Research, development and Quality Lead

About Blue Crane

We are Blue Crane and are on a mission: We develop tailor made solutions using organic plant-based oils and specialty lipids, helping our partners to create new innovations using traceable ingredients from sources you can trust and contributing to a more sustainable world.

A significant part of our Foods and Personal care products contain oils and fats. They are an essential part of our daily nutrition, as a carrier and enabler of taste and as energy to fuel our existence. Many supply chains experience major challenges and sustainability issues: impact on climate change, lack of transparency, fair trade and living income, deforestation and increasing amounts of contaminants and pesticides.

With Blue Crane we work on innovative ingredients and solutions using plant-based, traceable and organic certified supply chains. We work mostly with local farmers and production partners, which is better for the environment and the local economy. The farmers can thus get a better income for their crops. Our partners are brand leaders and manufacturers of (organic) foods and personal care products.

Blue Crane exists almost 5 years en we have grown fast in a short time. We are a small team of dedicated specialists. In South America we work with +10.000 farmers on fair trade certified traceable organic cocoa. In Ivory coast we work with hundreds of women crafting organic Sheabutter, in Borneo we aim to preserve +2.000 hectares of rainforest through innovative solutions using organic Illipe butter.

Our quality system is BRC-certified such that we can guarantee EU food safe products, we also have EU and USDA organic certification, fairtrade and rainforest alliance certification. We work with partners on 3 continents and deliver 30 different products to customers across the globe.

Research development and quality lead

As Research, development and quality lead you are responsible for all application development, food safety and certification related matters. You help our customers on how to use our specialty oils and lipids in their applications and work with the team on an innovation pipeline and portfolio of the future. You drive continuous improvement of the food safety culture and processes and manage our (re)certifications. You ensure, together with the team, that all food safety matters are kept up to date and adhering latest laws and regulations.

Tasks

· Support customers with their new innovations using our existing products

· Manage pipeline of new product innovations and future product portfolio

· Manage continuous improvement of food safety culture and systems

· Monitor and audit production partners and suppliers

· Quality control and monitoring of incoming and outgoing products

· Prepare certificates of analysis and keep test plan up to date

· Manage yearly management review on food safety standards

· Monitor and maintain BRC, Fairtrade, Rainforest and other certification standards

· Train team members on oils and fats applications and knowledge

Who are you?

Our Research, development and quality Lead is a vegetable oils and fats specialist with experience in both R&D and quality systems management. You are a self-starter and able to function in an ambiguous environment of a growing scale-up. You can bring structure and manage multiple projects ensuring our processes and systems meet the latest requirements. We seek an enthusiastic team player, who can further elevate the knowledge and application know-how of our products within the team.

· HBO+ with preferably a Chemistry background

· Solid understanding and experience of oils and fats in various food and non-food applications

· Detail oriented and able to handle complex processes in a structured way

· Hands-on in a fast changing environment

· Knowledge of BRC standard, organic regulations and food safety requirements

· Language: English and another language (Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish are a plus)

· Relevant working experience in plant-based oils and fats is a pre

You enjoy helping customers with their new products and using your hands-on knowledge of oils and fats. You take a leading role in our future product portfolio. You have a strong quality mindset and always looking to improve our internal processes and certifications. You want to work in a fun environment with a small team and growing company.

What we offer

· Work in a small dynamic team based in the centre of Utrecht

· High level of autonomy and responsibility

· Flexible hours (24-36 hours/week)

· Market conform package

· Good secondary benefits including bonus plan

· Annual contract with intention to extend

· A chance to make a direct positive impact

Interested?

Are you itching to start your new adventure? Mail your CV to HR@bluecraneorganic.com.

Cheers,

Team Blue Crane