Pilot Plant Supervisor

Roquette•Geneva, IL

2d•$82,000 - $95,000•Onsite

About The Position

Roquette is a family-owned global leader in plant-based ingredients and a leading provider of pharmaceutical excipients. We are looking for our next R&D Pilot Plant Supervisor to join our R&D Team. This role is crucial in driving our research and development efforts to new heights, ensuring we remain at the forefront of technological advancements. As the R&D Pilot Plant Supervisor, you will be responsible for the day to day operations of our pilot plant facility including set-up, execution, and clean-up of experimental trials, ongoing and preventative maintenance of pilot equipment, managing of pilot related external services (janitorial, pest control, etc.), and providing ideas for continuous improvement. Additionally, you will be responsible for overseeing the Health, Safety and Environmental activities as well as the Food Quality program for the Americas R&D team. This role will report directly to the Process Development Team Lead. This is an on-site position located in Geneva, IL.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field (+2 years of experience)
High School Diploma or Associate Degree with minimum 5 years of industrial food or ingredient processing experience
Strong chemical/process engineering knowledge (or relevant field), experience operating food equipment in a GMP environment is a plus.
Hands-on technical expertise with pilot-scale equipment
Leadership and team management skills
Problem-solving and troubleshooting ability
Knowledge of safety and regulatory frameworks
Excellent communication across technical and operational teams

Nice To Haves

experience operating food equipment in a GMP environment is a plus.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the day-to-day operations of our pilot plant facility including set-up, execution, and clean-up of experimental trials according to the weekly pilot plant schedule.
Ensure experimental runs are executed safely and according to protocols and timelines.
Monitor equipment and process performance and troubleshoot operational issues.
Ensure pilot plant operates (materials, labor, maintenance) within allotted budget.
Track and optimize resource utilization (raw materials, energy, equipment time).
Translate R&D concepts into scalable processes.
Collaborate with scientists and engineers to optimize processes, recipes, or production methods.
Identify risks in the pilot plant operations.
Validate process reproducibility and robustness.
Maintain pilot plant equipment, contacting equipment vendors or contractors when needed, including preventative maintenance and calibration.
Plan and supervise modifications or upgrades to pilot plant infrastructure.
Work with process development engineers on new equipment design or acquisition.
Manage utilities (steam, water, compressed air, etc.) critical for operations.
Enforce strict safety standards and regulatory compliance (e.g., OSHA, GMP, etc.).
Conduct risk assessments (HAZOP, safety reviews).
Lead incident investigations and implement corrective actions.
Train staff on safe operating procedures and emergency protocols.
Supervise future state pilot plant technicians and co-ops.
Provide hands-on training for experimental procedures and equipment use.
Schedule staffing and ensure adequate coverage for trials.
Foster a culture of safety, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with R&D teams to plan pilot trials.
Ensure accurate execution and adherence to experimental design according to operating parameters, and success criteria.
Adjust conditions in real time based on observations or data.
Collecting and recording accurate process data.
Ensuring data integrity and traceability.
Providing operational observations and trial summaries.
Supporting engineers and scientists with the information needed for analysis.
Assist in technical reports summarizing findings and recommendations.
Maintain proper documentation for traceability and compliance.
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, safety, and quality.
Implement new technologies or methodologies.
Support innovation initiatives and experimentation capabilities.