Manufacturing Engineer (New Product Introduction) Manufacturing Engineer (New Product Introduction)
Vow is a cultured meat company on a mission to feed billions and create food that’s good for your tastebuds, your health and your planet. We’re bringing together cutting edge innovations in science, engineering, culinary and design to create new meats that meat lovers can choose selfishly because it’s nutritious and delicious, and we’re doing so in a sustainable way. Want to join us?
Vow is a cultured meat company on a mission to feed billions and create food that’s good for your tastebuds, your health and your planet. We’re bringing together cutting edge innovations in science, engineering, culinary and design to create new meats that meat lovers can choose selfishly because it’s nutritious and delicious, and we’re doing so in a sustainable way. Want to join us?
The Role+
We’re on the lookout for a Manufacturing Engineer who thrives on tackling complex, ambiguous challenges. If you’re someone who sees opportunity in uncertainty and has a track record of innovating solutions when there’s no clear path forward, we want to hear from you.
In this hands-on role, you will collaborate with a cross-functional team throughout the product launch lifecycle, from pilot scale to full production ramp-up. You will engage directly with other engineers, operators, scientists, and other technical team members to drive and coordinate the implementation of large-scale processes and equipment for cultured meat production. Your responsibilities will involve designing and validating key pieces of equipment, with a specific focus on optimising equipment for its intended purpose in a manufacturing process. Additionally, you will serve as a technical resource for the Manufacturing Production team, offering support on troubleshooting and continuous improvement activities.
You will have the opportunity to work across a variety of different equipment used to produce cultured meat at scale, such as stainless steel stirred tank bioreactors (200L - 20kL), mixing/fluid transfer and separation equipment.
We’re on the lookout for a Manufacturing Engineer who thrives on tackling complex, ambiguous challenges. If you’re someone who sees opportunity in uncertainty and has a track record of innovating solutions when there’s no clear path forward, we want to hear from you.
In this hands-on role, you will collaborate with a cross-functional team throughout the product launch lifecycle, from pilot scale to full production ramp-up. You will engage directly with other engineers, operators, scientists, and other technical team members to drive and coordinate the implementation of large-scale processes and equipment for cultured meat production. Your responsibilities will involve designing and validating key pieces of equipment, with a specific focus on optimising equipment for its intended purpose in a manufacturing process. Additionally, you will serve as a technical resource for the Manufacturing Production team, offering support on troubleshooting and continuous improvement activities.
You will have the opportunity to work across a variety of different equipment used to produce cultured meat at scale, such as stainless steel stirred tank bioreactors (200L - 20kL), mixing/fluid transfer and separation equipment.
Your Experience+
- An Engineering qualification or equivalent experience
- Experience specifically with optimising equipment to enhance its performance within a manufacturing process, ideally with regards to mixing/fluid transfer and separation technologies
- Proven experience in implementing food manufacturing and packing line facilities/processes
- Knowledge of Food HACCP plans or Quality Management Systems (ISO9001, ISO13485, or similar)
- Experience developing SOPs in academia or industry
- High degree of technical competence and scientific awareness
- Flexibility to carry out shift work or weekend work if required
- Ability to work effectively within a close-knit team environment as well as a diverse cross-functional department
- Nice to have: Experience with brewing, fermentation, or bioreactor operation up to 20,000 L, ideally in stainless steel bioreactors with an emphasis on mammalian cell culture
- An Engineering qualification or equivalent experience
- Experience specifically with optimising equipment to enhance its performance within a manufacturing process, ideally with regards to mixing/fluid transfer and separation technologies
- Proven experience in implementing food manufacturing and packing line facilities/processes
- Knowledge of Food HACCP plans or Quality Management Systems (ISO9001, ISO13485, or similar)
- Experience developing SOPs in academia or industry
- High degree of technical competence and scientific awareness
- Flexibility to carry out shift work or weekend work if required
- Ability to work effectively within a close-knit team environment as well as a diverse cross-functional department
- Nice to have: Experience with brewing, fermentation, or bioreactor operation up to 20,000 L, ideally in stainless steel bioreactors with an emphasis on mammalian cell culture
What you'll do+
- Oversee the scale up of processes and equipment from small to pilot and demo scales Support development of robust and scalable processes for different cell lines at pilot (>200L) scale.
- Troubleshoot biological (e.g. cell growth inhibition), chemical (e.g. pH regulation) and physical (e.g. oxygen mass transfer) process problems during equipment & process design and scale up
- Troubleshoot hardware problems (e.g. mechanical, automation) during scale up
- Forecast industry trends, challenges, and opportunities, and translate these into impactful projects and strategy to drive continuous process improvement
- Optimise processes and equipment to improve cost, speed and quality
- Follow process data and quality after implementation into Production. Evaluate and troubleshoot problems that may arise in newly transferred equipment/processes.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of new technologies for next-generation biological manufacturing processes to manipulate product characteristics e.g. texturisation, protein content, etc
- Mentor and coach junior engineers and technicians
- Oversee the scale up of processes and equipment from small to pilot and demo scales Support development of robust and scalable processes for different cell lines at pilot (>200L) scale.
- Troubleshoot biological (e.g. cell growth inhibition), chemical (e.g. pH regulation) and physical (e.g. oxygen mass transfer) process problems during equipment & process design and scale up
- Troubleshoot hardware problems (e.g. mechanical, automation) during scale up
- Forecast industry trends, challenges, and opportunities, and translate these into impactful projects and strategy to drive continuous process improvement
- Optimise processes and equipment to improve cost, speed and quality
- Follow process data and quality after implementation into Production. Evaluate and troubleshoot problems that may arise in newly transferred equipment/processes.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of new technologies for next-generation biological manufacturing processes to manipulate product characteristics e.g. texturisation, protein content, etc
- Mentor and coach junior engineers and technicians
Success is+
- First month: You will work within our New Product Introduction team to learn the ins and outs of our manufacturing process, and our pilot- and demo-scale facilities. You will develop a deep understanding of technology and manufacturing goals at a company level, and will be able to suggest approaches to achieve these goals.
- First three months: You will have worked closely with our technology and manufacturing teams, and you will have taken technical ownership of one or more New Product Introduction projects.
- First year: You will have significantly contributed to optimising and implementing scaled processes for a number of different cell line and media combinations. You will also have leveraged your deep knowledge of bioprocess to introduce new product characteristics via process changes/manipulation, resulting in new & delicious product prototypes. You will also have contributed to shaping what Vow’s production process looks like beyond pilot and demo scales. You will have helped train, mentor and grow a team of operators to rapidly drive process development and optimisation.
- First month: You will work within our New Product Introduction team to learn the ins and outs of our manufacturing process, and our pilot- and demo-scale facilities. You will develop a deep understanding of technology and manufacturing goals at a company level, and will be able to suggest approaches to achieve these goals.
- First three months: You will have worked closely with our technology and manufacturing teams, and you will have taken technical ownership of one or more New Product Introduction projects.
- First year: You will have significantly contributed to optimising and implementing scaled processes for a number of different cell line and media combinations. You will also have leveraged your deep knowledge of bioprocess to introduce new product characteristics via process changes/manipulation, resulting in new & delicious product prototypes. You will also have contributed to shaping what Vow’s production process looks like beyond pilot and demo scales. You will have helped train, mentor and grow a team of operators to rapidly drive process development and optimisation.
A diverse, mission-led, dream team of Vowzers
Our mission is to feed billions, which means making food products for everyone. To do this we need a team that’s representative of the people we serve. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view and have built a culture to match. Be yourself and come as you are.
Our mission is to feed billions, which means making food products for everyone. To do this we need a team that’s representative of the people we serve. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view and have built a culture to match. Be yourself and come as you are.
Learn from the best
Our team includes some of the world’s top scientists, innovators, operators, and creatives with decades of industry experience. Despite our experiences, we all strive to build, break, learn, and repeat. We see the impossible as temporary and strive to learn and support our company and fellow Vowzers' growth as much as possible.
Our team includes some of the world’s top scientists, innovators, operators, and creatives with decades of industry experience. Despite our experiences, we all strive to build, break, learn, and repeat. We see the impossible as temporary and strive to learn and support our company and fellow Vowzers' growth as much as possible.
Cutting-edge technology
We’re bringing together innovations in science, engineering, and food, to create the world’s most unique culinary experiences. All without compromising on ethics or our planet. Since our inception in 2019, we have held the title of being the first startup to cultivate meat from the cells of an undomesticated animal. We're wild because we can be.
We’re bringing together innovations in science, engineering, and food, to create the world’s most unique culinary experiences. All without compromising on ethics or our planet. Since our inception in 2019, we have held the title of being the first startup to cultivate meat from the cells of an undomesticated animal. We're wild because we can be.
Backed by the best
We can make a real impact thanks to our investors Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Grok Ventures, Tenacious Ventures, P7 Ventures, Toyota Ventures and PeakBridge VC.
We can make a real impact thanks to our investors Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Grok Ventures, Tenacious Ventures, P7 Ventures, Toyota Ventures and PeakBridge VC.
Perks &
Perks
Perks &
Perks
Everyone is an owner
In addition to competitive base salaries, each and every ‘Vowzer’ owns equity in the company so we can all benefit from our hard work and future success.
In addition to competitive base salaries, each and every ‘Vowzer’ owns equity in the company so we can all benefit from our hard work and future success.
Generous paid parental leave
For those who choose to start a family, we offer 8 weeks of paid caregiver leave and an additional 8 weeks paid leave for the birth giver.
For those who choose to start a family, we offer 8 weeks of paid caregiver leave and an additional 8 weeks paid leave for the birth giver.
Generous relocation budget & support
We offer support for interstate or overseas team members, their families and, of course, their pets.
We offer support for interstate or overseas team members, their families and, of course, their pets.
Flexible working hours and location
We value work-life balance and we recognise that everyone works differently. We want you to do your best work, so you can choose how and where you do it.
We value work-life balance and we recognise that everyone works differently. We want you to do your best work, so you can choose how and where you do it.
Unlimited personal leave
Sometimes you need time off to recuperate, look after your mental health, or simply deal with an emergency. We put unlimited personal leave in place to empower you to bring your best self to work every day.
Sometimes you need time off to recuperate, look after your mental health, or simply deal with an emergency. We put unlimited personal leave in place to empower you to bring your best self to work every day.
Heaps of tasty samples from our culinary centre
Our fantastic "food inventors" on the Vow team are always cooking up new product prototypes, and all Vowzers are given the opportunity to taste, give feedback, and learn from their culinary prowess.
Our fantastic "food inventors" on the Vow team are always cooking up new product prototypes, and all Vowzers are given the opportunity to taste, give feedback, and learn from their culinary prowess.
Converted warehouse 'campus'
Complete with a glass-walled lab, manufacturing lines, snacks, a culinary centre and professional-grade coffee machine.
Complete with a glass-walled lab, manufacturing lines, snacks, a culinary centre and professional-grade coffee machine.
A variety of social clubs
It's Vowzers who make our culture. From book clubs to hiking groups, we’re always looking for ways to learn and engage with each other.
It's Vowzers who make our culture. From book clubs to hiking groups, we’re always looking for ways to learn and engage with each other.
Human and dog friendly office
An inclusive community and culture, in a welcoming office, we encourage you to bring your true self…and your dogs.
An inclusive community and culture, in a welcoming office, we encourage you to bring your true self…and your dogs.