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Palm oil substitute internship

Posted 25 Mar 2024
Work experience
0 to 2 years
Full-time / part-time
Full-time
Job function
Degree level
Required language
English (Fluent)

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The problem

Recently Accenture started an initiative to combat the negative effects of palm oil production. Palm oil is used in a large variety of food and self-care products and is the main ingredient of biofuels. The unique physical characteristics of the substance and the fact that the African palm tree grows it’s fruit efficient from which the palm oil is extracted, causes the demand for palm oil to be high.

Oil palms are originally from Western Africa, but can flourish wherever heat and rainfall are abundant. Today, 80 – 90% of all palm oil globally is produced and exported from Indonesia and Malaysia, and many inhabitants and farmers in Indonesia and Malaysia depend on the palm oil industry. The current way of producing the oil is however linked to major issues, such as:

  1. Deforestation
  2. Indigenous rights abuse
  3. Climatological effects (CO2 emission and soil depletion)
  4. Loss of biodiversity
  5. Animal cruelty

Strategy Accenture

The Accenture project team agreed on working towards a comprehensive solution to combat the negative effects of palm oil. Because palm oil production is the root cause, we try to work towards a solution that helps to combat the current palm oil production process taking into account the current social economic, legal, environmental and technological complex.

The Accenture project team found an academic team working on producing a substance that has the same physical properties as palm oil. The production process of this substitute utilizes a yeast to produce an oily end product which can act as a substitute for palm oil. Several by-products are also produced by the process such as 2-phenylethanol (rose flavoring/smell). Further research is being done to scale the production process and increase the end product quality. Expectation is that within 3,5 years a pilot production-installation has been developed that is able to produce the substitute on semi industrial scale (30.000 L). At that phase, the end-product can also be sold on the market.

The development of the substitute is conducted within a university and until now the research was solely focused on improving the technical aspects of the production process such as applying alternative chemical methods to fuel synthesis. A Life Cycle Assessment of the process has been done to give the technical development and research guidance.

Intern support request

However, a good business perspective and business plan for the implementation of the substitute is absent. There are many business aspects that need to be considered before the substitute can be efficiently introduced into the market. The Accenture project team aims to make an impact in both the business and implementation domain in order to accelerate the implementation of the product. To do so successfully, both the new production technology and business principles need to be understood.

Job description

We are looking for two enthusiastic master interns who want to participate in the research and build an implementation plan. The following topics are identified together with our research partner and can be assembled to an internship in consultation:

Research topics

  • Assessing palm oil replacement gap and potential.
  • Vision defined on how to enter the market with the substitute and by-products.
  • Market analysis of potential uses of the substitute and by-products, barriers and suitable cost ranges taking (local) stakeholders into account.

Internship work

  • Contact with industries interested in a bio-route for by-product 2-phenylethanol.
  • Contact with SME or smaller companies to demonstrate the yeast on the pilot scale quickly, to help accelerate the route to market.

Getting a general overview of the current situation of palm oil production, the production process of the substitute and understanding which strategic aspects are involved with the integration of the substitute in the supply chain are key. The exact assignment has to be developed in accordance with the researchers from the university, therefore there is enough space for own interpretation of the assignment. The internship can be fulfilled as 100% research- or combined working and research internship.

Place in the organization

Accenture Strategy

Are you the perfect candidate?

  • You must be able to understand and interpret (bio) chemistry process,
  • You must be able to work with innovation models.
  • You are a Master student, in the final year of your graduation from university, preferably a specialization in the areas of:

oScience Business & Innovation,

oInnovation Science,

oSystems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management;

oAny other combination of technology and business in master/bachelor

  • You have affinity with business and innovation models in combination with (bio) chemistry;
  • You are a team player with excellent communication skills;
  • You are fluent in Dutch and English;
  • You can work independently;
  • High level of motivation and drive;
  • Eagerness to learn;

What can we offer you?

Within Accenture we offer you a work environment with a focus on your personal development, in which you will get a lot of responsibility. You work together with talented colleagues from all over the world on challenging projects for the highest ranked international businesses.

  • You will be guided by a team of experienced consultants;
  • You will receive a compensation and a laptop;
  • You will gain knowledge and expertise of Accenture;
  • You will gain experience within a large international consulting firm;
  • You will expand your professional network;

Additional information

  • Period:4-6 months
  • Hours a week: 40
  • Location: Amsterdam: Flexible workplace (work among our colleagues)

Start date: 01-maart-2017 / immediately

Accenture is wereldwijd actief op het gebied van Management Consulting, Technology en Outsourcing. Wij combineren ongeëvenaarde ervaring in diverse bedrijfstakken en bedrijfsfuncties met degelijke knowhow en expertise, en daarnaast doen wij grondig onderzoek naar wat de best presterende bedrijven ter wereld zo succesvol maakt. Accenture werkt nauw samen met haar klanten om hen te helpen high performance bedrijven en overheden te worden.

Management Consulting
Amsterdam
Active in 120 countries
630,000 employees
60% men - 40% women
Average age is 30 years

What employees are saying

Daphne Seignette

Sales & Service Management Consultant

Daphne Seignette

One of the things I genuinely value within Accenture is the people whom I work with. Everyone is very open and always willing to help which truly helps when you start your first job. You build a great network with people from all over the globe and learn from all the cultures around you.

Marjet Welleweerd

Associate Manager

Marjet Welleweerd

Working here gave me the opportunity to gain insights into understanding big organizations and how they operate. The people at Accenture share a common DNA characterized by a desire to learn, ambition, and drive. This excited me, as it presented an environment to gain knowledge from my colleagues.