Food Technologist

Our Mission

We make it easy for everyone to build healthy habits and eat more fruit and vegetables by creating innovative products that are highly nutritious, sustainable, and delicious.

How We Do It

Just 1 in 10 US adults eats the recommended minimum of 5 cups of fruits and vegetables every day. We're helping solve that problem with convenient, organic, and mouth-watering products. We transform fresh, organic fruits and veggies into handy single-serving meal moments such as instant smoothies and delicious ready-to-eat fruit snacks and oatmeal. 

Job Overview

We are a fast growing B-Corp company who strongly believes every single kencko-er we hire is a key part of our shared success.The Food Technologist  will involve close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to design and implement scalable production processes, support new product formulations, and provide technical expertise across various aspects of food technology and manufacturing. 

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design and develop innovative production processes for new products. Ensure that these processes are scalable, efficient, and capable of maintaining product quality and consistency from pilot scale to full-scale production;
• Work closely with the Development, Innovation and Technology team to create and refine methods for new product formulations;
• Offer technical guidance and expertise in the design and development of new processes, ensuring scalability, efficiency and profitability;
• Offer insights and support on the integration of new methods and technologies into the existing production infrastructure;
• Create and maintain detailed documentation of process designs, process control points and protocols used during pilot plant testing;
• Create and maintain internal Product Development Specifications;
• Help coordinating necessary testing with external suppliers to validate and optimize new processes, methods and products;
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that process designs meet both technical and business objectives; and
• Participate in training sessions for staff as a Subject Matter Expert. 

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Required Skills and Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering, Food Technology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in food manufacturing or a related field, with a focus on process engineering and scale-up
• Extensive knowledge of food processing equipment, technologies, and industry best practices
• Proven experience in scaling up production from pilot to full-scale manufacturing
• Ability to work from our Cabra Figa office 90% of the time with occasional meetings in our Marvila lab 

Technical Skills

• Advanced Knowledge of Food Technology
• Deep understanding of food processing techniques, particularly freeze-drying and/or other drying techniques, and other relevant equipment and technologies
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues 
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to analyze complex data and make informed decisions
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple scopes simultaneously and deliver on time
• Demonstrated ability to optimize overall processes for better efficiency, cost savings, and product quality
• Regulatory and Compliance Familiarity
• Fluency in English and Portuguese

Bonus points

• Expertise in freeze-drying processes
• Experience with workspace and project collaboration tools, like Notion

What we offer

• The opportunity to join a B-Corp team that is shaking up the nutrition industry for the better!
  
• An employee stock equity award
  
• 25 days of paid time off
• 6 sick or well-being days 
• 9.60 euros per day for a meal allowance
  
• Steep discounts on kencko products for you and friends/family
• Nutrition Consults
• Generous Maternity/Paternity and Marriage Leave policies 
  
• Donation to your favorite charity on your birthday!
• Wellness perks via our kencko-er assistance program (legal, financial, work/life balance, and mental health services)
• A casual, dynamic, ambitious, and for real fun work environment

How To Apply

Along with your CV, in English, please answer the questions found in the application. 

**kencko is committed to bringing together individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, feel a sense of belonging, and do great work together. As an equal opportunity employer, we prohibit any unlawful discrimination against a job applicant on the basis of their race, color, religion, veteran status, sex, parental status, gender identity or expression, transgender status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information. We are dedicated to going above and beyond in fostering diversity across our company."