Laboratory/Pilot Process or Product Technician in Cheese Manufacturing (M/F/X)

Description

Summary: Join Bel, a major player in the food industry, as a Process or Product Technician in Cheese Manufacturing for strategic R&D missions. Highlights: 1. Join a company with strong brands and a responsible approach 2. Contribute to the transformation of an international agri-food group 3. Lead cheese expertise and development missions Posting Start Date: 5/29/26 Country: France Job Location: Ribeira Grande Job Family: Industrial Operations Type of contract: Limited-term Working mode: Job Id: 53807 Laboratory/Pilot Process or Product Technician in Cheese Manufacturing (M/F/X) Bel is a major player in the food industry through dairy, fruit-based, or plant-based healthy snack portions, and one of the world’s leading branded cheese companies. Its portfolio of differentiated, internationally renowned products—including La Vache qui rit®, Kiri®, Babybel®, Boursin®, Nurishh®, Pom'Potes®, and GoGo squeeZ®—as well as around thirty local brands, enabled it to achieve €3.74 billion in revenue in 2024. Do you wish to join a company with strong brands that places consumers and responsibility at the heart of its decisions? Bel is the right fit for you! Are you bold, pragmatic, and determined? Do you want to contribute to the transformation of an international agri-food group? Then come measure the impact of your talent and energy on delivering an ambitious and sustainable corporate project! **\#IWorkForAllForGood** **LOCATION AND DATE** **12-month fixed-term contract starting September 1, 2026\.** **Position based at Bel Group’s Research, Innovation and Development Center in Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher (41\), located on the high-speed TGV line connecting Paris (40 min) to Tours (20 min).** **MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES** To strengthen the Cheese Development Expertise team for pressed-curd cheeses such as Cousteron or Mini Babybel within strategic renovation projects, we are seeking an R\&D Technician to manage comparative cheese evaluations (to determine potential differences) and/or organize pilot-scale trials with extended follow-up. Key responsibilities include: * **Organizing comparative evaluations of externally sourced cheeses against a reference standard, ensuring accountability for:** + Overall sampling plan, transfer, product sampling, and evaluation. + Planning and requesting physicochemical analyses according to the proposed Qualification Plan. + Planning and requesting microbiological analyses according to PCT. + Organizing in-person or remote tasting sessions. + Synthesizing all results. + Proposing Go/No-Go conclusions per criterion, suggesting possible process adjustments if differences are identified. Occasional travel to production sites may be required during product development and depending on results (Belgian border). * **Conducting and monitoring pilot-scale cheese texturization trials** in the pilot facility, either for approval of a new raw material **or for Mini Babybel-type cheese trials.** + Planning trials while considering constraints (scheduling, hygiene/safety, cost, pilot line availability). + Ensuring supply of specific raw materials/ingredients via supplier contacts (external/internal) and dedicated tools. + Organizing pilot trials according to the proposed protocol, supported by teams trained on the equipment. + Characterizing products rheologically and organizing microbiological and organoleptic monitoring per the defined control plan. + Formalizing trial reports—including conditions, results, and proposals for adjustments for future repetitions. In case of industrial scale-up, occasional travel may be required to the Sablé-sur-Sarthe site. **PROFILE** * **Education: Technical or vocational degree (Bac \+2/3\) in Food Processing or Laboratory Sciences, ideally complemented by professional experience in pilot-line operations or dairy/cheese manufacturing.** * Familiarity with various cheese-making technologies would be an asset for this role. * Team spirit, commitment, rigor, written synthesis ability, and experimental reasoning skills (statistics/methods) are essential to successfully carry out these responsibilities. Your eagerness to learn will be especially valued. * Languages: French and English, ideally, due to the international nature of the role (technical oral communication, meeting presentations, and summary writing). * Software and IT: Microsoft Office suite, email, enterprise social networks If this position interests you, please click the Apply button now. Our recruitment team will contact you shortly.