Process Maintenance Engineer – Liquid Processing

About the role

This highly visible role will serve as the technical authority for beverage processing systems, helping maximize equipment uptime, product quality, and production efficiency while supporting maintenance and operations in a 24/7 manufacturing environment at a fast-growing beverage manufacturer's new, highly automated production facility in Waco, Texas.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical expert for the plant's liquid processing and beverage production systems
• Support maintenance technicians in diagnosing and resolving complex mechanical and electrical equipment failures
• Troubleshoot pumps, valves, piping, tanks, heat exchangers, filtration systems, and related process equipment
• Maintain and improve beverage mixing, batching, ingredient handling, and transfer systems
• Analyze recurring failures and implement lasting corrective actions
• Improve equipment reliability, process stability, uptime, and production efficiency
• Support preventive and predictive maintenance programs
• Partner with Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering teams to improve plant performance
• Lead root cause analysis for significant process and equipment issues
• Assist with the installation, commissioning, startup, and optimization of new equipment
• Support continuous improvement projects focused on safety, quality, productivity, and reliability
• Ensure process equipment and maintenance activities meet GMP, FDA, and food safety requirements
• Provide technical coaching and guidance to maintenance technicians and production personnel
• Maintain clear documentation of equipment issues, corrective actions, and process improvements
• Provide after-hours technical support when critical production issues arise

Requirements

• 5+ years of maintenance engineering experience in beverage, food, liquid processing, or a similar manufacturing environment
• Strong knowledge of liquid processing systems and equipment
• Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing operations
• Mechanical and electrical troubleshooting experience
• Hands-on knowledge of pumps, valves, piping systems, tanks, and process equipment
• Experience working in a GMP or FDA-regulated manufacturing environment
• Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills
• Ability to diagnose complex equipment and process failures
• Strong communication and leadership skills
• Ability to work onsite in Waco
• Availability to support critical production issues outside normal working hours when needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct beverage manufacturing experience
• Experience with automated mixing, batching, blending, or ingredient handling systems
• Knowledge of heat exchangers, filtration, clean-in-place systems, and sanitary process equipment
• Experience with automated processing controls and instrumentation
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement experience
• Experience implementing predictive maintenance programs
• Experience commissioning and starting up new processing equipment
• Experience supporting a new or rapidly expanding manufacturing facility
• Familiarity with high-speed beverage bottling or packaging operations

Benefits

• Opportunity to work in a brand-new, highly automated manufacturing facility
• High-visibility role with significant influence over equipment reliability and process performance
• Opportunity to become the technical expert for an expanding production operation
• Exposure to new equipment installations and additional planned production lines
• Long-term career growth with a leading beverage manufacturer
• Collaborative work across Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Engineering
• Opportunity to build and improve maintenance and reliability practices in a growing facility