Team Lead / Senior Fermentation Engineer

Novonesis•Franklinton, LA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Interested in a career that matters? Join us as our new Team Lead / Senior Fermentation Engineer! We are seeking a dedicated individual to lead fermentation optimization projects and oversee daily operations in the Optimization Labs in Franklinton. This role focuses on improving fermentation processes to reduce variable costs, enhance capacity, and elevate product quality. Welcome to Global Enzyme Optimization Global Enzyme Optimization delivers cost savings to Novonesis by improving fermentation and downstream processes, introducing new strains, and enabling raw material transitions. You will collaborate closely with operators, engineering staff, lab personnel, and cross functional partners to identify optimization opportunities, run experiments at lab and production scale, and monitor outcomes that drive business impact. The Role & Your Impact As the Senior Research Engineer / Team Lead, you will guide fermentation and downstream optimization activities while ensuring the smooth operation of the Optimization Labs. You will support troubleshooting, drive innovation initiatives, and oversee pilot scale operations and safety.

Requirements

BS/MS/PhD in Chemical Engineering or similar with 7+/5+/3+ years relevant experience OR a BS/MS/PhD in a related scientific field (Food Science, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, etc.) with 10+/7+/5+ years relevant experience.
Demonstrated ability to problem solve, think analytically, identify root causes, and lead or contribute to cross functional problem resolution teams.
Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
Ability to facilitate cooperation between departments to achieve shared goals.
Proficiency with computer tools including word processing, spreadsheets, and SAP.
Physical ability to work in production and laboratory environments: bending, walking, performing basic equipment maintenance, climbing stairs/ladders, and entering tanks.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Nice To Haves

A continuous improvement mindset and passion for optimizing biological processes.
Ability to guide and mentor laboratory and pilot scale technical staff.
Curiosity and eagerness to contribute to long-term strategic improvements.
Confidence working across scales—from lab experiments to full production trials.

Responsibilities

Leading process optimization efforts at pilot and production scale to improve productivity and operational economy.
Supporting troubleshooting activities for fermentation and downstream processes within production areas.
Identifying, suggesting, and initiating improvement opportunities for processes, products, and quality.
Capturing optimization ideas and leads from local and global sources, driving initiatives to close global performance gaps.
Providing supervisory guidance to optimization technicians to ensure safe and efficient pilot operations.
Leading departmental safety initiatives and building a proactive safety culture.
Reporting monthly KPIs related to Optimization Lab performance.