R&D Packaging Technologist Full-time Job

Share our taste for life!

Together with you, we want to empower you to achieve this mission with us. We value you as a person and actively support you on your professional journey, while caring about your future. Join our big little family and let’s make products for you and the world to love!

Do you share our taste for life?

Your role

As an R&D Packaging Technologist, you will be part of a passionate high performing R&D team, that generates innovative bakery solutions through technological knowledge to create success of our partners and to fulfill consumer needs.

Your key responsibilities and challenges are:

-Project leader for packaging projects:

You translate ideas or commercial product demands into technical product definitions.

You formulate a project proposal and discuss the timings and scope with the different stakeholders and team members.

You plan and follow up trials in cooperation with internal and, if necessary or effective, external people. Furthermore you also plan and follow up industrial trials in cooperation with production.

You are responsible for the set-up of new packaging and/or processing and/or communicate the parameters to the factory.

You are responsible to document the different steps of your projects (line trials report, …), according to the group procedures.

Finally, you transfer all necessary information to the portfolio, quality, purchase, … in order to start the realisation phase and you give information on the status of the development projects for which you are responsible.

-Specialist for packaging development:

As a specialist in packaging, you know the whole product portfolio for packaging, and you know the plant capabilities and processing conditions of the plants in your portfolio.

Furthermore, you have knowledge of competitor products, market trends and supplier’s developments and you proactively propose new developments for different markets.

You provide support to the different departments of the business line such as sales, quality, procurement, operations,… and you organise or assist if needed in customer visits to Vandemoortele or technical visits to the customer.

-Continuous improvement:

You manage projects of uniformisation and reduce complexity, cost savings, or improve the quality of existing packaging.

You participate in multi-department improvement projects.

You support production sites in case of structural quality issues related to packaging.

-Communication:

You provide technical support to other departments and share best practices within the group. You give training whenever required.

You report to the R&D Technical Development Manager Packaging Bakery Products.

For this exciting role you will be working in Izegem (Belgium).

What’s in for you?

You will join our big little family: Our associates are the beating heart of our company – they bring the flavour to our organisation. We cherish each member, prioritising their well-being and supporting their professional journey.

We value you as a person: At Vandemoortele we value each one of our associates and recognise their unique contributions to team successes.

We care for your future and we support your professional journey: We believe in the power of our associates and the value of their actions and support their career aspirations by offering internal mobility and promotional opportunities. We embrace individual ambitions and entrust our associates to take ownership.

We make products for you to love: We are a team of passionate food enthusiasts. In our mission to shape a tasty future we strive to create a wide range of food solutions that connects people, cultures and traditions.

Are you the one we’re looking for?

You hold a Master's degree in Engineering (Bio-engineering, Industrial Engineering, Packaging Engineering, etc.).

You are passionate about packaging and NPD packaging projects. Preferably you have a first experience within the food industry. Experience within bakery is an extra asset.

You have a sustainability fibre.

Above all you are ambitious, energetic, driven and open to receive and give challenges. Your drive and enthusiasm will motivate you to go the extra mile in engaging others.

Your excellent communication and persuasion skills enable you to motivate, drive and engage your internal (production, purchase, sales, logistics, master data,…) and external stakeholders.

You are proactive and you are a driver for change. At the same time, you are pragmatic, problem-solving and looking for initiative.

You are able to work together on major projects and you like to take ownership and to work autonomously.

You have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, written and verbal, in English. Knowledge of Italian and/or Dutch is a strong asset.

You are willing to travel in Belgium and Europe (short trips - 30% of your time).

You have an excellent knowledge of MS Office.

Join us in making sweet memories!

We look forward to welcoming you to our delicious journey!

Submit your updated CV and compelling cover letter (optional) highlighting your relevant experience and motivation.

For questions or additional information, mail us: gwenn.vandereecken@vandemoortele.com

#ShareOurTasteForLife

Vandemoortele was founded in 1899 as a Belgian family business, and has continued to grow and develop ever since. Over the last two decades, we became a European food company with leading positions in two business lines: Bakery Products and Plant-Based Food Solutions. We are known for supplying innovative and high-quality products. In our two business lines we aim to meet and exceed customer expectations in terms of taste, quality, convenience and value for money.
In 2024, Vandemoortele achieved a turnover of approximately EUR 2 billion, employing 4,094 associates (both permanent and temporary). The head office is located in Ghent, Belgium, with commercial offices in 12 European countries, as well as 2 in the United States and 1 in Asia. Vandemoortele operates on 31 high-quality production sites across Europe and 1 in the U.S., ensuring proximity to key markets, and exports from Europe to around 70 countries worldwide.
Big challenges the world faces, like the climate crisis, are becoming ever more critical. Vandemoortele wants to be a part of the solution. We believe that sustainability is an important driver for our business performance, and we see it as the only right way to create long-term value for all our stakeholders.
We are dedicated to ensuring healthy, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We encourage the development and personal growth of our people, and appreciate the value of a diverse work force. All our associates are given equal opportunities to flourish in their jobs and achieve their goals. We also cooperate constructively with our suppliers, and reach out to local communities in order to generate a positive social impact. Vandemoortele lives by three corporate values: respect, ambition and cooperation. These both lie at the core of our corporate culture.