Pilot Plant Technician
About the job
- A high school degree or GED equivalent is required.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office software products, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.
- Ability to lift and carry objects up to 50 pounds on a consistent basis.
- Ability to observe details at close range.
- Ability to adapt to the changing needs of the lab.
- Ability to move constantly about the pilot plant, labs, and office.
- Ability to bend and kneel on the floor, carry, move, or push objects weighing over 50 pounds, and work at elevated heights when needed.
- Ability to work around plant equipment that may pose rotary, electrical, or temperature hazards.
- Ability to work in a conditioned plant where floors may be wet or slippery.
- Ability to be exposed to food and beverage product tastings that may include allergens.
- Become proficient in multiple new pieces of processing technology through on-the-job training.
- Maintain proper stock of prepared packaging materials.
- Troubleshoot and repair damaged components in a timely manner.
- Run beverage formulations through a variety of beverage processing equipment.
- Ensure beverage products are properly packaged and labeled.
- Follow Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines during beverage production, including cleaning and organizing work areas and wearing appropriate food safety and personal protective equipment.
- Participate in root cause analysis and process improvement projects.
- Partner with Product Development and Flavorists to produce beverage and food products for customer projects.
- Forklift certification.
- Previous food and beverage manufacturing experience.
- Mechanical background and familiarity with parts used in unit operations, including valves, pumps, seals, and thermocouples.
About the company
Imbibe designs and supplies custom ingredients and provides end-to-end food and beverage product development services, acting as an R&D partner to accelerate growth in the industry. Their portfolio includes flavors, stabilizers, functional blends, Pre/Sense natural sweeteners, and The Senses, a suite of taste modulation tools that adjust flavor profiles, sweetness perception, and overall sensory experience. They work with companies that have limited internal development resources, helping them create differentiated, purposeful products by developing ingredient systems and flavors that fit their goals. Unlike others, Imbibe combines deep R&D support with a broad ingredient portfolio to deliver integrated solutions from concept through scale, aiming to unlock the potential of the food and beverage market and drive customer success.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Niles, Illinois
Founded
1963
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 22, 2026 training monetizes technical expertise and deepens relationships with beverage developers.
- Taste modulation demand surged in 2025-2026 as brands reformulate around protein and sugar reduction.
- Its 2022 campus expansion and pilot plant support faster scale-up wins with CPG customers.
What critics are saying
- Givaudan, Kerry, and Synergy Flavors pressure Imbibe on breadth, pricing, and global reach.
- A product-development firm tied to customer programs risks margin compression if demand shifts to commoditized ingredients.
- If functional beverage demand slows, Imbibe's workshop-led selling model loses pipeline and relevance.
What makes Imbibe unique
- Imbibe pairs flavor house expertise with pilot-scale formulation, scaling from concept to commercialization.
- Its 2026 Taste Modulation portfolio targets proteins, sweeteners, and functional actives with specific tools.
- The Strawberry Flavor Wheel and Flavor Lexicon create proprietary sensory language and customer pull-through.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Parental Leave
Wellness Program
Professional Development Budget
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Hybrid Work Options
Company News
Imbibe launches training program to tackle functional beverage flavor challenges. Interactive training program teaches structured sensory evaluation and taste modulation strategies for proteins, sweeteners and functional ingredients. July 22, 2026 As functional beverage formulations grow more complex, Imbibe, a formulation partner and flavor house, launched its Masking & Modulating Session: Landscape & Applications, a hands-on training program designed to help product developers more effectively diagnose and address off-notes in real-world systems. Developed for product development and innovation teams, the program focuses on common formulation challenges associated with proteins, alternative sweeteners and functional actives - ingredients that often introduce bitterness, astringency, or lingering aftertastes that are difficult to resolve through masking alone. Looking for a reprint of this article? From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today! JOIN TODAY to unlock your recommendations. Already have an account? Sign In
That's why Imbibe, Inc. is excited to announce the release of its Strawberry Flavor Wheel, which represents the first fruit flavor as Imbibe, Inc. build its Flavor Lexicon.