Join SMEY as a Downstream Processing Chemical Engineer

Full-time | On-site | 82152 Martinsried, Am Klopferspitz 19 (IZB)

About Us:

SMEY cultivates the next generation of high-performance oils through biotechnology and a proprietary AI toolkit. We tackle critical challenges in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food industries where traditional manufacturing methods often fall short. As pioneers in precision fermentation, we craft sustainable, tailor-made and unique ingredients that enhance health, ensure full supply chain traceability, and support global scalability.

Job Overview:

We are seeking a senior-level Downstream Processing (DSP) Chemical Engineer to lead, develop and implement a purification and refining strategy for microbial oils from lab development to pilot and manufacturing scale. You will build and refine scalable processes, with routine MVP generation to validate products and guide scale-up.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize extraction and purification protocols for microbial oils and other lipids.
• Design and validate refining steps, including degumming, neutralization, bleaching, etc., tailored to the specific end-product application.
• Design and execute the MVP generation in the lab and pilot scales.
• Transfer the lab-scale process to pilot and industrial levels.
• Select and evaluate suitable process equipment and refining aids for different scale and purity requirements.
• Troubleshoot process and scale-up challenges, improve process robustness and sustainability.
• Maintain accurate and organized experimental documentation in digital lab notebooks.
• Work with a cross-functional team to align DSP design with overall development goals.

Qualification:

PhD in chemical engineering, biotechnology, bioprocess engineering or related with 1-2 years of relevant industrial or applied research experience, or MSc with 3-5 years of experience in DSP development and scale-up. Strong chemical background
Experience in the purification of microbial products, ideally including oils and lipids, but also proteins, polysaccharides, and small molecules.
Knowledge of refining processes (degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization, etc.) and separation techniques (extraction, filtration, centrifugation, drying, etc.).
Proven experience in Design of Experiments and statistical process optimization.
Familiarity with pilot-scale operations and ability to transfer lab results into scalable, reproducible processes.
A practical mindset, documentation skills, and the ability to work in a cross-functional environment with fermentation and analytics teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the development of microbial lipids or fermentative oils.
• Hands-on experience with DSP development and scale-up.
• Knowledge of sustainable DSP approaches or process intensification strategies.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of an exciting and rapidly growing start-up that is transforming the food biotechnology industry.
• Work in a collaborative, innovative, and mission-driven environment.
• Hands-on involvement in cutting-edge microbial fermentation projects.
• Competitive salary and opportunities for professional development.

How to Apply:

Please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your qualifications and interest as well as your availability in the position to [email protected], using the subject line “DSP Chemical Engineer."