Process Engineer - Fixed Term Contract

Tirlán; Ireland; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Tirlán is seeking a Process Engineer for a 12-month fixed-term contract in Kilkenny. You will work across our Operations & Supply Chain network to drive process engineering excellence, improve manufacturing performance and deliver continuous improvement initiatives.

You will collaborate with Operations, Quality, Engineering and R&D to identify improvements, optimise performance and support new products and technologies.

Qualifications

• Third-level qualification in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Technology or related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years manufacturing experience, preferably within a dairy or food processing environment.
• Lean Six Sigma qualification, or proven track record applying Lean Six Sigma in manufacturing.
• Experience delivering technical projects within the food industry.
• Experience in statistical data analysis would be an advantage.
• Strong problem-solving skills with data and process knowledge to drive improvements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in project leadership and managing cross-functional initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide process engineering expertise across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Support delivery of capital investment and engineering projects.
• Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies to identify and implement process improvement opportunities.
• Analyse process performance data to identify root causes, improve efficiency and reduce waste.
• Develop and implement process controls that improve Right First Time, OEE, productivity and cost efficiency.
• Partner with Operations teams in management and optimisation of product recipes.
• Benchmark manufacturing processes and identify opportunities to reduce variation and improve consistency.
• Promote standardisation and share engineering best practices across sites.
• Collaborate with maintenance teams to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
• Assess process capability against customer requirements and support improvement initiatives.
• Work with Operations and R&D on new product development and reformulation projects.
• Coordinate process-related change control activities and plant trials.
• Explore emerging technologies to enhance manufacturing performance.
• Contribute to development of a central process technology knowledge base.
• Share learnings and build collaboration across sites to support continuous improvement.

Skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Food Science/Engineering/Food Technology degree

Lean Six Sigma certification

Tools

Statistical data analysis

Job description

Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny

12-Month Fixed-Term Contract

Role Profile

Tirlán is a world-class food and nutrition co-operative with a diverse portfolio of quality ingredients, leading consumer brands and agri brands.

Our portfolio includes recognised brands such as Avonmore, Kilmeaden Cheese, Millac, Solmiko, Truly Grass Fed, Premier Milk, Wexford, mymilkman.ie and GAIN Animal Nutrition.

With annual revenues exceeding €3 billion and a team of approximately 2,000 people across Ireland, the US, MEA and China, we operate 11 processing plants and 52 agri branches. Our purpose is to nourish the world while safeguarding our environment for future generations.

We are currently seeking a Process Engineer to join our team on a 12-month fixed-term contract.

Reporting to the Central Process Engineering Manager, this role offers the opportunity to work across Tirlán's Operations & Supply Chain network, supporting Ingredient, Consumer and Agri Mill sites. You will play a key role in driving process engineering excellence, improving manufacturing performance, supporting operational teams and delivering continuous improvement initiatives across our manufacturing network.

Working closely with Operations, Quality, Engineering and R&D, you will help identify and implement process improvements, optimise manufacturing performance and support the successful introduction of new products and technologies.

This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer who enjoys solving complex challenges, working collaboratively and delivering measurable business impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide process engineering expertise and technical support across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Support the delivery of capital investment and engineering projects.
• Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies to identify and implement process improvement opportunities.
• Analyse process performance data to identify root causes, improve efficiency and reduce waste.
• Develop and implement process controls that improve Right First Time performance, OEE, productivity and cost efficiency.
• Partner with Operations teams in the management and optimisation of product recipes.
• Benchmark manufacturing processes and identify opportunities to reduce variation and improve consistency.
• Promote standardisation and share engineering best practices across sites.
• Collaborate with maintenance teams to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
• Assess process capability against customer requirements and support improvement initiatives.
• Work closely with Operations and R&D on new product development and product reformulation projects.
• Coordinate process-related change control activities and plant trials.
• Explore emerging technologies and identify opportunities to enhance manufacturing performance.
• Contribute to the development of a central process technology knowledge base across the business.
• Share learnings and build collaboration across sites to support continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

• Third-level qualification in Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Technology or a related discipline.
• A minimum of 5 years' manufacturing experience, preferably within a dairy or food processing environment.
• Third-level qualification in Lean Six Sigma, or a proven track record of applying Lean Six Sigma methodologies in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience delivering technical projects within the food industry.
• Experience in statistical data analysis would be a distinct advantage.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to use data and process knowledge to drive improvements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
• Experience in project leadership and managing cross-functional initiatives.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.

At Tirlán, innovation, collaboration and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do. Through our expertise in research and development, customer insight, food safety and advanced manufacturing, we bring innovative food and nutrition solutions to customers around the world.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Tirlán, we believe diversity of thought, experience and background strengthens our business and helps us deliver better outcomes for our customers, communities and colleagues.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic self.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.