The Bland Company is a food and biotech startup dedicated to producing cost-efficient, highly functional ingredients through innovative biochemical processes. Our clean-label proteins are designed to assist food brands in reducing their reliance on egg-derived ingredients without sacrificing functionality. Currently engaged in trials with major CPGs and supported by top-tier investors and industry advisors, our founding team comprises biochemists and biochemical engineers committed to revolutionizing the food industry. As the Head of R&D, you will play a pivotal role in spearheading scientific innovation and overseeing manufacturing scalability. Your responsibilities will include leading a team of scientists and application experts focusing on protein chemistry, scale-up, and formulation science. This unique opportunity allows you to shape the technical direction of a company at the forefront of sustainable food production. Key Responsibilities: - Lead R&D efforts in protein chemistry, process optimization, and application science - Align technical objectives with business goals and ensure timely delivery - Develop and execute the R&D roadmap, from refining the platform to validating client applications - Identify and assess new scientific methods and technologies to expedite progress - Recruit, manage, and mentor a diverse team of specialists - Supervise experimental design, data analysis, and documentation - Collaborate with the founding team on IP strategy, regulatory planning, and scientific communication - Assist in scaling up R&D processes for manufacturing - Coordinate with external partners such as labs, CROs, academic collaborators, and suppliers - Contribute to strategic decisions on prioritizing food categories based on ingredient performance and customer feedback - Manage the establishment and operation of a state-of-the-art laboratory Requirements: - PhD in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Food Science, Biotechnology, or a related field - Over 10 years of industry experience in food ingredient or protein R&D, with a proven track record of leading projects and teams - Profound knowledge of plant protein structure, functionality, and structure-function relationships - Expertise in various protein modification methods, including physical, chemical, and biological approaches - Hands-on experience in protein purification and characterization techniques - Familiarity with food product development cycles and application testing - Strong project management, communication, and mentoring skills - Exposure to ingredient scale-up and technology transfer from lab to commercial scale - Bonus points for experience with upcycled ingredients and regulatory strategies What You'll Get: - A leadership role within a high-impact food biotech startup - Opportunity to lead a world-class scientific team and establish cutting-edge infrastructure - Access to a global network of advisors and collaborators - Fast-paced learning environment with high ownership and the chance to see your work in market-ready products - Competitive compensation package with equity participation - Collaborative and dynamic team committed to long-term success,
You will be joining The Bland Company, a food biotech startup focused on making sustainable eating easy, affordable, and accessible for everyone. As a Food Application Scientist, you will be responsible for developing and optimizing food formulations using novel protein ingredients across various applications such as bakery, snacks, and condiments. Your role will involve rapid prototyping, testing, and iterating on recipes to improve product performance. Key Responsibilities: - Develop and optimize food formulations using innovative protein ingredients for different applications - Work on formulations for client-specific use cases to validate functionality in real-world scenarios - Prototype and iterate on recipes based on functional goals like texture, solubility, and emulsification - Translate ingredient characterization data into practical formulation insights - Conduct bench-scale trials, sensory testing, and design experiments for comparison - Identify high-potential food categories based on formulation performance and market fit - Maintain detailed records of formulations, results, and observations - Collaborate with scientists and founders to provide feedback on ingredient development and usability Requirements: - Degree in Food Science, Culinary Science, or related field - 2+ years of experience in food product development, particularly with proteins, hydrocolloids, or emulsifiers - Strong understanding of food systems and ingredient functionality - Skilled in rapid prototyping and creative problem-solving - Comfortable with scientific and culinary aspects of R&D - Bonus: Experience with alternative proteins, clean label formulation, or upcycled ingredients - Bonus: Exposure to B2B ingredient applications or working with food manufacturing clients - Bonus: Formulation experience in the bakery sector What We Offer: - Opportunity to be at the forefront of building sustainable ingredients - Join a mission-driven team that values speed, transparency, and creativity - Opportunities for fast growth, ownership, and global impact,
About us The Bland Company is a foodtech and biotech startup on a mission to make sustainable eating easy, affordable, and accessible for everyone. We’re building a new class of functional plant proteins — transforming agricultural byproducts into high-performance food ingredients that are flavor-neutral, highly functional, and scalable. We’re a fast-moving team of six and are backed by leading US investors. We combine protein science, engineering, and food innovation to turn sustainable science into industrial reality. The Role: We’re looking for a Pilot Engineer to scale up our benchtop processes by operating and executing experiments on pilot scale equipment. You’ll be responsible for translating lab-scale extraction, separation, and drying processes into reliable, repeatable pilot-scale operations. You’ll own day-to-day running of our pilot line, process optimization, and data collection — working closely with scientists, engineers, and manufacturing partners to bridge R&D and commercialization. Key Responsibilities: Operate and maintain pilot-scale equipment including centrifuges, filtration systems, reactors, dryers, and mixers Use engineering design, data-driven optimization, and process innovation Execute and document pilot runs following process parameters and safety standards Support commissioning, calibration, and preventive maintenance of equipment Draft and maintain SOPs, batch records, and scale-up reports Scale up extraction, precipitation, and drying processes from lab to pilot level Troubleshoot process deviations and perform root cause analysis Collect and analyze process data (yields, purity, moisture, functional metrics) to drive optimization Develop and analyze mass and energy balances; use statistical tools to correlate process conditions with product performance. Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and food-grade manufacturing standards. Able to lift and handle 20–40 kg samples of raw materials and intermediate products safely. Comfortable working in a hands-on lab environment, including handling powders, slurries, and wet processes. Prepared to get physically involved in pilot operations, cleaning and sampling. Requirements: M.Tech or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Food Technology, or related field 2+ years of experience in pilot plant, process engineering, or food/biotech manufacturing Hands-on experience with key process equipment (centrifugation, filtration, evaporation, spray drying, etc.) Strong analytical mindset with comfort handling process data, mass balances, and troubleshooting Familiarity with GLP/GMP or HACCP standards is a plus What We Offer: A front-row seat in building the next generation of sustainable ingredients A tight-knit, mission-driven team that values speed, transparency, and creativity Opportunities for fast growth, ownership, and global impact
Role Overview: You are applying for the position of Head of R&D at The Bland Company, a food and biotech startup focused on producing cost-efficient, highly functional ingredients through novel biochemical processes. As the Head of R&D, you will be responsible for leading scientific innovation and scaling manufacturing processes, particularly in the development of novel protein ingredients. Key Responsibilities: - Lead R&D efforts in protein chemistry, process optimization, and application science - Translate business objectives into clear technical goals and outcomes - Develop and execute the R&D roadmap, from refining the platform to validating client-facing applications - Identify and assess new scientific methods and technologies to accelerate progress - Manage a team of scientists and application experts, providing mentorship and guidance - Supervise experimental design, data analysis, and documentation - Collaborate with the founding team on IP strategy, regulatory planning, and scientific communication - Support the scale-up and transfer of R&D processes to a manufacturing environment - Coordinate with external partners such as labs, CROs, academic collaborators, and suppliers - Contribute to strategic decisions regarding food categories and use cases based on ingredient performance and customer feedback - Oversee the development and management of a state-of-the-art laboratory Qualifications Required: - PhD in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Food Science, Biotechnology, or related field - 10+ years of industry experience in food ingredient or protein R&D, with a proven track record of leading projects and teams - In-depth knowledge of plant protein structure, functionality, and structure-function relationships - Experience in various protein modification methods (physical, chemical, biological) and purification techniques - Familiarity with food product development cycles and application testing - Strong project management, communication, and mentoring skills - Exposure to ingredient scale-up and technology transfer from lab to pilot/commercial scale - Bonus: Experience with upcycled ingredients and co-product valorization - Bonus: Familiarity with regulatory strategies such as GRAS and EFSA Additional Details: The Bland Company offers a leadership role at the core of a high-impact food biotech startup, where you will lead a world-class scientific team and establish cutting-edge infrastructure from the ground up. You will have access to a global network of advisors and collaborators, along with opportunities for rapid learning, high ownership, and the chance to see your work reflected in market products. Competitive compensation and equity are provided, along with a collaborative and dynamic team environment committed to long-term success.,