Process Engineer - Hendrick's Distillery and Ailsa Bay Distillery

Scotch Whisky; Girvan; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Healthcare

Defined contribution pension

Cycle to Work

Bonus scheme

Life Assurance

Job summary

William Grant & Sons is seeking a skilled Process Engineer to support ABD and Hendrick’s distillery operations. You will drive safe, efficient processes, lead improvement projects, and collaborate across maintenance, engineering, and quality teams.

The role focuses on regulatory compliance, process safety, asset reliability, and sustainable performance, with opportunities to influence site performance and efficiency improvements.

Qualifications

• Degree qualification in Chemical, Process, Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience in a process manufacturing environment such as food & drink, spirits, FMCG, chemical, pharmaceutical, or related industries.
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles, asset reliability, and maintenance strategies.
• Experience leading Continuous Improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies.
• Knowledge of process safety management, including HAZOP, LOPA, risk assessments, and legislative compliance requirements.
• Experience analysing operational performance data and developing OEE and performance improvement metrics.
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities with a structured and analytical approach.
• Experience supporting commissioning activities and introducing process improvements within a manufacturing environment.
• A collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence and engage teams across multiple disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable operation of ABD and Hendrick’s process assets.
• Identify operational risks and improvement opportunities with sustainable solutions.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focusing on efficiency, performance, cost reduction, and sustainability targets.
• Develop and implement OEE performance metrics and dashboards.
• Collaborate with operations, engineering, quality, and maintenance to improve plant uptime.
• Support commissioning, testing, and integration of new equipment and capital projects.
• Monitor energy and utility consumption; implement plans to reduce waste.
• Manage service contracts and ensure supplier performance against standards.
• Maintain mechanical integrity and robust asset management practices.
• Lead Process Safety Risk Assessments (HAZOP, LOPA, etc.) and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Process engineering

Lean Six Sigma

Continuous improvement

OEE metrics

Project management

Education

Chemical Engineering

Process Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Job description

At William Grant & Sons, we’re passionate about crafting exceptional brands that are enjoyed around the world. We are seeking a talented and driven Process Engineer to join our team, supporting both the ABD and Hendrick’s Distillery operations.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an engineering professional who thrives on continuous improvement, operational excellence, and process optimisation. You’ll play a critical role in ensuring our manufacturing processes are safe, reliable, efficient, and compliant, while driving sustainable improvements that enhance productivity, quality, and environmental performance.

Working closely with operations, maintenance, engineering, and technical teams, you’ll have the opportunity to influence key business decisions, lead improvement initiatives, and help shape the future performance of our distillation operations.

Key responsibilities

What You’ll Be Doing

As Process Engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of ABD and Hendrick’s process assets. Key responsibilities will include:

• Managing engineering processes to defined regulatory, legislative, and company standards, ensuring consistency and compliance across site.
• Identifying operational risks and improvement opportunities, delivering sustainable solutions that enhance safety, quality, reliability, and compliance.
• Leading continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, performance, cost reduction, and sustainability targets.
• Developing and implementing OEE performance metrics and operational dashboards to drive manufacturing excellence.
• Collaborating with stakeholders across operations, engineering, quality, and maintenance to improve plant uptime and operational performance.
• Supporting the commissioning, testing, and integration of new equipment and capital projects.
• Monitoring energy and utility consumption, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing improvement plans to reduce waste and optimise asset performance.
• Managing service contracts and ensuring suppliers deliver against agreed commitments and standards.
• Maintaining mechanical integrity across process assets and ensuring robust asset management practices.
• Leading Process Safety Risk Assessments, including HAZOP, LOPA, and other relevant methodologies.
• Ensuring compliance with environmental regulations, process safety requirements, and statutory legislation.
• Supporting the development of maintenance teams through coaching, knowledge sharing, and technical training.
• Driving a proactive problem-solving culture and contributing to site performance improvement programmes.

About you

Ideal Candidate

We’re looking for an experienced engineering professional who combines strong technical expertise with a passion for continuous improvement and operational excellence.

You’ll bring:

• Degree qualification in Chemical, Process, Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Previous experience in a process manufacturing environment such as food & drink, spirits, FMCG, chemical, pharmaceutical, or related industries.
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles, asset reliability, and maintenance strategies.
• Experience leading Continuous Improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies.
• Knowledge of process safety management, including HAZOP, LOPA, risk assessments, and legislative compliance requirements.
• Experience analysing operational performance data and developing OEE and performance improvement metrics.
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities with a structured and analytical approach.
• Experience supporting commissioning activities and introducing process improvements within a manufacturing environment.
• A collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence and engage teams across multiple disciplines.

Reward and benefits

• We offer a competitive salary and benefits which are designed to promote our employees financial wellbeing. Employees are also eligible to participate in a bonus plan.
• Our employees enjoy a generous holiday entitlement and an opportunity to ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ some holiday entitlement.
• Private Healthcare and Doctor@Hand (remote GP service).
• Our employees can join a defined contribution pension plan. Employees contribute either 4% or 5% of salary, the company contributes 8% or 10% depending on the employee contribution. Employee contributions can be made through salary sacrifice.
• Our Employee Assistance Programme offers practical, impartial support on everyday matters ranging from medical, financial and legal to home and family issues.
• Our Life Assurance cover is a multiple of eight times your annual basic salary.
• Product allocation so that you can enjoy our fantastic portfolio of brands.
• Our Cycle to Work scheme allows you to hire a bike for an agreed length of time, and then snap it up for a fraction of its original value. All while making savings (at least 25%) and spreading the cost.
• Every employee has the opportunity to claim up to £1,000 per year for a charity or charities for which they have raised money, volunteered their time or personally donated.
• Learning resources to help you be your best self.