At Planet A Foods, we want to revolutionize the food industry to protect the planet we love. We believe that creating better food ingredients, done by perfecting centuries-old fermentation technology, leads to healthier alternatives for us all and can save up to 500 Mt of CO2 per year.

Our first product? Yummy chocolate! We created the world’s first 100% cocoa-free chocolate called ChoViva. Our ChoViva tastes amazing with a solid snap and smooth melt as well as roasty notes and a subtle sweetness. In addition it is completely natural, gluten-free, vegan and made with only seven ingredients. ChoViva doesn’t only deliver on taste and naturalness. It is also kind to the planet with a breathtaking low carbon and water footprint, plus a complete mitigation of deforestation and child slavery!

On our journey to protect our Planet A, we are looking for a motivated Bioprocess Engineer Intern who supports us in our endeavor to develop a cocoa butter alternative. During this internship, you will have the opportunity to work closely with our experienced engineering team. Your main duties will encompass supporting the enhancement and expansion of bioprocesses while also focusing on refining and advancing downstream processes (DSP) for lipid extraction. This internship will provide you with a valuable learning experience and offer exposure to cutting-edge technologies in the field.

Your tasks at Planet A Foods:

• Collaborate with the team to design and optimize precision fermentations for the production of cocoa butter alternatives.

• Contribute to the operation and maintenance of chemostat bioreactor systems and other essential laboratory equipment.

• Collaborate in designing and executing experiments focused on lipid extraction processes, which may involve exploring different separation techniques and equipment setups.

• Conduct experiments, collect samples, and perform analytical tests to monitor and evaluate process performance.

• Perform data analysis and interpretation to identify trends, optimize process parameters, and troubleshoot issues.

• Support process scale-up and DSP activities, including technology transfer and process validation.

• Assist in the development of novel strategies and technologies to enhance process efficiency and productivity.

• Maintain accurate laboratory records, prepare reports, and present findings to the team.

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, or a related field. This position is specifically designed for mandatory internships as part of the applicant's current curriculum. The internship is expected to be pursued for a minimum duration of 4 months, in line with the academic requirements. Please note that we can only consider applicants who meet this mandatory internship criterion.

• Strong interest and passion for industrial biotechnology and downstream processing.

• Knowledge of basic principles and concepts of fermentation and/or process engineering.

• Experience with lipid extraction techniques (e.g., solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, membrane separation) is appreciated.

• A strong familiarity with bioreactor systems, fermentation processes, sample collection and analysis, and commonly used laboratory equipment in downstream processing is highly advantageous.

• Basic understanding of process optimization principles and statistical analysis techniques with data analysis software (e.g., Excel, MATLAB, Python) is a plus.

• Attention to detail and ability to follow experimental protocols.

• Good analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.

• Proficiency in the English language, including written and verbal communication skills.

(Please note we are currently only looking for applicants that already have a work visa/permission to work in Germany, or of course, EU citizenship and we only hire interns that need to make a mandatory internship for university)

Planet A Foods is committed to pursuing our values throughout our business. 

In the realm of recruitment and hiring, this means that we are not only an Equal Opportunity Employer, but also proactive in embedding fairness and equity into an inclusive recruitment and hiring process:

• We value the knowledge, expertise, and skills that individuals bring based on their identities, life experiences, and backgrounds. We want people to bring their full selves to work and as a global company, we want to reflect the world. Our success relies on talented individuals who share our passion bringing innovation and insights that stem from their different perspectives to help us work as one team to accomplish ambitious global strategy goals. 

• Our recruitment is inclusive. We recruit top talent that reflect the diversity of the world and global marketplace we inhabit. We conduct deliberate and purposeful recruitment that brings applicants to Planet A Foods that represent a broad range of identities, life experiences, backgrounds, and skill sets.

• Our hiring process is transparent and consistent. We have high standards for ensuring a clear process is used consistently with every candidate. There are no side doors for bringing in people. We adhere to a hiring protocol that includes and recognizes differences rather than rule them out.

• We recognize that one of the dynamics of meaningful inclusion is seeing that all people can succeed in our workplace. We know representation matters and that our values are not something we simply talk about, it’s something we work toward. It’s something we do. Our values must show up in who works on the Planet A Foods team, at every level. 

Our values: 

Fellowship

We share a great vision that can only be achieved as a team. We prefer enabling others to succeed instead of petting our egos.

On Discovery

We keep our eyes, hearts, and minds open, curious to explore, improve and create new realities beyond the ordinary.

Creating impact

We aim at building a better world. Science is at our hearts, and full of passion we progress on our journey.

Just do it

We rather take a lousy first step than standing still or losing ourselves in discussions. Smart words are worth nothing if they are not accompanied by smart actions.

Our hierarchy is flat and communication direct, which means that we operate and learn fast, as a team. You can expect the following:

• Competitive salary within the industry 

• Flexible working hours as we believe in ownership and trust

• Learning & Development Program for all our team members

• Regular team events

• Free drinks & snacks

• Your “normal” place to work is our office/ lab (we believe in building a strong culture needs a place where we physically meet and interact) 

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity. We consider all applications equally regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or gender identity. We strongly encourage individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in tech to apply.