Scientific & Patent Information Specialist

**Who are we?**

With a long-term vision of adding value to agricultural raw materials and developing quality products for the food, health and renewable energy sectors, Tereos is one of the market leaders in sugar, alcohol and starch. The Group's societal and environmental commitments contribute to the company's long-term performance while strengthening its contribution as a responsible player. A cooperative group, Tereos brings together 11,000 cooperative members and has recognized know-how in the processing of beet, cane, cereals, alfalfa and potatoes. Thanks to its 41 industrial sites, a presence in 15 countries and the commitment of its 15,000 employees, Tereos supports its customers as close as possible to their markets with a wide and complementary range of products.

**Contract**: CDI

**Position location**: Burchtstraat 10, Aalst 9300 BEL

**About the position**

At Tereos, we are set on an ambitious path to cultivate a sustainable growth. Our agricultural and industrial activities are under transformation to deliver on our decarbonization ambitions and to bring sustainable solutions for our customers. Innovation is a key pilar to deliver Tereos’ Strategy for a Sustainable Future.

As Scientific & Patent Information Specialist you will support our research and innovation activities by monitoring and reporting technology trends, providing insights on competitor activities and intellectual property strategies, and support the effective management of the Tereos IP portfolio.

In your role you will report to the IP and Documentation Manager and will be based at the Tereos Corporate Technology Center in Aalst (Belgium).

**What will you do**
- Conduct research and analysis on patent and scientific information including novelty searches, track R&D trends and assess competitor landscapes; prepare well-structured datasets and clear reports based on your findings;
- Work in close collaboration with our engineering and management team to design and implement effective search strategies that uncover relevant scientific and intellectual property (IP) data, supporting key research inquiries;
- Leverage your analytical insights to identify new opportunities and actively contribute to idea generation, the development of our project pipeline, and the advancement of innovation initiatives;
- Support knowledge management efforts by organizing and maintaining access to patent and scientific publications and competitor data;
- Stay current with developments in knowledge management systems and AI tools, evaluate their effectiveness, and curate relevant documentation;
- Maintain and optimize internal systems for patent and scientific information, and handle official documentation in communications with external patent agents;
- Implement and regularly update monitoring processes to ensure that the search for relevant scientific and IP documentation aligns with the evolving needs of our project portfolio.

**Skills**
- You have a strong passion for innovation particularly in the area of food and product development;
- You possess a curious mindset and excellent analytical abilities;
- You are well-organized and focused on achieving measurable results;
- You take initiative and communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues, engineering teams, and management;
- You thrive in collaborative environments; yet are also capable of independently managing and coordinating projects;
- You are committed to delivering high-quality support to our team and have a strong willingness to learn new skills.

**Job Requirements**
- You hold a Master’s degree, ideally in Chemistry, Food Science, Biotechnology or a related field, and have a proven track record as an information specialist, documentalist, or in a similar role;
- You bring at least 5 years of experience, ideally within an industrial R&D or manufacturing environment, with a preference in the food industry.
- You are proficient in utilizing industry-leading systems such as Orbit Intelligence, PatSnap, Patent Inspiration, Ipendo, Equinox, Espacenet, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, or similar platforms. A strong understanding of how AI can enhance data analysis and information retrieval is highly desirable.
- You have a solid understanding of patent processes and legislation, or a keen interest in gaining expertise in this area.
- You possess excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in French is a strong plus.