Process Development Manager / Expert (m/f/d) FoodTech Startup

Do you want to make a delicious difference?

Planet A Foods is for people who want to change the future of food. We’re reinventing how the world produces food ingredients, replacing scarce and unsustainable raw materials with scalable, sustainable, and delicious alternatives. Our first product—a chocolate-like alternative made without cocoa—is just the beginning. Our goal is to build a new global leader in food ingredients.

At Planet A Foods, you’ll be part of a bold, highly motivated, and international team of scientists, engineers, operations experts, and industry specialists who share a common goal: to make a real, measurable positive impact on our planet.

As Head of Process Development (m/f/d), you’ll take responsibility for the industrialization of our core production process—from start to finish. You’ll translate breakthroughs from research and development into plant specifications, operational processes, and an economically viable cost structure. In this role, you’ll serve as a strategic liaison between the CTO, Product & Application, Production, CAPEX, and Procurement. We’re looking for a proactive individual who can provide in-depth analyses, recommendations, and concrete implementation plans. With a crucial scaling step planned for 2027 at our production site in Pilsen (Czech Republic) and the goal of a continuous production process in mind, your work
will directly influence the success of our business plan.

Together with our experts in Flavor & Analytics and IP & Data, you will form our Science Hub and report directly to the Head of Research & Development (currently our CTO, Sara Marquart).

Please note: This position is a 18-month temporary assignment
to cover parental leave. Upon completion of the contract, there is the possibility of transitioning to a permanent
position.

A Taste of What to Expect

• Driving Strategy & Scaling: Support the development of the strategic roadmap for capacity expansion and the optimization of cost of goods sold (COGS). Proactively provide the CTO, as well as the production and procurement teams, with the data-driven insights they need to make informed decisions.
• Oversee Process & Governance: Take responsibility for end-to-end feasibility studies and technology transfers for newly developed processes, and grant final approval for non-standard process changes.
• Lead Through Influence: Take a hands-on approach to navigating cross-functional matrix teams, develop process engineers, and ensure that all key stakeholders are aligned.
• Bringing R&D into the Real World: Translate breakthroughs from the lab into robust plant specifications and production requirements, conduct rigorous stress tests on the technology, and develop clear financial models.
• Ensure Standards & Escalate: Act as a critical oversight authority and exercise your veto power for high-risk implementations. Escalate immediately to the CTO if product quality, safety, CAPEX headroom, or the targeted COGS are at risk
  .
• Align Engineering & CAPEX: Translate validated process specifications directly into the CAPEX roadmap for Pilsen 2.0 and ensure seamless coordination between process industrialization and investment planning.

The Perfect Recipe of Skills & Experience

• Practical experience scaling processes from the laboratory to a profitable industrial scale under real-world, complex conditions
• A college degree in food technology or chemical/process engineering, along with a deep understanding of how process parameters influence the sensory properties of food (taste, texture, stability)
• Comprehensive expertise in basic process operations in the food industry or in handling powders, as well as in-depth knowledge of thermodynamics, heat transfer, particle technology, and mass balances
• Experience with ATEX environments and a clear understanding of how physical scaling effects impact complex basic process operations
• Practical experience in creating R&I flow diagrams (P&IDs), automation concepts, and equipment procurement, as well as a clear understanding of manufacturing costs, capital expenditures, and operating costs (COGS/CAPEX/OPEX)
• A strong sense of curiosity and creativity in problem-solving, as well as a willingness to challenge the status quo
• Fluent English; good knowledge of German or Czech is a plus

A Sweet Package

• Early opportunity to take on responsibility and plenty of creative freedom in a dynamic environment
• Collaboration with a passionate, international team on the innovations of tomorrow
• Work at an extraordinary food-tech startup that is growing rapidly and operates a 24/7 production system with four shifts
• A position where you can help challenge a “trillion-dollar industry”!
• Very attractive compensation and diverse opportunities for growth Perks that other startups offer too (30 vacation days, delicious lunches, snacks, drinks, gift cards, gym membership...)
• PLUS: Chocolate. Every. Single. Day.

About Us

We produce all-natural, cocoa-free innovations without compromising on taste, quality, and sustainability to preserve the Earth for our children.

We are on a constant journey of discovery and driving meaningful impact. Through collaboration and shared success, we empower our team to take bold action and make a difference. Every role is designed with purpose, where ideas flourish, opportunities expand, and boundaries are pushed. Joining our team is a step toward protecting the planet we love.

As an equal-opportunity employer, we are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion, starting with the fair evaluation of all applications. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and with all abilities to apply.