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Food Manufacturing Engineering Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

... Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent combinations of education and relevant manufacturing experience may be considered. * Minimum 3 years of experience in a manufacturing, food ...

Project Manager

Sioux City, IA · On-site

$105K - $115K/yr

GMP, HACCP, or food safety regulatory knowledge required; food & beverage manufacturing background strongly preferred. * Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, specs, and ...

Experience with automation systems, PLC troubleshooting or programming * Ability to read electrical and mechanical schematics or blueprints * Experience in food manufacturing or regulated ...

Partner with Engineering and Operations teams to prioritize maintenance projects and improvements ... Experience working in a manufacturing, food processing, or industrial environment. Proficiency with ...

Knowledge of safety, quality, and environmental standards in food manufacturing. * Demonstrated ... A bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physical Science, or equivalent work experience. Required ...

Maintenance Supervisor

Denison, IA · On-site

$90K - $100K/yr

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent maintenance leadership ... Experience within food manufacturing, meat processing, or other USDA-regulated facilities.

Showing results 21-40

Food Manufacturing Engineering information

See Iowa salary details

$75.1K

$115.6K

$144.6K

How much do food manufacturing engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for food manufacturing engineering in Iowa is $115,604.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $103,300.00 and $128,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is food manufacturing engineering?

Food Manufacturing Engineering is a specialized field that focuses on the design, development, and optimization of processes and equipment used to produce food products on an industrial scale. Professionals in this field apply principles of engineering, biology, and chemistry to ensure food safety, quality, and efficiency in manufacturing operations. They work on everything from developing automated processing lines to improving packaging and storage methods. This role is integral to meeting industry standards and regulatory requirements while also innovating for better productivity and sustainability.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a food manufacturing engineer?

To thrive as a Food Manufacturing Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering principles, food science, and process optimization, often supported by a degree in chemical, mechanical, or food engineering. Familiarity with CAD software, process control systems, and industry-specific standards such as HACCP or SQF certifications is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating across departments and addressing production challenges. These skills and qualifications are crucial to ensure efficient, safe, and high-quality food production in a competitive manufacturing environment.

What are some common challenges faced by engineers in food manufacturing, and how can they be effectively managed?

Engineers in food manufacturing frequently encounter challenges such as maintaining product quality while optimizing production efficiency, ensuring compliance with stringent safety and hygiene regulations, and adapting to evolving automation technologies. Effective management of these challenges involves staying current with industry standards, collaborating closely with quality assurance and operations teams, and implementing continuous improvement initiatives. Strong problem-solving skills, proactive communication, and a willingness to learn new technologies are essential for success in this dynamic environment.

What is the difference between Food Manufacturing Engineering vs Food Processing Technician?

AspectFood Manufacturing EngineeringFood Processing Technician
CredentialsBachelor's degree in engineering or related fieldHigh school diploma or associate degree, technical training
Work EnvironmentDesign, develop, and optimize manufacturing processes in factoriesOperate and maintain processing equipment on the production line
Industry UsageUsed by companies to improve efficiency and product quality

Food Manufacturing Engineering focuses on designing and improving production processes, requiring engineering credentials. In contrast, Food Processing Technicians handle daily operations and equipment maintenance, often with technical training. Both roles are essential in the food industry but differ in responsibilities and qualifications.

Are food manufacturing engineers in high demand?

Food manufacturing engineers are in high demand due to the growing food industry and the need for process optimization, quality control, and safety standards. They often require knowledge of manufacturing processes, automation tools, and compliance regulations, making their skills valuable across food production facilities.

What can you do with a food manufacturing engineering degree?

A food manufacturing engineering degree prepares individuals for roles such as process engineer, quality assurance engineer, production manager, or plant engineer in the food industry. These positions involve designing, optimizing, and maintaining manufacturing processes, often requiring knowledge of food safety standards, automation tools, and regulatory compliance.

What are popular job titles related to Food Manufacturing Engineering jobs in Iowa?

For Food Manufacturing Engineering jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Food Manufacturing Engineering jobs in Iowa look for?

The top searched job categories for Food Manufacturing Engineering jobs in Iowa are:

Infographic showing various Food Manufacturing Engineering job openings in Iowa as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 71% Full Time, 28% Part Time, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,604 per year, or $55.6 per hour.

Senior Manager, Engineering

TreeHouse Foods

Cedar Rapids, IA • On-site, Remote

$132K - $198K/yr

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 12 days ago


TreeHouse Foods rating

7.5

Company rating: 7.5 out of 10

Based on 37 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

153rd of 443 rated food and drinks producers


Job description

Employee Type:

Full time

Location:

IL Works from Home

Job Type:

Engineering

Job Posting Title:

Senior Manager, Engineering

About Us:

TreeHouse Foods is a leading manufacturer of private label packaged foods and beverages, operating a network of over 20 production facilities and several corporate offices across the United States and Canada. At TreeHouse Foods, our commitment to excellence extends beyond our products and revolves around our people. We are investing in talent and creating a performance-based culture where employees can do their best work and develop their careers, directly impacting our mission to make high quality, affordable food for our customers, communities, and families. We hope you will consider joining the team and being part of our future.

Named one of America's Best Large Employers by Forbes Magazine, we are proud to live by a strong set of values and strive to "Engage and Delight - One Customer at a Time." Guided by our values-Own It, Commit to Excellence, Be Agile, Speak Up, and Better Together. We are a diverse team driven by integrity, accountability, and a commitment to exceptional results. We embrace change, prioritize continuous learning, and foster collaboration, transparency, and healthy debate. Together, we set each other up for success to achieve enterprise-wide goals.

What You Gain:

  • Competitive compensation and benefits program with no waiting period - you're eligible from your first day!

  • 401(k) program with 5% employer match and 100% vesting as soon as you enroll.

  • Comprehensive paid time off opportunities, including immediate access to four weeks of vacation, five sick days, parental leave and 11 company holidays (including two floating holidays).

  • Leaders who are invested in supporting your accelerated career growth, plus paid training, tuition reimbursement and a robust educational platform - DevelopU - with more than 10,000 free courses to support you along the way.

  • An inclusive working environment where you can build meaningful work relationships with a diverse group of professionals. Take advantage of opportunities to build on our team-oriented culture, such as joining one of our Employee Resource Groups.

  • Access to our wellness and employee assistance programs.

Job Description:

About the Role:

We are seeking a strategic and collaborative Senior Manager, Engineering, to lead capital planning and project execution across multiple food manufacturing facilities. In this critical leadership role, you will guide a high-performing engineering team in developing and executing a 5-year capital plan aligned with our broader business strategy. You will oversee the capital workstream using a structured Initiative Management process, ensuring the seamless delivery of key projects. A key focus will be strengthening the team's technical capabilities to support successful execution of capital programs and long-term operational excellence.

You'll add value to this role by performing various functions including, but not limited to:

  • Collaboratively form and lead internal and external cross functional resources to develop a 5-year capital plan for manufacturing facilities in scope. This includes implementation of projects at multiple locations across the U.S. and Canada.
  • Lead teams to ensure all aspects of assigned capital projects are managed following our Capital Initiative Management program.
  • Responsible for the team's project KPIs including safety, food safety, environmental impacts, operational impacts, adherence to scope, CQV performance, on time delivery, cash flow, and overall budget tracking.
  • Partner with the capital sourcing manager to develop procurement strategies on assigned projects and execute them.
  • Support on-site engineering and plant leadership to develop and review business case screening scopes, schedules and estimates on engineering concepts. Review with leadership to provide a directional view of projects; ultimately lead process through approval on prioritized projects.
  • Mentor, coach and lead team members, both internal and external, to ensure resources meet the business' engineering needs.
  • Work cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, EHS, Transportation & Warehousing, Supply Planning, Technical Services, Reliability and Maintenance, Environmental, Sustainability, R&D, Finance, Human Resources/Labor Relations the Growth Unit leaders, and IT to deliver assigned goals and projects.

Important Details:

  • This is a full-time role that is expected to travel approximately 50% across assigned plants within the US and Canada.
  • The preferred locations for this role are Toronto, Ontario or Chicago, Illinois
  • The anticipated compensation for this position ranges from $132,300.00 - 198,500.00 USD annually. This is the lowest to highest salary that we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics and business or organizational needs. For certain roles, the successful candidate may be eligible for annual discretionary merit compensation award, bonus and equity pay.

You'll fit right in if you have:

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical field
  • Experience working in an aseptic environment strongly preferred, including but not limited to operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, capital project execution, startup and process validation
  • Experienced in multi-site capital planning. Demonstrated strategic planning capabilities.
  • Formal project management training or certifications are a plus
  • Experience with utility systems, wastewater pre-treatments systems, ingredient handling, food processing, and primary and secondary packaging systems preferred
  • Demonstrated track record of following LEAN Capital Initiative Management processes.
  • Continuous improvement mindset, to challenge current processes both internally and externally with ability to bring adaptable solutions forward
  • Comfortable communicating, presenting & influencing senior leadership on key technical issues
  • Proficient with CADD and Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Project. Proven effectiveness in working collaboratively within a matrix organization

Your TreeHouse Foods Career is Just a Click Away!

Click on the "Apply" button or go directly towww.treehousefoods.com/careersto let us know you're ready to join our team!

At TreeHouse Foods, we embrace diversity and inclusion for innovation and growth. We are committed to building inclusive teams and an equitable workplace for our employees to bring their true selves to work to help us "Engage and Delight - One Customer at a Time".TreeHouse Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contactdisability-accommodations@treehousefoods.com

TreeHouse Use Only: #IND1


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About TreeHouse Foods

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At TreeHouse, our purpose is to engage and delight – one customer at a time. To support that purpose, we have developed four strategic growth pillars. We call one of these pillars “Talent Leader”. We believe that our people and talent are critical to achieving our purpose and are focused on being the employer of choice by engaging our employees and developing a high performance culture.

Industry

Food and drink manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Oak Brook, IL, US

Year founded

2005