Feedstock and Operations Internship at Business & Development Department

Your mission

1. Feedstock Sourcing & Supplier Development

Research, evaluate, and directly engage potential PET waste suppliers (waste management companies, sorting facilities, collection networks, industrial partners with PET waste streams)

Own supplier relationships, negotiating terms, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring consistent demo plant feedstock supply

Build our supplier database with quality data, pricing, volumes, logistics requirements, and reliability metrics—the foundation for scaling feedstock supply

1. Operations Systems & Process Optimization

• Build standard operating procedures (SOPs) for feedstock handling, material flow, and inventory management that will scale beyond the demo plant
• Create dashboards, tracking tools, and automated reporting to enable faster decision-making
• Set up processes to track feedstock batches, volumes, material specifications, and full chain of custody—moving towards industry certification standards

1. Scale-up Preparation & Strategic Projects

Build cost models for feedstock & logistics and supply reliability assessments; own the preparation of supplier negotiation materials and partnership frameworks that will support the scale up to 100x feedstock volumes

Work closely with R&D; and Engineering to connect feedstock specifications to process performance and economics, integrating supply chain insights into our technical development

Research waste classification requirements, transport regulations, and cross-border shipment rules while building relationships with logistics partners to establish our transport network

Your profile

Must Have

You work across disciplines and are curious to learn. You ask questions to understand how feedstock quality, supplier relationships, logistics, and costs connect to get to the right solution

You take ownership and work independently. You're comfortable with ambiguity, building structure from scratch, and driving multiple projects in parallel without needing constant direction

You have a commercial and partnership mindset. You understand trade-offs and supplier incentives when structuring agreements or making decisions

Strong communication skills in English for supplier negotiations and presenting to leadership; German, French or Spanish highly beneficial

You're reliable with details and documentation, but pragmatic about finding solutions with incomplete information. You figure things out and turn ideas into action

You're willing to get hands-on in operational settings—demo plant visits, handling materials, understanding the physical process

You have a Swiss working permit or are eligible to work in Switzerland

Nice to Have

Academic background in environmental, chemical or process engineering, supply chain, or industrial management; or prior academic or professional experience in waste management, recycling, or chemical manufacturing

Experience with or curiosity about implementing AI tools in research, production, or procurement contexts

Why us?

Here is what we can offer

• 6 months internship at 80 or 100% in a stimulating working environment, with the possibility of further opportunities at the end of the internship
• Being involved in the scaling up of new recycling technologies
• Making the first steps in the cleantech & sustainability industry
• Being part of an international team in the heart of the Swiss Alps
• Learning practical, on-the-job, business skills in the world of PET recycling
• Gaining experience in technology to help boost plastic circularity