R&D Cost Engineer

Department: Cost Engineering

Location:

IT, IT

Job ID:

Description

The R&D Cost Engineer is responsible for driving cost efficiency across coffee machines, packaging, and coffee systems by developing and implementing cost engineering strategies focused on sourcing, manufacturing, and process optimization. The role involves building cost models, conducting should-cost and cost-benefit analyses, identifying cost drivers and savings opportunities, and ensuring cost targets are achieved throughout the product lifecycle. Working closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams, the position supports informed decision-making and value creation. Additionally, the role monitors KPIs, evaluates the effectiveness of cost strategies, and identifies continuous improvement opportunities by leveraging industry trends and emerging technologies.

🔍 Main Responsibilities:

Develop and implement cost engineering strategies to optimize material sourcing, manufacturing processes, and overall product cost efficiency for coffee machines, packaging, and coffee systems.
Build and maintain cost models, performing detailed cost analyses to identify cost drivers, savings opportunities, and ensure accurate cost structure visibility.
Conduct cost-benefit evaluations and support key business decisions (e.g., make-or-buy analyses), identifying the most cost-effective solutions across product development, manufacturing, and supply chain activities.
Partner with R&D, Production, Procurement, and other cross-functional teams to monitor project costs, provide actionable insights, and ensure cost targets are achieved throughout the product lifecycle.

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💡 Relevant Competencies:

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and 3–5 years of experience in Cost Engineering and cost analysis, preferably within the Packaging industry.
Strong understanding of production processes and proven experience in the financial evaluation of technical concepts, with the ability to interpret and translate technical data into business insights.
Excellent analytical and quantitative skills, including expertise in cost modeling, should-cost analysis, cost estimation techniques, cost-driver identification, and cost-benefit evaluations (PCM tools).
Ability to identify and drive cost-saving opportunities through value engineering, process improvements, supplier optimization, and data-driven decision-making.
Strong project management capabilities, with a results-oriented approach, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple complex assignments autonomously while meeting deadlines.
Effective communicator and cross-functional collaborator, experienced in partnering with R&D, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain teams to achieve cost targets and support product development and sourcing decisions.

✨ In Return We Offer

Comprehensive welfare package including short working week during summer months
Hybrid working policy (10 days a month remote working)
Access to company facilities, such as restaurant service & corporate gym
A fast paced and dynamic international context

Salary and benefits

The role is classified at Level 1 under the Italian CCNL Industria Alimentare
Initial annual gross salary of minimum € 53.000
Premio per Obiettivi (PPO) equal to € 2.500 at target level for 2026

💬What next?

Our Talent Acquisition Team will assess your application and if you have what we’re looking for, you'll be contacted for an initial interviewIf you make it to the short list, you’ll be interviewed by the Hiring Manager and if necessary, other members of the hiring panelIn some cases, you may be required to show us your skills via technical challenge.

☕ Who We Are

Our Group was founded in Turin in 1895, has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. As one of the world’s most important coffee roasters, we operate in more than 140 countries through our brands, subsidiaries and distributors, with a total of over 5,500 employees.
Every day we operate in all sectors of theoffee industry, offering our products through every channel and positioning our brands as a high-quality blend.
We are a community of single origins united into a perfect blend, humans enriching one another through our mutual diversity.
Awakening a better world every morning: the commitment we make every single day.

#torino