Food Engineering Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

SUMMARY:

Senior Principal Project/Process Engineering position is responsible for leading end-to-end engineering strategy, facility design, process optimization, and capital project execution to support safety, food safety, operational excellence, and business growth. This requires a highly experienced engineering leader with deep expertise in greenfield and/or brownfield build outs, capital projects, process engineering, and manufacturing systems within the food production industry.

Must have a strong combination of technical depth, leadership capability, and hands-on experience implementing scalable manufacturing processes in complex food production environments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Capital Projects & Facility Development

• Lead planning, design, and execution of greenfield (new builds) and brownfield (facility expansions, retrofits, and upgrades) projects.
• Facilitate the annual capital process from idea generation through project hand off and start up.
• Develop project scope, budgets, timelines, and resource plans, ensuring successful delivery from concept through commissioning and startup.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Safety, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, R&D, IT and others) to align engineering solutions with business objectives.
• Manage external partners including EPC firms, contractors, and equipment vendors.

Process Engineering & Manufacturing Optimization

• Design and optimize food manufacturing processes to improve safety, food safety, efficiency, yield, throughput, and sustainability.
• Apply process engineering principles such as Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, automation systems, and process innovations.
• Ensure processes meet safety, regulatory, food safety, and quality standards (OHSA, FDA, USDA, HACCP, 3A Sanitary Design etc.).

Operational Excellence

• Drive reliability engineering strategies including preventative and predictive maintenance systems.
• Identify constraints and bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve plant performance.
• Standardize best practices across sites for engineering and operations.

Regulatory Compliance & Food Safety

• Ensure all designs and processes comply with safety, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to integrate hygienic design and contamination control into plant layouts and processes.

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide technical guidance to project engineering staff and partner with Senior Engineering Manager to provide leadership and guidance to staff processing, electrical and design engineers.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Act as a subject matter expert (SME) for engineering and process design within the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or Food Engineering from an ABET-accredited school.
• Professional Engineering License (PE) or a “Recognized” Thermal Process Authority (PA) preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in a similar role in a manufacturing environment, with a minimum of 5 years of experience in the food & beverage and/or bioprocessing sectors, including experience with hygienic and sanitary/sterile design of equipment and systems.
• Demonstrated experience leading greenfield and brownfield capital projects.
• Experience with automation, controls systems (PLC/SCADA), and digital manufacturing.
• Strong expertise in process engineering principles and industrial systems design.
• Proven track record of delivering complex projects on time and within budget.
• Knowledge of safety and food industry regulatory requirements (e.g., OSHA, OFDA, USDA, HACCP, GMPs).
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively in stressful, fast-paced situations, with the personal leadership to influence and positively motivate self and peers.
• Experience walking down industrial and manufacturing sites and providing high-level condition assessments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Expert knowledge of thermal processing requirements for foods in hermetically sealed containers.
• Strong leadership skills are necessary to perpetuate and grow the mechanical engineering discipline
• Experience in GMP design and compliance by other governing agencies.
• Knowledge and experience in design of personal care, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, renewable energy, chemical and industrial facilities.
• Experience with fabrication drawings including welding and NDE maps.
• Experience with ASME Section IX weld procedures.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.