Process Engineer at Beyond Meat in El Segundo, CA

Beyond Meat, Inc., otherwise known as Beyond The Plant Protein Company™, is a plant protein company offering a portfolio of plant-based products made from simple ingredients without GMOs, no added hormones or antibiotics, and 0mg of cholesterol per serving. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat’s core products are designed to have the same taste and texture as animal-based meat while being better for people and the planet.

The Company’s brand promise, Eat What You Love®, represents a strong belief that there is a better way to feed our future and that the positive choices we all make, no matter how small, can have a great impact on our personal health and the health of our planet. By shifting from animal-based protein to plant-based protein, we can positively impact four growing global issues: human health, climate change, constraints on natural resources and animal welfare.

Job Description

The Process Engineer will report to the Head of Commercialization and work closely in a cross-functional environment with Engineering, R&D, Quality, and Operations teams. This role is responsible for advancing Beyond Meat’s innovative products from early feasibility through full production readiness, supporting manufacturing, and enabling successful, on-time product launches. The Process Engineer will focus on food process engineering, process development, and scale-up, ensuring manufacturing systems consistently deliver high-quality products that meet defined specifications. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing processes during feasibility and pilot phases, followed by scaling, commissioning, and supporting production-ready manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate is an engineer with 1–2 years of relevant experience, strong process development fundamentals, and a clear interest in translating bench-scale concepts into pilot and commercial production—particularly within innovative food products. Success in this role requires a collaborative, hands-on, and results-driven mindset. This position may require frequent and/or irregular travel. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to apply scientific principles and data-driven methodologies to food process development, take initiative, remain organized, and deliver results aligned with project objectives and timelines.

TASKS, DUTIES, & GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in the ideation, design, setup, and execution of pilot-scale experiments.

• Support new product production runs and commercialization activities.

• Identify, evaluate, and test new equipment and technologies for pilot-scale product development.

• Optimize and troubleshoot processes and equipment to achieve target product quality attributes.

• Communicate process engineering learnings, results, and manufacturing capabilities clearly across cross-functional commercialization teams.

• Collaborate between R&D and Operations teams on new and renovated product development programs to meet program objectives, manufacturability, timelines, and cost targets.

• Organize and conduct process engineering development, including PFDs, energy and mass balance, process and equipment trials, process design, specification, and commissioning.

• Verify food manufacturing processes and equipment for production capability, scale, and readiness.

• Identify key product and process parameters and scale-up factors critical to commercial success.

• Assess existing and emerging food manufacturing equipment and technologies; propose innovative solutions for future commercialization.

• Advance product and process development from feasibility through new product introduction (NPI) and production launch.

• Ensure design-for-manufacturability and process viability at pilot scale while meeting project objectives.

• Integrate quality and food safety requirements, including critical control points, into equipment and process specifications.

• Support equipment and tooling selection by developing engineering specifications and assisting with procurement, installation, and commissioning.

• Contribute to cost estimates, capital and expense budgets, and associated project plans for process engineering activities.

• Maintain and follow GMP and Lab safety protocols in compliance with EH&S guidelines. Supervisory Duties (if applicable)

• None

EDUCATION, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• BS in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, Biosystems Engineering or Food Process Engineering – required

• 1-2 years of relevant food process engineering experience working with R&D, Commercialization, and Operations in NPI process development, production scale-up, and commercial launches – required

• Prior experience in the food industry – required

• Experience with GMP and SQF systems – preferred

• Computer literacy in Microsoft 365 (Office, Teams, Outlook, etc.) DOE software, AutoCAD, CFD

• Proven engineering experience in a growth-oriented business environment, with a track record of overcoming difficult challenges to achieve business and project objectives.

• Demonstrated success in process engineering development, scale-up, and commissioning including high-impact work output, trials, and production launches.

• Strong problem-solving ability to simplify complex processes and implement practical solutions.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Willingness to travel up to 25% to manufacturing facilities and suppliers.

• Hands-on involvement with equipment and experimental work during process scale-up.

• Ability to stand or sit for extended periods and perform physical tasks including climbing, kneeling, bending, and lifting up to 50 lbs.

• Position is in El Segundo, California and in a mix of Pilot Plant, Laboratory, Plant Facilities, and Office Environments; requires a tolerance for high worker traffic, close quarters, noise, odors, and varying room temperatures and lighting.

T he starting annual base pay for this role is between USD $100,000 and $115,000.  The actual base is dependent upon many factors, such as training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. The role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, and benefits.

Beyond The Plant Protein Company is an equal employment opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, ancestry, veteran status, marital status, gender identify, sexual orientation, national origin, liability for military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you are interested in learning the status of your application, please note you will be contacted directly by the appropriate human resources contact person if you are selected for further consideration. Beyond Meat reserves the right to defer or close a vacancy at any time.

For all U.S. based roles: Applicants must be authorized to work for a U.S. employer. E-Verify is used to validate employment eligibility. This role is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship at this time.