Job Description:
Job Title: Global Technical Leader for WET
Segment: Royal Canin
Location: Aimargues, France (near Montpellier)
Contract type: Permanent. Full time. Hybrid.
As the Global Technical Lead, you will provide the critical engineering analysis required to specify, procure, install, and commission process and mechanical equipment. This role drives capital improvements, new product initiatives, line extensions, capacity increases, and the implementation of advanced technologies. You will be responsible for planning and managing engineering and financial resources for capital and expense projects from initial concept through to final implementation.
What are we looking for?
- Education: University degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Process, or Industrial preferred).
- Experience: 5+ years of hands-on experience within industrial engineering, preferably in food, beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Technical Expertise: In-depth technical knowledge of wet food processing and manufacturing technology, with a strong foundational understanding of related engineering disciplines (such as utilities, automation, or packaging).
- Business Acumen: A proven track record of utilizing industry best practices and external benchmarking to optimize products, processes, or services.
- Problem Solving: Advanced analytical skills with a knack for solving complex technical problems, bringing a fresh perspective to optimize existing solutions.
- Autonomy & Leadership: Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while acting as a key technical resource and mentor for less experienced engineers.
- Project Management: Experience leading capital projects or managing significant project phases within larger global initiatives.
- Stakeholder Management: Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.
- Languages: Full professional proficiency in English (written and verbal).
What will be your key responsibilities?
- Process Innovation: Deliver innovative process engineering solutions that build a competitive advantage in manufacturing capabilities.
- Project Delivery: Manage and ensure the delivery of project scope, timelines, budgets, and cash flows for all assigned engineering projects, adhering to robust corporate project management frameworks.
- Capital Planning: Accurately scope, design, and estimate capital expenditure (CapEx) projects to ensure technical feasibility and alignment with strategic business goals.
- Standards & Specifications: Develop, maintain, and implement global engineering standards and design specifications for wet pet food production assets and packaging lines.
- Master Planning: Lead or support site master planning sessions to define capital investment phases and site layout evolutions. Ensure alignment with market demand, supply network strategies, and strict safety and quality benchmarks.
- Peer Reviews & Best Practices: Conduct peer review sessions on capital projects to leverage expert knowledge, guarantee alignment with global engineering guidelines, and integrate continuous improvement practices.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with key stakeholders across Operations, R&D, Quality, Procurement, and Finance to align and execute project objectives.
- Commissioning & Startup: Act as a core member and technical lead during the Commissioning, Validation, and Start-up (CVS) phases of new installations.
- Safety Leadership: Actively foster, monitor, and improve health, safety, and environmental standards to ensure a zero-accident culture.
What can you expect from Mars?
- Global Impact: Work at the heart of Royal Canin's international HQ, a unique campus housing 800+ associates, two laboratories, and our flagship factory.
- Innovation Culture: Join a team that is actively moving toward "Second Brain" AI integration and cutting-edge longitudinal research.
- Career Growth: Access world-class development through Mars University and opportunities for cross-functional moves within the global Mars Petcare ecosystem.
- Purpose-Driven Work: Every day, you will contribute to our mission: A Better World for Pets.
- Competitive Package: Industry-leading salary, benefits, and company bonus.
#LI-KD1 #mars #royalcanin #proudlymars
Skills Required
- University degree in Engineering, preferably Mechanical, Chemical, Process, or Industrial Engineering
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in industrial engineering
- Experience in food, beverage, consumer packaged goods, or pharmaceutical manufacturing
- In-depth technical knowledge of wet food processing and manufacturing technology
- Understanding of utilities, automation, or packaging engineering
- Experience leading capital projects or significant project phases
- Advanced analytical and complex problem-solving skills
- Ability to work independently and mentor less experienced engineers
- Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder collaboration skills
- Full professional proficiency in written and verbal English
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
