R&D Process Engineer

Hello potential future Oatly employee. It's us, the original oatmilk company that started in Sweden back 25 or so years ago and has since expanded to the U.S. where we've continued growing at a rate such that we need more brilliant minds to come work with us to keep the momentum going and the oatmilk flowing.

Sustainability, health, and transparency are the core values that guide everything we do. Basically, we exist to help people live a healthier life without recklessly taxing the planet's resources in the process, and to change the food system for the better. We drive that change through the power of oats and through a significant reduction in cow's milk consumption. If any of this resonates with you, then maybe you'd like to work for Oatly, too. Now onto the formal stuff.

We are looking for an R&D Process Engineer to join our team. This dual-role position supports new product development and commercialization while also owning the operations and maintenance of our pilot plant. It's a hands-on, cross-functional role at the intersection of product development, manufacturing, and engineering-ideal for someone excited to learn, lead, and build sustainable systems from the ground up.

This position is located at our Philadelphia lab. Candidates must be willing to work onsite three days a week.

Here are the things we want to hire you to do:

Product Development & Commercialization Support

• Collaborate closely with Product Development to support formula development/samples, renovation, and product life cycle initiatives
• Integrate process engineering knowledge early in the innovation cycle to ensure manufacturability, quality, and scalability
• Participate in feasibility studies and develop robust testing approaches to validate process concepts
• Conduct process assessments and document manufacturing methods, process parameters, control points, and specifications
• Analyze and trend data to ensure pilot and commercial-scale processes consistently meet quality, cost, and design expectations
• Support the commissioning, validation, and startup of new processes or equipment across pilot and production environments

Pilot Plant Management

• Operate, maintain, and improve small-scale UHT systems, homogenizers, mixers, and related utilities in the pilot plant.
• Ensure the cleanliness, calibration, and safe operation of all pilot plant systems and utilities.
• Prepare and execute experimental designs and pilot trials to simulate commercial production
• Coordinate production of samples for internal and external stakeholders
• Support process trials, including setup, monitoring, and breakdown of equipment
• Maintain accurate documentation, including SOPs, batch records, equipment logs, and trial results.
• Continuously improve pilot plant procedures to better support speed, flexibility, and data integrity.

Process & Continuous Improvement

• Assist in the application of basic design and process improvement principles across the pilot and production environments
• Lead engineering projects with some guidance
• Support implementation of new and improved processing methods, equipment, and technologies
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives
• Support the development and execution of statistically valid tests (DOE) for process validation and optimization
• Provide hands-on technical support during troubleshooting, scale up, and process transitions
• Contribute to process knowledge documentation and transfer to operational teams

Here are the things we think you need:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Food, or related field)
• 3+ years of experience in food and beverage engineering
• Ability to travel up to 40% of the time
• Valid driver's license
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs
• Comfortable working in both lab and industrial settings
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach to problem-solving
• Hands-on experience in a lab, pilot plant, or manufacturing environment
• Understanding of food manufacturing principles, processing systems, and equipment
• Curious mindset with a passion for food, sustainability, and making a difference
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills, with a willingness to take initiative

And here's another list of qualities we think make a good Oatly team member:

• You feel connected to our mission of encouraging health, sustainability, and transparency
• You are a self-starter who doesn't need direct supervision to motivate you for success - we believe strongly in building a culture of individual accountability and ownership and need partners that can embrace that mentality
• You are ready to make your mark in a smaller, growing brand leveraging your experience to deliver amazing results and build an outstanding company
• You have an entrepreneurial spirit in that you're comfortable with ambiguity and are energized by the process of building something lasting from the ground up
• You enjoy sharing your quirkiness and talents with your coworkers

Another bulleted list felt redundant, so we wrote this long sentence with all the ways we sweeten the deal to work with us, like providing flexible vacation for starters, really great benefits, genuinely great coworkers who want to see the company and each other succeed, and a start-up vibe with an established company history.

The salary for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to geographic location, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. Compensation may also include bonus, commission, or equity as applicable. Our good faith estimate for base salary is $115,000.

Our team is available to support you through the hiring process with reasonable accommodations to enable a barrier-free interview experience. We will maintain candidate privacy and confidentiality to enable an unbiased and equitable experience. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or special need, please contact ....

Oatly is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.