--- title: 'HBO Intership - Wastewater Treatment Process Optimization in Sustainable Aquaculture at The Kingfish Company' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/hbo-intership-wastewater-treatment-process-optimization-in-sustainable-jqmgsxp2yacn' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-29' --- # HBO Intership - Wastewater Treatment Process Optimization in Sustainable Aquaculture at The Kingfish Company - **Company:** The Kingfish Company - **Location:** Kats - **Employment:** internship - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-09-28 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-29 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/kingfish-company/7000f47a-e7fa-4126-bd66-fa3d8737f1c7 ## Job description Internship Assignment Background Sustainability and innovation are key values at The Kingfish Company. As production capacity at our Zeeland facility continues to expand, effective wastewater treatment becomes increasingly important to minimize environmental impact and ensure compliance with future discharge requirements. To support sustainable growth, The Kingfish Company is currently implementing a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. Several treatment technologies have been selected in collaboration with specialized engineering partners. However, important questions remain regarding process configuration, operational settings, treatment efficiency, sludge production, and nutrient removal performance. Research Objective The objective of this internship is to investigate and optimize the performance of the wastewater treatment system by analyzing operational data and evaluating treatment efficiencies for nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter removal. Main Research Question How can the wastewater treatment process at The Kingfish Company be optimized to maximize nutrient removal efficiency while maintaining stable operation and minimizing operational costs? Possible Sub-Questions What is the removal efficiency of each treatment step for nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended solids? Which operational parameters have the greatest impact on treatment performance? What are the bottlenecks limiting nutrient removal? How does sludge production relate to treatment efficiency? Which process modifications or operational strategies could improve overall system performance? Internship Activities The student will: Develop a monitoring and data collection plan. Collect and analyze water and sludge samples from different treatment stages. Perform laboratory analyses and interpret results. Process and statistically analyze operational and laboratory data. Evaluate the performance of individual treatment technologies. Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the treatment process. Compare observed performance with design specifications and literature values. Investigate opportunities for process optimization. Develop engineering recommendations for operational improvements. Present findings to the wastewater treatment and sustainability teams. Expected Deliverables At the end of the internship, the student will deliver: A research report describing methodology, results, and analysis. A performance assessment of the wastewater treatment system. Identification of key process bottlenecks. Data-driven recommendations for process optimization and future plant operation. A final presentation to company stakeholders. Student profile We are looking for a student with a bachelor's degree (HBO/WO) in: - Environmental Engineering - Water Management - Wastewater Technology - Chemical Engineering - Laboratory Technology - Environmental Sciences - Or a related technical/scientific discipline ## Requirements - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. - Interest in process engineering and environmental technology. - Ability to work independently and collaboratively. - Comfortable working both in the laboratory and on-site installations. - Looking for an internship of at least 4 months. ## What we offer ## About The Kingfish Company The Kingfish Company is a pioneer in sustainable land-based aquaculture. We produce premium Dutch Yellowtail Kingfish using advanced Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Sustainability, fish welfare, and environmental responsibility are central to our operations. Through innovation and continuous improvement, we aim to set the benchmark for sustainable seafood production worldwide. ## About The Kingfish Company The Kingfish Company is a pioneer in sustainable land-based aquaculture. We produce premium Dutch Yellowtail Kingfish using advanced Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Sustainability, fish welfare, and environmental responsibility are central to our operations. Through innovation and continuous improvement, we aim to set the benchmark for sustainable seafood production worldwide. ## About The Kingfish Company ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: The Kingfish Company is a pioneer in sustainable land-based aquaculture, producing high-quality yellowtail kingfish (Hiramasa) using advanced recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and 100% renewable energy. - **Entity Type**: Public (Euronext Oslo: KING) - **Headquarters**: Kats, Zeeland, Netherlands - **Founded**: 2015 - **Founders**: Not publicly available ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Sustainable aquaculture / seafood production - **Target customers**: B2B – top wholesalers, purveyors, and the world’s best chefs across Europe and the US - **Mission or purpose**: “Flavors the future of fish” – protecting the oceans while cherishing pure flavors, combining tradition and innovation for a more sustainable seafood sector. ## Products & Services - **Yellowtail Kingfish (Hiramasa)**: Fresh and sashimi-grade frozen fish, land-raised without antibiotics or vaccines, packed and processed on day of harvest and delivered within 24–48 hours across Europe and the US. Certified by BAP and designated “Green Choice” by the Good Fish Foundation. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (recent EUR 21 million private placement completed in June 2026, with Eyrir Invest becoming largest shareholder) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany) - **Key Metric – Annual Revenue**: €35.8 million in FY2025 (+29% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Ocean 14 Capital (led post-IPO debt in 2023), Eyrir Invest (largest shareholder after 2026 placement), and a network of top European distributors and Michelin-starred chefs. - **Growth Signals**: - Q1 2026 production volume: 773 tons (+53% YoY); volume sold: 714 tons (+24% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany) - Improved eFCR to 1.47 (from 1.9 in Q1 2025) - Second site in development in Jonesport, Maine (USA) for the US market [thekingfishcompany.com](https://thekingfishcompany.com) - Headcount: 72 employees (though -8.4% YoY) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany) ## Competitive Advantages - **First-mover advantage** in land-based high-value marine aquaculture in both the EU and US. - **Full-cycle hatchery** and on-site R&D facility, enabling control over entire production process. - **Sustainability credentials**: 100% renewable electricity, no antibiotics/vaccines, BAP certification, and Good Fish Foundation “Green Choice” recognition. - **Proximity to market**: Facility located on the Oosterschelde marine nature reserve in the Netherlands, allowing 24–48 hour delivery to European customers. ## Strategic Focus - Increasing farm utilization and production efficiency to drive toward positive EBITDA and operating cash flow. - Redirecting commercial efforts to core European markets where demand for sustainable premium yellowtail is strongest. - Developing the US site in Jonesport, Maine to expand into the North American market. - Strengthening balance sheet through private placements and debt restructuring (EUR 21 million placement in June 2026) [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany) ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Values “Dedication & Excellence,” “Eco-consciousness & Integrity,” and “Fusion & Diversity.” The company strives for “unnecessary good” – a rebel against average quality [thekingfishcompany.com](https://thekingfishcompany.com/career/). - **Work environment**: Hybrid workspace (combination of remote and on-site) with headquarters in Kats, Zeeland, Netherlands [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/the-kingfish-company). - **Employee rating**: 3.9/5 on employer review platforms (based on 5 reviews), with culture rated 2.4 and career growth 3.4 [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany). - **Notable perks**: Working at the cutting edge of land-based aquaculture technology, contributing directly to a more sustainable food system, and being part of a small but international team (10 countries represented). - **Engineering/R&D focus**: On-site R&D facility and continuous improvement in biological performance and system efficiency. ## Sources 1. [thekingfishcompany.com](https://thekingfishcompany.com) – Company homepage and career page 2. [linkedin.com](https://linkedin.com/company/thekingfishcompany) – LinkedIn company page (includes financial updates, workforce data, reviews) 3. [live.euronext.com](https://live.euronext.com/en/product/equities/NL00150001S5-MERK/company-information) – Euronext listing information 4. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/the-kingfish-company) – Built In profile (office, culture, perks) ## Other roles at The Kingfish Company - [Project Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/project-engineer-the-kingfish-company-kats-v5gwpe5dz81f) — Kats - [Production System Supervisor](https://feeny.ai/job/production-system-supervisor-the-kingfish-company-kats-tj1de46z2hhz) — Kats - [Hatchery Operator](https://feeny.ai/job/hatchery-operator-the-kingfish-company-kats-5swdygg7exgz) — Kats - [Intern Engineering & Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/intern-engineering-operations-the-kingfish-company-kats-4r3a0tfvehkj) — Kats - [Stagiair Technische Dienst](https://feeny.ai/job/stagiair-technische-dienst-the-kingfish-company-kats-nj6ttmr7k7sf) — Kats - [Aquaculture R&D Internship](https://feeny.ai/job/aquaculture-r-d-internship-the-kingfish-company-zeeland-paqmxn6j4spy) — Zeeland