Fermentation Scientist

Esencia Foods is Europe’s first company building fish and seafood alternatives based on mushroom mycelium, using solid-state fermentation.

Our mission is to foster the world’s transition to a sustainable seafood system
- without asking consumers to compromise on taste, texture, or price.

Our planet cannot sustain our current food system; therefore, we believe in producing exceptional alternative seafood products to remove the current strain on our environment and ensure food security for our future ever-growing population.

We are looking for a Fermentation Scientist Intern to support our R&D team in the development of our whole-cut seafood alternative based on mycelium fermentation.

This is your opportunity to have an impact on our planet and experience a startup in its earliest days.

Tasks

Roles & Responsibilities
- Working across all Product Development and RnD functions (mycelium RnD, product development, bioprocesses)
- Mycelium: experimental work to create and develop methods to grow mycelium for alternative seafood products, including fermentation of different strains, optimization of conditions, etc.
- Creating and developing multiple approaches to achieve novel mycelium textures
- Develop methodologies to characterize mycelium biochemical, material and nutritional properties
- Developing and executing RnD strategy plan as well as supporting strategic decisions
- You will work directly with the mycologists and fermentation scientists in the team
- Strategy: Engage in supporting and developing the RnD strategy plan and strategic decisions
- Outreach: represent Esencia Foods at networking events and food tastings and conferences

**Requirements**:
**Qualifications**:

- Passion and experience with Fungi, Mycology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Food Engineering, Food Science, Fermentation, Gastronomic Sciences, or any relevant experience.
- First work experience in high-paced environments including startups, biotech companies, innovative restaurants, etc. through internships or as a working student
- Motivation to learn, getting stuff done, and being proactive
- Handling a high degree of ownership and self-management; being a team player
- Fluency in English

**Benefits**:
Why join?
- Paid Internship
- You will work directly with the founders: Bruno, the CTO, a unique mix between a PhD in Biophysics from Max-Planck Institute, Germany and also a Cook, and Hendrik, the CEO, a former M&A consultant and senior leader from a b2c unicorn. We will work together and take joint decisions.
- Access to a broad network, ongoing support after your internship and the opportunity to convert into a full-time role.
- Trans-disciplinarity at its peak: we believe invention only happens when you connect dots that are seemingly far apart. Really far apart.
- A high-impact, ambitious startup environment with the ability to learn and grow alongside the company
- The opportunity to work on groundbreaking technology and make a true impact on the environment and our food system
- A fun, flexible and rewarding environment where you can have the ability to thrive as a person
- We will have proper heating by the time you join

Excited to work with us?