Production Engineer

Grain & Bake Co.; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Grain & Bake Co. in Melbourne is seeking a resident technical expert for three production areas: baking, mixers, and packaging. You will diagnose faults, optimize processes, and guide operators to maintain quality and safety standards.

You will design calibration routines, analyze performance data, and lead continuous improvement across multiple lines while collaborating with maintenance and quality teams in a state-of-the-art facility.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Food Technology or Project Management.
• At least 1 year in food manufacturing or similar environment.
• Experience troubleshooting across production lines.
• Experience leading a small production team.
• Familiarity with BRC AA, HACCP and food safety practices.
• Strong mechanical and process troubleshooting abilities.
• Knowledge of GMP, traceability and allergen controls.
• Valid driver's license and reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end production optimization across baking, oven, and packaging.
• Design and calibrate production processes and machine settings.
• Analyze performance data to improve throughput and reduce waste.
• Investigate faults and implement corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain operating procedures and maintenance schedules.
• Support new product development and trials with equipment setup.
• Monitor equipment performance including mixers, ovens, conveyors and wrappers.
• Ensure GMP and food safety compliance through control and validation.
• Provide training to operators to improve competency and safety.
• Contribute to safety initiatives and incident investigations.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Leadership

Process knowledge

GMP & HACCP literacy

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Engineering degree

Food Technology degree

Project Management knowledge

Tools

MS Office

Job description

The opportunity

Your chance to lead where it matters most

Leading a new generation of food manufacturing in Australia.

Large-scale muesli, cereal and bar manufacturing. Putting the customer first is at the heart of everything we do, mixing innovation, quality, and technology. Proudly Australian-owned and operated at our state-of-the-art facility in Melbourne.

The role

Three areas. One technical expert.

You are the resident technical expert across all three production areas. You develop deep, practical knowledge of every piece of equipment under your care and act as the first point of contact for fault diagnosis, process deviation, and operator support.

Key responsibilities

What you will own day to day

1. Lead and optimise end-to-end food manufacturing processes across production, baking, and packaging operations to maximise efficiency, product quality, and equipment reliability.
2. Design, implement, calibrate, and continuously improve production processes, machinery settings, and operating parameters to support safe and efficient manufacturing outcomes.
3. Analyse production performance data and identify engineering opportunities to improve throughput, minimise downtime, reduce waste, and increase operational yield.
4. Investigate recurring mechanical, electrical, and process-related faults, determine root causes, and implement sustainable corrective and preventative engineering solutions.
5. Develop, document, and maintain technical operating procedures, setup specifications, calibration records, and preventative maintenance schedules for production equipment and systems.
6. Provide technical engineering support for new product development and production trials, including process feasibility assessment, equipment configuration, and line changeover optimisation.
7. Oversee production equipment performance including mixers, ovens, depositors, conveyors, flow wrappers, cartoners, and associated automated manufacturing systems.
8. Ensure manufacturing operations comply with quality assurance, GMP, traceability, and food safety standards through process control, validation, and continuous monitoring activities.
9. Lead technical training, mentoring, and capability development of production operators to improve operational competency, process consistency, and safe equipment operation.
10. Contribute to workplace health and safety initiatives by identifying operational hazards, improving engineering controls, supporting incident investigations, and ensuring compliance with safe manufacturing practices.

The person we are looking for

Required

1. Degree Qualifications in Engineering, Food Technology or Project Management
2. Minimum 1 years’ experience in an equivalent role in food manufacturing, ideally across multiple production areas
3. Demonstrated equipment troubleshooting across bar line, oven, or packing line equipment
4. Experience leading or supervising a small production team
5. Familiarity with BRC AA, HACCP, or equivalent food safety environments
6. Strong mechanical and process troubleshooting skills
7. Solid understanding of GMP, traceability, and allergen management
8. Current driver's licence
9. Competent in Microsoft Office for reporting and documentation

Desirable

1. Exposure to continuous improvement, Lean, or process engineering methodologies
2. Experience with NPD trials or new product changeovers across multiple production lines