Leider productontwikkeling

Direct message the job poster from Rival Foods

Do you like to make a positive impact in today's world? Are you excited about creating unique, culinary and sustainable plant-based food products in a fast-growing market? Do you like to work in a passionate and dynamic team in a new fast growing plant-based sector? Then this is the job for you! Rival Foods now has a vacancy for a Product Development Lead who would like to contribute to the growth of Rival Foods.

The opportunity:

At Rival Foods, you help build a new future where plant-based products can match animal products, without compromising on health, animal welfare or sustainability. In the role of Product Development Lead, you lead a small Product Development team developing the next generation of Rival Foods products from ideation to implementation in our factory.

• BSc or MSc degree, for example Food Technology or a similar direction.
• Relevant experience in product development within the food sector leading a small team – experience level 5 to 10 years (strict requirement).
• Strong knowledge of structuring of plant proteins and flavor systems.
• Experience with rapid prototyping from lab-scale to pilot scale and subsequent implementation in a factory environment.
• You have affinity or experience in working with quality systems and standards such as HACCP, BRC, IFS, FSSC 22000.
• You enjoy being on the work floor and getting hands-on.
• You have team leadership skills: Managing food technologists, interns, and collaborating with marketing, sales, and operations teams and external partners, including suppliers and customers.
• You have a start-up mentality, are comfortable with ambiguity, limited resources, and a fast-paced, iterative environment.
• You have good social and communicative skills in English.

• Lead, mentor, and actively contribute alongside a small, cross-functional product development team to deliver innovative solutions efficiently.
• Lead the development of new plant-based meat products from concept to launch.
• Translate consumer insights and market trends into innovative product ideas.
• Source and evaluate new ingredients and processing technologies.
• Manage rapid prototyping, pilot trials, and scale-up activities.
• Optimize taste, texture, nutritional values, and cost-effectiveness in our products.
• Guide sensory testing and translate findings into product improvements.
• Collaborate closely with sales, marketing, and operations to ensure product-market fit.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, labeling, and regulatory standards.

Joining Rival Foods means becoming part of a dynamic team at the forefront of foodtech innovation. You’ll play a key role in a fast-growing industry, where your work has real impact — both on the future of food and your own career. In addition to a competitive salary and benefits package, this role offers the opportunity to take on a broad range of responsibilities.

If you're ready to take the next step in your career and make a difference in the world of plant-based food, we want to hear from you! Apply now to become our Product Development Lead and help us shape the future of food at Rival Foods.

E: info@rival-foods.com

T: +31 (0)85 130 46 90

• Main location is our R&D location in Amersfoort.
• Occasional visits to the production location in Geldrop are required (travel expenses are always reimbursed).
• Minimum 32 hours per week, up to 40 hours per week.
• Work is primarily on-site.
• Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor work visas.