Process Engineer

At Hilmar Cheese Company we improve lives around the world through wholesome dairy products. Since our founding in 1984, Hilmar Cheese Company has been committed to innovation and sustainability. Our state-of-the art production facilities convert an abundance of locally sourced high-quality milk into a variety of nutritious cheeses, whey protein and lactose. The Cheese and Ingredients that we produce create a wide variety of retail and food service products from sliced and shredded cheeses, to protein supplements and infant formula. We are a trusted partner to premier food and beverage brands in for than fifty countries helping bring their vision into reality.
Throughout our decades of success and growth we have remained committed to our mission and values and these principles unite our people and guide all that we do.
A Typical Day
The Process Engineer is responsible for supporting the company's strategic objectives through a focus on the optimum, most cost-effective methods of manufacturing dairy products to enhance profitability, market position, and growth. This position will provide specific concentration on reducing operating costs, process capacity constraints, product losses, and product quality variation.
Job Responsibilities

• Optimize existing manufacturing processes to increase efficiency and cost effectiveness.
• Develop and implement functional descriptions and process control strategies that improve results and reduce variability. Coordinate with process programmers to debug and deploy in the plants.
• Identify and address opportunities for yield improvement, waste reduction, throughput enhancement, and improved process control and consistency.
• Lead troubleshooting of persistent, complex operational issues. Communicate finding and CAPA plans to other departments in clear, concise presentations.
• Engage with R&D team on new product development, experimental equipment and design, and plant trials. Work closely with project engineering on final process design and commercialization.
• Engage with QA team on the evaluation and continuous improvement of in-process and finished product analytical instrumentation.
• Work with manufacturing team to develop SOPs. Ensure critical processes and control points are properly controlled to for consistent performance.
• Work with maintenance team to ensure critical processes, control points, and measurements are properly maintained for consistent performance.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or related field.
• Ability to complete energy and mass balances, and collect and analyze production data using statistical techniques.
• Ability to effectively summarize and present technical information to a variety of audiences.
• MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint at intermediate level.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering plus 1 year related experience OR Master's degree.
• Ability to read PLC function block or ladder logic.
• Knowledge of unit operations commonly found in the food industry and waste-water treatment.
• Ability to develop operational models of plant processes.
• Knowledge and/or experience in food processing and process optimization.
• Knowledge of (Vertical Start-Up) VSU and CQV (Commission, Qualification, Validation) criteria development and implementation.
• Leadership and teambuilding skills.

Physical Demands
The role has periods of time when the work environment is sedentary and conducted in an office environment balanced with frequent occasions that require prolonged walking or standing, lifting/ carrying/handling moderate weight objects on a regular basis. Is required to wear PPE and have a regular presence in manufacturing and warehouse environments in both temperature controlled and uncontrolled locations. Must frequently interact with people verbally. Specific details of the essential functions of the position is available in the Job Safety Analysis, made available on request.
Work Environment
Food safety is a companywide responsibility and each employee must know their role in the manufacture and distribution of safe, wholesome, and high quality products.
This description is a general statement and does not include other duties as assigned
Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/EEO. We participate in E-Verify.
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