Process Development & Product Integration Manager – Hydrolysate & Coproducts

JOB TITLE: Process Development & Product Integration Manager – Hydrolysate &  

                     Coproducts

REPORTS TO: Senior Project Manager

STATUS: Full time, exempt 

LOCATION: Beaumont, TX. 

SALARY RANGE: $130,000-160,000/year based on experience & qualifications

BENEFITS: Medical, dental, and vision insurance, optional FSA/HSA, 401k with 6% employer match, life and AD&D insurance, Employee Assistance Program, short & long term disability, tuition reimbursement, 21.67 days of paid time off + 10 holidays

About Tidal Vision:

We believe that sustainability should not require customers to compromise on price, convenience, or performance. Our mission is to create positive and systemic environmental impact by making our biopolymer solutions cost competitive, more convenient, and better performing than the synthetic chemicals we displace. We value innovation and take pride in challenging the status-quo; we choose to view obstacles as opportunities. We value new ideas and encourage the team to apply creativity and invent new solutions to meet challenging demands. We foster open, direct communication, and a collaborative working environment through our unique approach to work culture. We value our employees and demonstrate that through our compensation and benefits programs and opportunities for growth and development.

About Tidal Vision’s Unique Work Culture:

Tidal Vision strives to build and invest in the highest performing and most innovative team. We put our people and customers above process, avoid company-wide rules as much as possible, and have the courage to take unusual approaches to advance our mission. With this approach, we believe we can create a more flexible, fun, stimulating, creative, collaborative, and innovative organization.

Our commitment to developing, practicing and promoting direct and open communication, responsibility and freedom, and leading with and seeking context is a responsibility for every role at Tidal Vision.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Process Development & Product Integration Manager is responsible for the production-aligned development, validation, and commercialization of hydrolysate and coproduct streams generated through shell processing and downstream operations. This role supports two primary focus areas: hydrolysate integration and validation, including incorporation of protein sludge into existing liquid fertilizer production systems, and development of a unified agricultural product derived from multiple coproduct streams. This is a hands-on industrial process development role that bridges research and production by applying established scientific principles and mass balance frameworks developed by the Bellingham R&D team to real-world plant conditions in Texas. The position leads applied validation, scale-up alignment, and commercial product integration to ensure process innovations and coproduct streams can be successfully implemented within production environments.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Hydrolysate Integration & Sludge Validation

Apply established hydrolysate process principles to Texas production systems.

Lead validation trials incorporating protein sludge into existing liquid fertilizer production lines.

Evaluate stability, filtration behavior, nitrogen reduction impact, storage performance, and agronomic metrics under production conditions.

Document integration parameters including dosing ranges, mixing sequences, and break tank impacts.

Provide feedback when plant conditions deviate from modeled assumptions.

Coproduct Consolidation & Product Development

Develop a unified agricultural product derived from shell fines, chito-fining streams, and other coproduct outputs.

Validate drying parameters using fluid bed systems and future equipment installations.

Establish baseline physical properties and agronomic performance metrics.

Define blending strategies and application rate ranges.

Ensure compatibility with fertilizer handling, storage, and distribution systems.

Process Validation & Scale-Up Support

Apply process flow and mass balance principles to production-scale conditions.

Identify and document deviations between modeled process assumptions and plant performance.

Support break tank trials, sludge testing, and dissolved air flotation (DAF) evaluations.

Maintain detailed trial documentation tied to throughput, tank capacity, and yield performance.

Serve as the Texas-based operational feedback loop for continuous process improvement.

Laboratory Establishment & Industrial Experimentation

Establish and equip a hydrolysate and coproduct testing laboratory in Beaumont, Texas.

Develop an equipment procurement plan and commissioning timeline.

Conduct plant-aligned experiments using real feedstocks and production systems.

Support commissioning-stage troubleshooting and product validation activities.

Maintain clear, production-relevant experimental documentation.

Transitional Quality Leadership

Develop and implement sampling protocols for new products and coproduct streams.

Coordinate nutrient and quality validation with external laboratories.

Establish baseline performance metrics for hydrolysate and dry coproduct products.

Develop safety protocols related to newly established product offerings.

Transition routine quality control responsibilities to trained operators and future lab technicians as production stabilizes.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field preferred, or equivalent hands-on industrial experience, with 5–10+ years in industrial process development, chemical processing, bio-based manufacturing, or fertilizer production.

Demonstrated ability to translate lab-scale work into pilot or production-scale validation.

Strong understanding of mass balances and process flows.

Experience working in active production environments alongside operators.

Proven ability to design and execute practical, production-aligned experiments.

Strong documentation discipline and ability to produce clear technical summaries.

Comfortable operating independently in commissioning-stage or early-growth facilities.

Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot process variability and material handling challenges.

Travel 10–20% as required.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience with protein hydrolysates, enzymatic processing, or acid hydrolysis systems.

Familiarity with wastewater sludge processing, DAF systems, or organic residual streams.

Experience working with drying systems (fluid bed, rotary dryers, or similar equipment).

Background in fertilizer production, agricultural inputs, soil amendments, or bio-based materials.

Familiarity with break tank batch systems and staged blending operations.

Experience building or outfitting a laboratory or pilot-scale facility.

Supervision of small teams such as lab technicians or project execution teams.

Coordination with external analytical laboratories.

Licensing & Special Requirements

Incumbent is subject to a criminal background check. 

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work is performed in a combination of laboratory, office, and industrial production environments. Exposure to manufacturing conditions including noise, heat, chemicals, and process equipment may occur. Ability to walk plant floors, climb stairs, and work near industrial equipment. Ability to lift or move equipment and materials up to approximately 25–35 lbs occasionally. Occasional work outside standard hours may be required during commissioning, trials, and early production runs.

Tidal Vision provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods, or otherwise to balance the workload. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.