Agristo NV
Agristo is building a brand-new, large-scale food manufacturing plant in Grand Forks, North Dakota — one of the biggest investments in our company’s history. To support this ambitious growth, we’re hiring a Technical Director who will play a pivotal role in shaping, building, and leading all technical activities for our U.S. operations.
This is a unique opportunity to be part of a once-in-a-generation greenfield project and to help establish a new, high-performing team and culture from the ground up.
Lead the full technical strategy for Agristo in the U.S. and translate it into a multi-year technical roadmap.
Oversee all major technical, including a $500M+ greenfield investment , from concept to commissioning.
Build and develop the technical organization: engineering, design, automation, and project teams.
Ensure strong collaboration across production, maintenance, suppliers, and contractors.
Maintain a boots-on-the-ground leadership style — being visible, present, and hands‑on throughout construction, installation, and start‑up.
Promote a culture of safety, reliability, food safety, and continuous improvement.
Develop trusted partnerships with contractors, EPC firms, equipment suppliers, and local authorities.
Drive standardization, technical excellence, and innovation across the operation.
We are searching for a leader who embodies Agristo’s culture: pragmatic, hands‑on, humble, direct, and truly team‑oriented.
Must‑have experience 10+ years in technical/engineering leadership roles in manufacturing, food, or process industries.
Proven end‑to‑end responsibility for large‑scale CAPEX projects (ideally $100M+).
Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams.
Strong understanding of utilities (steam, refrigeration, ammonia/freezing systems).
Direct experience with food safety regulations, audits, and compliance frameworks (FDA/USDA, HACCP, GFSI, BRC, SQF or similar).
Ability to operate effectively in a fast‑changing, entrepreneurial, and down‑to‑earth environment.
Fit matters The ideal candidate:
thrives in settings where action outweighs meetings ,
enjoys being physically present on site,
naturally connects with production and operations teams,
and embraces the community‑focused, hardworking culture typical of the Midwest.
Location & Relocation This is an on‑site leadership role based in Grand Forks, North Dakota . Relocation support is available for qualified candidates.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship now or in the future.
Agristo is a global, family‑owned Belgian food manufacturer with a strong reputation for innovation, quality, and long‑term vision. Joining us now means:
shaping the culture and technical foundation of our first U.S. plant,
leading one of the largest greenfield projects in the region,
and becoming a key driver in Agristo’s U.S. growth story.
Agristo is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other protected status. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences.
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