Process Improvement Engineer - Western Iowa

Driven to fulfill customer needs, we help improve food products across the world for both people and pets. Using natural raw materials and innovative manufacturing processes, Essentia creates valuable protein solutions that are clean-label and free from major allergens. With over 40 years of experience and through committed service and sustainable protein solutions, we are dedicated to building a better business for our customers.

The Process Improvement Engineer ensures continuous improvement in manufacturing productivity and efficiency through process optimization, equipment and systems utilization, data analysis, and innovation.

This role supports Essentia food plants in the state of Iowa - Lytton and Harlan - with some flexibility as to where the position is based, preferably in Western Iowa.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Industrial Engineering or related field and three years' industry experience strongly preferred. Minimum requirement of high school diploma (or equivalent) with at least five years' food processing experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in a manufacturing environment with an understanding of process control and continuous improvement required.
• Working knowledge of food industry, manufacturing, food safety, and GMP is preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (green or black belt) preferred, but will train as needed.

JOB DUTIES:

• Using data-driven continuous improvement techniques, recommend and implement improvements to existing production processes, methods, and controls to achieve continued improvements in plant efficiency, cost reduction, and energy savings. Plan and execute necessary plant trials and experiments to provide support for improvements.
• Provide technical assistance to the plants in resolving process problems and equipment issues and develop appropriate reporting to enable institutional knowledge of issues.
• In partnership with R&D, lead post-start-up commercialization activities for innovation and other R&D projects, including interfacing with plant teams, assessing process capability and ongoing operational sustainability of the product, and conducting formal post-launch reviews as part of the Essentia Stage Gate process.
• Work closely with the plant teams on improvement and innovation ideas, review, and provide engineering and project support for the capital process as needed.
• Support development and maintenance of value stream maps of the plant processes and review process steps for waste reduction and efficiency improvement through automation, proper training, or process modifications.
• Assist in developing standards to measure manufacturing productivity at critical process points and establish data collection for measurement and performance adherence.
• Champion the use of data and data-driven decisions in pursuit of process improvements.
• Other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Solid technical background in chemical engineering or food processing, especially in basic unit operations, such as heating, evaporation, centrifuge, drying process, liquid transporting, etc.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and familiarity with process capability tools to analyze complex manufacturing processes.
• Creative thought leadership that can take ideas and provide alternatives for productivity improvement and cost reduction.
• Familiarity with CAD (or engineering drawings) and demonstrated skills in Microsoft Excel and/or statistical software.
• Experience with data collection and interpretation, case study and fact establishment, troubleshooting an diagnosing, drawing valid conclusions, and the ability to apply critical thinking skills. Must be detail-oriented.
• Strong communication skills (both oral and written) across multiple levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently but also have the ability and aspiration to be an accountable and open-minded team player.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Some experience in food manufacturing is preferred.

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