Company Description
As a global key player in yeasts and fermentation, Lesaffre designs, manufactures and markets innovative solutions for Baking, Food taste & pleasure, Health care and Biotechnology.
Family group born in northern France in 1853, now a multi-national and a multicultural company, Lesaffre is committed to working with confidence to better nourish and protect the planet.
In close collaboration with its clients and partners, Lesaffre employs 11 000 people in more than 50 countries.
Lesaffre achieves a turnover of 3 billion euros.
For over 30 years, Lesaffre has been involved in Human Health & Nutrition as part of its ambition to Better Nourish and Protect the Planet. In November 2018, Lesaffre acquired Gnosis Advanced Biotech and officially combined it with Lesaffre Human Care to form a new Business Unit named Gnosis by Lesaffre.
Gnosis by Lesaffre is the business unit dedicated to human health.
At Gnosis by Lesaffre, we are committed to cultivating and to delivering nutritional actives, biotics, and nutritional yeasts that benefit human health and wellbeing, thanks to the power of microorganisms and biotransformation processes like fermentation. Put differently, we explore life to improve living.
Our vision: At Gnosis by Lesaffre, we strive for a world that moves better, digests better, ages better, feels better, and, ultimately, lives better thanks to microorganisms and fermentation.
Job Description
👉 If you’re passionate about bioprocesses, industrial optimization, and digital transformation, this opportunity is for you!
💼 Your Mission
As a Process Engineer VIE, you’ll play a key role in improving our bioproduction processes and scaling up production. Your main responsibilities will include:
🔍 Analyze & optimize bioprocesses (from pre-fermentation to formulation)
📊 Support data collection & digitalization of production processes
🏗 Define & support new investment projects for process improvement
💡 Implement initiatives to increase production capacity & efficiency
🔬 Work on bioprocess control systems & reactor operations
💡 You’ll be part of an international & cross-functional team, working closely with R&D, production, and industrial teams to make a real impact!
📍 Discover Pisticci – A Hidden Gem in Southern Italy 🇮🇹
Located in the Basilicata region, Pisticci is a charming Italian town known for its whitewashed houses, stunning hilltop views, and Mediterranean lifestyle. Nestled between the Ionian coast and beautiful countryside, it offers a relaxed and authentic Italian experience.
✨ Enjoy the mild climate, delicious local cuisine (think fresh pasta and olive oil!), and proximity to Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its ancient cave dwellings. Plus, Italy’s stunning beaches are just a short drive away! 🚗🏖
If you love culture, nature, and great food, Pisticci is the perfect place for your international adventure! 🍝🌞
Qualifications
🎯 Your Profile 🔍 Who are we looking for?
🎓 Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical, Biochemical, Food, Industrial, or Process Engineering
🧪 Knowledge of bioprocess engineering (mass & energy balances, microbial kinetics)
⚙️ Familiar with process control systems & bioreactor operations
📊 Experience with data analysis & visualization (Excel, Power BI, statistical tools)
🗣 Fluent in English (Italian is a plus!)
💡 Soft skills: Analytical mindset, problem-solver, detail-oriented 🔍
🤝 Strong teamwork & communication skills to work across different teams
🌎 What’s in it for You?
✨ International experience in a growing & innovative field
🔬 Work on cutting-edge bioprocess projects with real impact
📈 Gain expertise in process optimization, digital transformation & industrial scale-up
🍝 Live & work in Italy – Pisticci offers a fantastic work-life balance, close to beautiful landscapes, Mediterranean food & Italian culture 🇮🇹
🌍 Join a VIE community—you won’t be alone! Several VIEs are based in Italy
Additional Information
🚀 Why Join Us?
At Gnosis by Lesaffre, we’re on a mission to improve human health and wellbeing through microorganisms and biotransformation. Our teams push the limits of fermentation and process engineering to deliver innovative nutritional ingredients like Vitamin K2 and Folates.
We’re looking for a curious & motivated Process Engineer to support key projects on process optimization, capacity expansion & digitalization at our Pisticci plant in Italy.
📍 Pisticci, Italy | 2 years VIE contract
📅 Start date: ideally July 2025 – open to September
🎯 Recruitment Process:
📄 CV Screening ➡️ 3 Interviews ➡️ Welcome on board! 🚀
📝 Ready to Apply?
📌 Eligibility for the VIE Program:
✔️ 18-28 years old
✔️ European nationality 🇪🇺
✔️ Not having already completed a VIE
🔗 Learn more about the VIE program: Business France - VIE
📢 Apply now and be part of the adventure!
[Diversity & Inclusion]: At Lesaffre, diversity is a strength that enriches our culture and our teams. We are committed to offering you a work environment where you can thrive, regardless of your background, gender, age or abilities. We encourage all applications, as we believe that diverse perspectives strengthen our ability to innovate and meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Top Skills
What We Do
A key global player in fermentation for more than a century, Lesaffre, with a €2.7 billion turnover, and established on all continents, counts 11,000 employees and 96 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners, and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms. To nourish 9 billion people, in a healthy way, in 2050 by making the most of our planet’s resources is a major and unprecedented issue. We believe that fermentation is one of the most promising answers to this challenge.
