Product & Process Innovation Engineer – Alternative Proteins

Who are we?

With a long-term vision of adding value to agricultural raw materials and developing quality products for the food, health and renewable energy sectors, Tereos is one of the market leaders in sugar, alcohol and starch. The Group's societal and environmental commitments contribute to the company's long-term performance while strengthening its contribution as a responsible player. A cooperative group, Tereos brings together 11,000 cooperative members and has recognized know-how in the processing of beet, cane, cereals, alfalfa and potatoes. Thanks to its 41 industrial sites, a presence in 15 countries and the commitment of its 15,000 employees, Tereos supports its customers as close as possible to their markets with a wide and complementary range of products.

For more information, visit Tereos.com

Contract : CDI

Position location : Burchtstraat 10, Aalst 9300 BEL

About the position

We’re on an ambitious journey to decarbonize our operations, innovate with purpose, and lead the future of sustainable food systems.
Tereos firmly believes that the alternative protein market is key to meeting the evolving needs of food and feed. Our innovation roadmap supports this ambition by accelerating the development of new, sustainable protein solutions.[AV1] 
As a Product & Process Innovation Engineer, you’ll be at the heart of this transformation—working within cross-functional project teams to deliver impactful, customer-oriented innovations.

Your role and responsibilities

• Lead and support R&D projects to develop new alternative protein products and processes -

• Design and execute lab, pilot, and industrial trials to validate new concepts and troubleshoot on existing processes.

• Mentor and guide lab technicians, ensuring a safe and sustainable lab environment.

• Prepare pre-engineering studies (process design, techno-economic evaluation, environmental impact)

• Collaborate across R&D, engineering, and commercial teams to bring ideas to life

• Stay at the forefront of industry trends through literature review, expert networking, and conference participation.

• Contribute to our R&D roadmap through ideation, technology scouting, and market insights

• Innovate effectively by the use of experimental design, process modeling, and AI tool

Your Profile

We’re looking for someone who brings a mix of technical depth, curiosity, and adaptability. You will thrive here if you enjoy solving complex problems, experimenting with new tools, and working in a collaborative, results-oriented environment.

• A Master’s degree in bio-engineering, (bio)chemistry, food engineering, or a related field

• 5+ years of experience in product and process development, ideally related to protein ingredients

• Strong knowledge of protein functionality, process technology, and process upscaling

• Experience with experimental design, data interpretation, and AI tools

• Familiarity with process modelling, techno-economic evaluation, and sustainability metrics

• Critical thinking, pro-active, results-oriented, with an ability to manage both long-term innovation and short-term troubleshooting

• A collaborative mindset, with strong communication and project management skills

• Fluent in English, both spoken and written. Knowledge of French and Dutch is a plus.