Food Processing Engineer Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

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At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis Midwest Yogurt, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Sr Process Engineer based in Reed City, Michigan. As a Senior Process Engineer in our Reed City, MI yogurt plant, you will take ownership of the yogurt making process from Milk Receiving through finished yogurt delivery to packaging. You will work on site at the yogurt factory with the operations, quality and engineering teams to continuously improve performance. You will provide technical leadership for the equipment and processes on your systems. The process engineer is responsible to identify, develop, and lead execution of solutions for performance improvements and capacity solutions through strong business partnership, strategic productivity, and continuous improvement efforts. This is a very rewarding role where you can see the product you make every day in the store.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Demonstrate clear understanding and execution of human and food safety practices in food manufacturing plant
• Demonstrate expertise in manufacturing information systems, quality metrics, analysis methods and procedures
• Leverage and advance system capability through people, process and technology
• Lead and support technical improvements on your systems
• Coach and provide technical expertise on problem solving and continuous improvement activities
• Provide leadership support for Technical Resources (including maintenance technicians, controls TECHs, etc.)
• Identify, vet and implement productivity solutions on your system.
• Partner with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Engineering/Maintenance to drive system improvements & reduce losses
• Lead development of future state of your systems and provide technical expertise in development of improvement plan
• Develop and champion a system vision, technical road map and capital needs to support Long Range Plan for your systems.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Ag/Food Process Engineering or related degree with extensive food manufacturing experience
• 3+ years in relevant manufacturing experience
• Strong ability to work hands on in manufacturing plant environment with operators and mechanics as well as other departments in the plant and business teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills, effective written and oral communications, strong listening skills, strong coaching/teaching skills.
• Ability to learn quickly and have curiosity to dig into challenges to identify and correct root cause.
• Demonstrated technical leadership, adaptability, analytical and problem-solving skills, decision making, troubleshooting, communications, team management, and human relations skills
• Be innovative, resourceful, and work with minimal direction
• Have excellent organization, problem solving, communication, and team leadership skills
• Have ability to multi-task, prioritize your work and make data driven decisions
• Good understanding of mechanics, fluid dynamics and heat transfer.
• Ability to read and develop equipment and process flow diagrams
• Experience using and developing mass balance for systems
• Ability to work well with computer Office applications, particularly Microsoft Excel

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years in relevant food manufacturing with Engineering experience
• Experience working in dairy manufacturing and demonstrated understanding of PMO Dairy and 3A Sanitary Design Standards
• Experience working with CIP systems and sanitation.
• Strong Mechanical and Electrical Aptitude

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.