Process Engineer – Chocolate & Cocoa

About the role

The Process Engineer improves existing technologies for producing chocolate and/or cocoa products for the Barry Callebaut group and is accountable for process performance and process capability within the plant. The role supports manufacturing operations teams in building and maintaining process and people capabilities, implements projects and works with Global Process Excellence and CI & TS counterparts, and helps evaluate, recommend and implement new process development technologies.

Key responsibilities

• Develop robust solutions for existing technologies and show the economic value of new production technologies, considering operability, safety, food safety, energy, throughput and waste reduction.
• Establish and maintain global operational process standards, roll out and monitor SOPs, process routines and process capability, and write SOPs enforcing HACCP and ISO food safety regulations.
• Manage SAP data entry and accuracy for product formulations, support SKU rationalization, and identify solutions to reduce waste and rework.
• Support product transfer and introduction, provide training materials and conduct factory training, and give on-site technical support for day-to-day operations, new line startups and NPIs.
• Collaborate with engineering, OT and digital teams to implement new technology on the shop floor, work with the regional process excellence team on process standards, and support the deployment of BCOS standards.
• Lead the commissioning of new lines and equipment from a process assurance perspective, manage stakeholders, and act as the main technical reference for the factory.
• Monitor grinding, pressing, moulding and powdering performance to improve yield and lower energy use; lead root-cause analysis of process failures, bottleneck studies and cycle time reductions.
• Optimize packaging to reduce cost and complaints, ensure MES reliability (OEE, downtime, speed loss, UPDT, PDT), and benchmark good practices across sites.
• Test new recipes or machinery adjustments on the factory floor before full-scale production.

Required profile

• Degree in engineering (food or chemical engineering, electromechanics, etc.), bioscience engineering, chemistry or physics, with 3-5 years of first professional experience in chocolate and cocoa production.
• Manufacturing experience is essential; food or process industry experience is preferred.
• Experience scaling up processes from lab/pilot to industrial production, with input to engineering and clear operational guidelines.
• Advanced English is required; knowledge of another language is an advantage.
• Strong analytical skills, solutions-oriented approach, and ability to work independently in multi-disciplinary teams.

Required skills

• MS Office Suite
• SAP systems
• Other manufacturing applications such as scheduling, CMMS and MES