Do you want to lead our transition from pilot to commercial production as our new Head of Scaleup & Production? Meet Naturpladen - your opportunity to be a part of a revolution where biotechnological innovation sets a new path for enabling a regenerative building industry!
Naturpladen is a startup on a mission to replace unsustainable building materials, with regenerative Plant-Fungi-Composites. Founded in 2021, we have been developing our groundbreaking products that utilize solid fermentation of fungal mycelium to transform abundantly available biowaste into innovative, competitive, carbon storing and biodegradable products.
We have launched our acoustic panels, but this is just the beginning – our technology holds the potential to transform huge industries, such as insulation, for the betterment of humanity and the planet. We are in a pivotal growth phase, backed by strong investors, EU research grants and collaborations with key industry opinion leaders and are well positioned to grow and catalyze a much-needed industrial change.
At Naturpladen you will be part of an ambitious team, motivated by impact - our curiosity, collaboration and use of new technology sets our innovation apart. You will be working closely with colleagues and advisors in a culture built on purpose, learning and openness.
The role
We are scaling up and are looking for an experienced Head of Scaleup & Production with a background in production. You will be responsible for operating and scaling up our current pilot facility capacity from 50 to 4000 m2 per month and, in the coming years, lead our transition to a state-of-the art full-scale factory. Your tasks will include ensuring that our solid fermentation technology - our vertical rack systems and logistics, bioreactors and fungal starter cultures, plant fiber pre-processing and product post-processing - are optimized and aligned for capacity, quality and -specification. You will create structure and processes as well as lead colleagues and projects to secure our ambitious goals. You will take part in the management team and help build the organization and strategy and are expected to become a people manager over time as we scale.
What’s in it for you
- Lead the scaling up of a new groundbreaking material technology of high planetary impact potential, your skills and results will lead us towards the next big leaps.
- Work with leading experts, researchers, advisors and stakeholders to develop, implement, structure and manage projects andbuild a new production unit from the ground up.
- Join the management team of an early start-up journey at a pivotal time and help build our organization with the possibility to participate in future incentive programs.
Key responsibilities
- Build and lead production scale-up activities, ensuring production capacity product quality and compliance with regulations.
- Drive continuous development and experimentation of production processes to enhance efficiency, costs and quality including project management of R&D projects as well as IP technology transfer.
- Lead, manage and optimize daily production and operation while managing a team of 2+ people.
- Become an active member of management team developing and executing our strategy and fund raising.
- Lead supply-chain including negotiating and maintaining distributor agreements.
We are looking for
- 10+ years of experience within manufacturing, ideally within bioprocesses and solid fermentation.
- Proven experience in leading production lines and processes in corporate or scale-up setting, ideally scaling from pilot to full scale production and experience with ISO certification (9001 and 14001).
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree in biotechnology, chemical engineering, mechanical technician or related field.
- Structured, reliable and thorough problem-solving and self-driven mindset, ideally experience in LEAN or similar.
- Project and people management experience and willingness to build and lead teams
You will thrive in this role if
- You’re a hands-on experimenter with a strong inclination towards practical tasks who enjoys the challenge of testing and changing hypotheses in real-world applications
- Have a passion for sustainable innovation and thrive in collaborative teams where challenging ideas are encouraged, and where diverse perspectives are valued.
- You’re excited to join a small but growing start-up within a flat and agile organization where flexibility and pragmatism are key to success.
Apply now!
