Process Engineer

About the role

Beyond Meat, Inc., formerly known as Beyond The Plant Protein Company™, is a plant protein company offering a portfolio of plant-based products made from simple ingredients without GMOs, no added hormones or antibiotics, and 0mg of cholesterol per serving. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat's core products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet. The Company's brand promise, Eat What You Love®, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based protein to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources, and animal welfare.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the ideation, design, setup, and execution of pilot-scale experiments.
• Support new product production runs and commercialization activities.
• Identify, evaluate, and test new equipment and technologies for pilot-scale product development.
• Optimize and troubleshoot processes and equipment to achieve target product quality attributes.
• Communicate process engineering learnings, results, and manufacturing capabilities clearly across cross-functional commercialization teams.
• Collaborate between R&D and Operations teams on new and renovated product development programs to meet program objectives, manufacturability, timelines, and cost targets.
• Organize and conduct process engineering development, including PFDs, energy and mass balance, process and equipment trials, process design, specification, and commissioning.
• Verify food manufacturing processes and equipment for production capability, scale, and readiness.
• Identify key product and process parameters and scale-up factors critical to commercial success.
• Assess existing and emerging food manufacturing equipment and technologies; propose innovative solutions for future commercialization.
• Advance product and process development from feasibility through new product introduction (NPI) and production launch.
• Ensure design-for-manufacturability and process viability at pilot scale while meeting project objectives.
• Integrate quality and food safety requirements, including critical control points, into equipment and process specifications.
• Support equipment and tooling selection by developing engineering specifications and assisting with procurement, installation, and commissioning.
• Contribute to cost estimates, capital and expense budgets, and associated project plans for process engineering activities.
• Maintain and follow GMP and Lab safety protocols in compliance with EH&S guidelines.

Qualifications

• BS in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, Biosystems Engineering or Food Process Engineering – required
• 1-2 years of relevant food process engineering experience working with R&D, Commercialization, and Operations in NPI process development, production scale-up, and commercial launches – required
• Prior experience in the food industry – required
• Experience with GMP and SQF systems – preferred
• Computer literacy in Microsoft 365 (Office, Teams, Outlook, etc.)

Skills & Qualifications

• Proven engineering experience in a growth-oriented business environment, with a track record of overcoming difficult challenges to achieve business and project objectives.
• Demonstrated success in process engineering development, scale-up, and commissioning including high-impact work output, trials, and production launches.
• Strong problem-solving ability to simplify complex processes and implement practical solutions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Work Environment

Willingness to travel up to 25% to manufacturing facilities and suppliers. Hands-on involvement with equipment and experimental work during process scale-up. Ability to stand or sit for extended periods and perform physical tasks including climbing, kneeling, bending, and lifting up to 50 lbs. Position is in El Segundo, California and in a mix of Pilot Plant, Laboratory, Plant Facilities, and Office Environments; requires a tolerance for high worker traffic, close quarters, noise, odors, and varying room temperatures and lighting.

Pay

The starting annual base pay for this role is between USD $100,000 and $115,000. The actual base is dependent upon many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Schedule

The role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, and benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Beyond The Plant Protein Company, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, ancestry, liability for military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you are interested in learning the status of your application, please note you will be contacted directly by the appropriate human resources contact person if you are selected for further consideration. Beyond Meat reserves the right to defer or close a vacancy at any time.