Application Development Engineer

Main Functions

Lallemand is building one of the most ambitious bio-based products platforms in Europe — a scalable, industrial-grade alternative to petroleum-based materials for various applicative industries. A specific project investigate solutions for  bio-polymers uses: it is a commercially driven program on a clear trajectory from lab-scale formulation to industrial production.

We are recruiting an engineer who will own the critical interface between product chemistry and application reality — securing formulation robustness, generating the data that drives industrial decisions, and supporting the first customer deployments.

You take ownership of lab-scale formulation development and application engineering. You build the structure–property relationships that convert promising chemistry into a robust, deployable product. You produce the technical data that makes industrial scaling credible and quality decisions defensible.

 

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS:

A rare combination of scientific depth and industrial impact

→  Your work directly shapes the qualification of the first bio-adhesive volumes delivered to market.

→  You operate within a team of recognized experts across chemistry, industrialization and customer deployment.

→  The scope will grow with the program — giving you the opportunity to shape your own level of responsibility.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and optimize bio-based materials formulations at lab scale (ie: adhesive applications…).
• Build structure–property–performance maps linking chemistry, microstructure and macroscopic behaviour.
• Drive robustness and variability studies on raw material batches and critical formulation parameters.
• Produce structured application data supporting customer trials, after-sales technical support, and Go/No-Go qualification decisions.
• Translate lab-scale constraints into industrial language — viscosity, pot life, cure kinetics, cost — for the industrialization team.
• Manage your projects with discipline: timelines, resources, reporting, and structured data delivery.
• Contribute to sustainability positioning: LCA support, bio-sourcing traceability, eco-label compliance.

Technical skills

Required

• MSc or PhD in Polymer Chemistry, Materials Science, Physical Chemistry or equivalent.
• Solid hands-on formulation experience in aqueous or bio-based adhesive/resin systems.
• Characterization proficiency: rheology, mechanical testing (hot press, bond strength), DSC, FTIR.
• Ability to connect physico-chemical data to real application performance.
• DOE (Design Of Experiments) methodology and statistical analysis — structured experimental design.
• 5 to 10+ years of relevant experience in formulation R&D, ideally with industrial transfer exposure.
• English

An asset

• Knowledge of wood panel manufacturing (hot press, bonding conditions) is a meaningful plus.
• French and/or German

Personal abilities

Required

• Results-oriented and pragmatic — you move from data to decision without losing scientific depth.
• Autonomous and self-driven — you structure your own agenda and deliver with rigour.
• Comfortable in a fast-moving, multi-disciplinary team where priorities can shift.
• Natural communicator: you can brief a chemist, an industrialist, and a customer in three different registers.

General criteria

Required

• Available to visit production facilities.
• Valid work permit or residence permit for Switzerland.

Organization

Lallemand is a privately held Canadian company founded in the late 19th century, which develops, produces, and markets microorganisms for various markets. The administrative offices of the parent company are in Montreal, Canada. Today, Lallemand employs more than 6,500 people working in more than 45 countries on 5 continents.

Lallemand's corporate division encompasses all of the support services offered to our branches. Its goal is to optimize internal processes, ensure that your operation is running smoothly, and that your strategy is well thought-out.

Our corporate branch's head office is located in Montreal, Canada, and relies on a team that specializes in: Management; Finance and accounting; Engineering; Research and Development (R&D); Human Resources (HR); and Information Technology (IT). If you want to help bring enthusiasm, collaboration and innovation to our workplace, we'd love to get to know you!

Please take note that accommodations will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.