R&D Equipment Technician

Headquartered in Lakeville, Minn., Post Consumer Brands, a business unit of Post Holdings, Inc., is dedicated to providing people and their pets with delicious food choices for every taste and budget. The company’s portfolio includes beloved brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats®, PEBBLES®, Grape-Nuts® and Malt-O-Meal® cereal, and Peter Pan® peanut butter, as well as Rachael Ray® Nutrish®, Kibbles ‘n Bits® and 9Lives® dog and cat food. As a company committed to high standards of quality and to our values, we are driven by one idea: To make lives better by making delicious food accessible for all. For more information about our brands, visit www.postconsumerbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news.

Post Consumer Brands recently acquired several iconic pet food brands, venturing into a new market while remaining true to our purpose to provide delicious and accessible food that our consumers love. We’re always searching the center store for the next exciting product to add to our portfolio, and right now, we’re growing and need passionate, driven individuals with diverse perspectives to help us reach greater heights. That’s where you come in. Join a team where your voice is not only heard but valued. Make a real impact on brands enjoyed by millions of people and their pets.

At Post Consumer Brands, we take pride in our longstanding legacy of making one of every five breakfast cereals families eat daily. Today, we’re just as focused on our future as we expand our grocery business with different shelf-stable foods, including snacks and peanut butter. We are committed to providing accessible and delicious food for families, and we’re always searching the center store for the next exciting product to add to our portfolio. As we soar to new heights, we need creative, determined individuals from all walks of life to join our team, where your unique perspective and ideas are acknowledged and valued. Be a part of a company that empowers you to make a difference that’s evident on grocery store shelves and families’ tables across North America.

Post Consumer Brands corporate headquarters in Lakeville, Minn. is about 20 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Lakeville has all the benefits of smaller town living with access to everything a large metropolitan area has to offer. Join more than 400 team members collaborating on the two-building campus to help put breakfast on the tables of millions of consumers in North America. 

The purpose of this job is to assist in the development of new and improved products. The individual is responsible for operating equipment in the test centers providing technical support and project work in the pilot plant, laboratory and plant environments. Support, implement, and maintain food safety practices. Will be responsible for completing job duties in a manner that supports all plant safety, food safety, quality, and environmental practices.

JOB ACTIVITIES / DUTIES

1. Participates in the development, scale-up and production of new and improved products and test lot materials. Operates equipment in a consistent and accurate manner according to approved methods. Understands and complies with all food safety and food manufacturing policies and procedures.
2. Supports experimental designs under direct supervision. Compile, analyze and summarize data. Obtains and handles samples from production plant/equipment locations to analysis in a safe and sanitary manner consistent with the information required and compliant with GMP’s.
3. Supports plant tests or production trials under direct supervision. This includes, but is not limited to participation in plant-based trials or experiments.
4. Obtains samples and technical information about products that includes but is not limited to, direct measurements of product, processing measurements, production data or quality measures.
5. Be available as a technical resource to other technical functions and to corporate departments, including but not limited to Quality Assurance, Manufacturing and Engineering.
6. Maintains complete records of procedures followed, as well as observations and results obtained from product or package measures.
7. All other duties as assigned.

Education: Some post-secondary education or equivalent experience.

Experience: Two years consumer products experience. Understanding and experience in manufacturing processes, GMP's and general food processing.

Skills: Possess excellent problem-solving skills. Ability to work with a personal computer: word processing, spreadsheets, graphing and have demonstrated math/statistical computation skills. Ability to work safely in and around food processing laboratory, pilot plant and plant equipment.  Ability to compile, analyze and present collected data in summary form. Must be able to communicate both written and verbally. Works on cross-functional teams; ability to build strong working relationships. Infrequent independent work.

Other:  Able to work evenings and/or weekends if needed. Some travel is expected. Ability to lift 25 kg. Must be able to read, write, and communicate in the English language.

Job Complexity:  Internal Relationships:   Major contacts are research and development professional staff. There are some direct interactions with other ITE professional staff, and direct interactions with personnel in Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, and Engineering.

External Relationships:  Some interaction with ingredient suppliers, and third-party contractors working in a product development capacity.

Problem Solving:          

• Consistent application of careful and precise methodologies in the product development process, including but not limited to plant production, test lot trials or third-party testing.
• Prioritizing samples and setting customer expectations.
• Assist with development and modification of pilot plant procedures.