, warehouse, and production areas.  Position may require periodic travel (15%).
Beyond Meat 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.

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