Process Engineering Manager

About the role

The Process Engineering Manager is a technical leader who collaborates closely with Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Project Management, Manufacturing, and Sales teams to deliver successful engineered‑to‑order projects.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop the process engineering team, fostering technical excellence and professional growth.
• Set priorities, allocate resources, and establish clear expectations to ensure projects meet scope, schedule, and budget commitments.
• Promote a culture of safety, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Support workload planning and resource forecasting to align with project demand.

Process Engineering Oversight & Execution

• Own and approve process engineering deliverables, including process flow diagrams, equipment sizing, utility requirements, and sanitation concepts.
• Validate process designs for performance, cleanability, safety, and manufacturability within engineered‑to‑order systems.
• Ensure process intent is fully integrated with mechanical layouts, automation architectures, and control strategies.
• Oversee the full project lifecycle from concept development through commissioning and customer acceptance.
• Partner with Project Managers and Engineering Leads to review progress, resolve issues, and maintain alignment with project goals.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical and process‑related risks that could impact quality, schedule, or cost.

Process Optimization & Innovation

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on labor efficiency, cost reduction, and design standardization.
• Improve process robustness and repeatability while balancing customization requirements.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for process deviations or performance issues.
• Champion risk assessments, process capability studies, and post‑project reviews to capture lessons learned and improve future designs.

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure all process designs meet company, customer, and industry best practices.
• Maintain accurate and complete documentation, including SOPs, sanitation procedures, technical manuals, and training materials.
• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, and applicable food safety and sanitary design standards.
• Support adherence to relevant mechanical, electrical, and safety standards (e.g., ASME, UL, NFPA) as they relate to process systems.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Mechanical, Electrical, Automation, Manufacturing, Quality, Service, and Operations teams.
• Provide process engineering leadership during customer reviews, FATs, SATs, and commissioning activities.
• Support Sales and Applications teams during quoting and concept development with process expertise.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Operations to ensure successful project execution and delivery timelines.

Education & Experience

• BS in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering (or related field).
• 10+ years in engineering roles within food & beverage or related industries.
• 5+ years in a leadership or management position.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of process engineering, fluid mechanics, and sanitary design principles.
• Experience sizing and specifying food and beverage process equipment.
• Understanding of PLC‑based automation and control systems.
• Proficiency with CAD software and project management tools.
• Knowledge of food safety, regulatory, and sanitary standards.

Soft Skills

• Excellent leadership abilities, including the ability to lead cross‑functional engineering teams.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities in fast‑paced, project‑driven environments.

Other

• Ability to travel up to 15% (primarily North America with some international destinations).