Bij Solina deelt onze groep van meer dan 4.000 mensen een passie voor voeding en leeft onze ondernemerscultuur.

Wij ontwerpen hartige oplossingen op maat voor onze klanten die actief zijn in de voedingsindustrie, de foodservice, de slagerij en de voedingsmarkt. Met duurzaamheid als kern van ons bedrijfsmodel willen we voedsel produceren dat goed is in elke zin van het woord: lekker, voedzaam, betaalbaar, duurzaam en gemakkelijk.

Solina is een snel groeiend bedrijf, met 43 productielocaties en R&D laboratoria, zijn we aanwezig in meer dan 19 landen voornamelijk in Europa en Noord Amerika.

Door voortdurend na te denken over culinaire oplossingen, maken we voeding belangrijk voor de mens en de planeet.

Solina Belgium is seeking a dynamic and skilled Product Development Technologist to join our Technical & Innovation department.

Reporting to the RD&A Manager, this role is integral to transforming customer development projects into customized solutions and market requests into novel country and market concepts.

As a Product Development Technologist, your general responsibilities & tasks are:

• Independently lead, plan, and execute development projects from customer inquiries.
• Organize and prioritize R&D project planning, ensuring timely and qualitative execution, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of research data.
• Translate research results into ingredient solutions, preferably blends, set up finished goods in Solina’s PLM system (SAF) for ERP transfer, and promptly communicate next steps to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with raw material experts and supply chain for the approval of new raw materials and supplies.
• Provide R&D support to cross-site departments (QA, QC, RM Research, production, sales), propose corrective actions for quality deviations, and improve production feasibility.
• Stay updated with new processing technologies, ingredients, legislation, and nutritional labeling through training, literature research, and technical conversations.
• Contribute to Solina's sustainability program.
• Prepare and participate in internal/external trainings, seminars, and fairs.
• Provide R&D support to colleagues and cross-functional teams within Solina group.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of the lab and office, manage equipment needs, adapt procedures, and ensure stock maintenance.
• Adhere to R&D processes, HACCP standards, health, quality, safety policies, sustainability policies, workflows, and work instructions.

Skills, Capabilities, Requirements & Knowledge

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Applied Food Science.
• Knowledge in food process engineering, food science, analytical chemistry, food technologies, and preferably rheology/texture measurements and statistics.
• Strong understanding of food ingredient functionality and/or meat science and technology.
• Good tasting capacity and organoleptic analysis skills.
• Strong project development and management skills.
• Advanced written and oral communication skills in Dutch and English, with the ability to convey technical information effectively across all organizational levels.
• Acquainted with standard IT tools (Microsoft Office, specialized programs).
• Self-motivated, flexible, organized, action-oriented, hands-on, problem-solving, creative, innovative, proactive, and curious.
• Capable of working with precision and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Comfortable working with and consuming meat and savory products.
• Willingness to travel approximately 10% of the time.