Senior Process Engineer - Lean Six Sigma & Operations

pladis Foods Limited; Carlisle; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

pladis Foods Limited is seeking a Senior Process Engineer to drive process excellence across R&D and manufacturing in Carlisle. You will plan and run trials, analyse results and lead data-driven improvements to quality, efficiency and waste reduction.

The role requires strong problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration. You will apply Lean Six Sigma, SPC and DOE methods, deliver practical productivity gains and support the introduction of new machinery and processes in a fast-growing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science, Manufacturing or related technical discipline.
• Experience in process engineering, process improvement or technical trials within a manufacturing or R&D environment.
• Good working knowledge of Lean Six Sigma, SPC, root cause analysis and structured problem-solving tools.

Responsibilities

• Plan, run and evaluate process trials for new products, processes, machinery and technology.
• Apply tools such as 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagrams and data review to identify the true causes of process inefficiencies, defects and variation.
• Develop and implement practical optimisation plans that improve quality, efficiency, capacity, cost and consistency.
• Establish and maintain KPIs and statistical process control measures to track process capability and sustain improvements.
• Identify and reduce waste across the seven key areas: overproduction, waiting, transport, extra processing, inventory, motion and defects.
• Provide process expertise into the selection, purchase and implementation of new equipment, ensuring solutions support productivity, quality and operational needs.
• Work with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain and R&D teams to align plans, share best practice and deliver improvements effectively.
• Contribute to wider productivity programmes by providing robust technical input, trial data and clear recommendations.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma

SPC

Root Cause Analysis

Data Interpretation

DOE

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Food Science or related

Job description

pladis Foods Limited is seeking a Senior Process Engineer to drive process excellence across R&D and manufacturing in Carlisle. You will plan and run trials, analyse results and lead data-driven improvements to quality, efficiency and waste reduction.

The role requires strong problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration. You will apply Lean Six Sigma, SPC and DOE methods, deliver practical productivity gains and support the introduction of new machinery and processes in a fast-growing