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Fermentation Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

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Richmond, VA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

... bio fermentation, cultivated meats, and alternative proteins. * Establish and nurture relationships with key stakeholders in the protein value chain, including engineering firms, CDMOs, and ...

... fermentation-based therapeutics, and sterile drug manufacturing. * Monitor industry trends ... Collaborate across Sales, BU teams, Engineering, and Service to ensure unified customer engagement ...

... fermentation-based therapeutics, and sterile drug manufacturing. * Monitor industry trends ... Collaborate across Sales, BU teams, Engineering, and Service to ensure unified customer engagement ...

... fermentation-based therapeutics, and sterile drug manufacturing. * Monitor industry trends ... Collaborate across Sales, BU teams, Engineering, and Service to ensure unified customer engagement ...

Fermentation Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$40.6K

$109.7K

$149.2K

How much do fermentation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for fermentation engineer in Virginia is $109,713.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $89,700.00 and $146,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Fermentation Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Fermentation Engineer, you need a solid background in bioprocess engineering, microbiology, and chemical engineering, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with fermentation control systems, bioreactor operation, and analytical laboratory tools is typically required. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills help you optimize processes and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are vital to ensure efficient, safe, and high-quality fermentation processes in industries like biotech, food, and pharmaceuticals.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum, aerospace, or software engineering often earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and relevant certifications. Leadership roles like engineering managers or directors in high-demand industries can also reach or exceed this salary level.

What are the most common challenges faced by Fermentation Engineers in scaling up processes from lab to production?

Fermentation Engineers often encounter challenges when scaling up processes from laboratory to industrial scale, such as maintaining consistent product yields, ensuring robust microbial performance, and managing contamination risks. Differences in equipment, mixing, oxygen transfer, and temperature control can significantly impact the reproducibility and efficiency of fermentation. To address these challenges, engineers work closely with cross-functional teams, including microbiologists, process engineers, and quality assurance, to optimize protocols and implement rigorous monitoring systems throughout scale-up.

What does a fermentation engineer do?

A fermentation engineer designs, develops, and optimizes fermentation processes to produce products such as biofuels, pharmaceuticals, or food ingredients. They work with microbiology, biochemistry, and process control tools to ensure efficient and consistent production, often operating in laboratory or manufacturing environments and requiring knowledge of sterile techniques and process monitoring.

What Does a Fermentation Engineer Do?

A fermentation engineer uses state-of-the-art technologies to formulate new products and refine the processes used in existing ones. Your responsibilities in this career include setting up and testing a process involving a microorganism, such as a yeast or a bacterium, in a fermentor to create new products. You use biotechnology techniques like recombinant DNA technology. Your duties also involve operating sophisticated equipment, such as bioreactors or robots. You can find employment in a wide range of industries, from food production to agriculture to medical science.

What is the difference between Fermentation Engineer vs Microbiologist?

AspectFermentation EngineerMicrobiologist
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field; experience in fermentation processesBachelor's or higher in Microbiology, Biology, or related field; laboratory skills
Work EnvironmentIndustrial labs, manufacturing plants, R&D facilitiesResearch labs, clinical labs, academic institutions
Industry UsageBiotech, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, biofuel productionHealthcare, research, environmental studies, food safety

Fermentation Engineers focus on designing, optimizing, and scaling fermentation processes in industrial settings, while Microbiologists primarily conduct research and analysis of microorganisms in laboratory environments. Both roles require a strong background in microbiology, but Fermentation Engineers emphasize process engineering and production, whereas Microbiologists focus on scientific study and experimentation.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum, aerospace, or software engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, often through a combination of base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Achieving this level typically requires extensive experience, advanced skills, and often leadership roles or working in high-paying industries.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum, aerospace, or software engineering can earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and leadership roles. High compensation often involves working in high-demand industries, holding managerial or executive positions, or possessing rare technical expertise and certifications.
What are popular job titles related to Fermentation Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Fermentation Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Fermentation Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Fermentation Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Fermentation Engineer jobs in VA? For Fermentation Engineer jobs in VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Fermentation Engineer job openings in Virginia as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 75% In-person, and 25% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $109,713 per year, or $52.7 per hour.

National Business Development Manager - Protein Industry

Alfa Laval U.S. Holding Inc.

Richmond, VA

$120K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 6 days ago


Job description

Every day, we get opportunities to make a positive impact - on our colleagues, partners, customers and society. Together, we're pioneering the solutions of the future and unlocking the full potential of precious resources. Trusted to act on initiative, we challenge conventional thinking to develop world-leading technologies that inspire progress in vital areas, including energy, food, water and shipping.

As we push forward, the innovative, open spirit that fuels our 140-year-old start-up culture and rapid growth also drives our personal growth. So, as we shape a more resourceful, less wasteful world, we build our careers too.

About the job
We are seeking a dynamic and strategicBusiness Development Manager (BDM)to drive Alfa Laval's growth in the Protein industry across the United States, with a focus on bio fermentation, next generation foods and emerging biotech applications such as cultivated meats, fermented products, and animal/plant-based proteins.

This nationally focused role is ideal for a technically savvy commercial leader who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment. This role will work across regions and business units to support sales teams, develop new markets and build relationships with key accounts and industry influencers, executing Alfa Laval's global protein strategy at the local level.

This is a national role with location flexibility, though we prefer candidates near Alfa Laval offices in Richmond, VA; Houston, TX; or Kenosha, WI-or in key regions like North Carolina's Research Triangle, Chicagoland, or the San Francisco Bay Area.

As a part of the team, you will:

  • Translate the global protein strategy into actionable regional plans, ensuring alignment across business units and customer segments.

  • Serve as the national point of contact for protein-related initiatives, supporting Regional Sales Managers (RSMs) with product and application expertise, sales strategy, and competitive intelligence.

  • Collaborate across business units to build internal capabilities and position Alfa Laval as a leader in the protein industry.

  • Identify and develop opportunities in underpenetrated and emerging protein markets, including bio fermentation, cultivated meats, and alternative proteins.

  • Establish and nurture relationships with key stakeholders in the protein value chain, including engineering firms, CDMOs, and manufacturers.

  • Lead strategic account planning and national partnership discussions.

  • Support sales activities in targeted accounts, including cross-selling across business units.

  • Travel nationally to engage with customers and sales teams, supporting opportunity development and relationship building.

  • Support training and enablement of sales teams on protein-specific applications, trends, and customer needs.

  • Act as a liaison with central business units to share insights on new applications, product feedback, and competitive dynamics.

  • Maintain accurate CRM data and track performance indicators to measure impact and inform strategy.

  • Collaborate with engineering and support teams to address product quality issues and customer concerns.

  • Track and report known product issues, customer feedback, and market insights to inform continuous improvement and portfolio development.

  • Represent Alfa Laval at major trade shows, technical events, and industry forums to enhance visibility and thought leadership.

  • Other duties as assigned.

What you know:

You have a bachelor's degree in Business, Life Sciences, Engineering or a related field or have equivalent work experience. Additionally, you have:

  • 5+ years of experience in capital equipment sales or business development.

  • Strong technical acumen in Protein and fermentation processes and separation technologies.

  • Proven track record of strategic account development and market expansion.

  • Excellent communication, presentation, and CRM skills.

  • Willingness to travel nationally up to 50%

We care about diversity, inclusion and equity in our recruitment processes. We also believe behavioral traits can provide important insights into a candidate's fit to a role. To help us achieve this we apply Pymetrics assessments, and upon application you will be invited to play the assessment games.

What's in it for you?

Alfa Laval offers a competitive salary and full benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life, 401(k) plan, and more. At Alfa Laval, we carefully consider a wide range of compensation factors to determine your total compensation package. We rely on market indicators to determine compensation and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to get it right. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary and will also be dependent on your location.

The base salary for this role is typically $120,000 - $150,000.

Alfa Laval is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, or business need, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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