Chemical Engineering Manager

Suterra; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Suterra in Bend, Oregon seeks an experienced chemical engineer to lead and mentor a growing engineering team focused on safe, scalable production. You will drive process improvements, SOPs, BOM accuracy, and equipment specs while advancing new product launches.

This role emphasizes leadership, reliability, and cross-functional collaboration to optimize safety, quality, delivery and cost. Ten to fifteen years of experience, site safety involvement, and PLC troubleshooting are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
• 10–15 years in an engineering role involving product development or manufacturing.
• Experience leading teams and managing direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor engineers to meet operational needs.
• Drive process safety and Change Management across projects.
• Define equipment requirements and tests for performance improvements.
• Coordinate new product launches and trial demonstrations.
• Analyze production data and implement process improvements.

Skills

Team leadership

Mentoring engineers

Process safety management

Root cause analysis

SOP & BOM management

PLC troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering

Tools

PLC troubleshooting

Job description

Job Description

Responsibilities Include:

Team Leadership

• Recruiting and mentoring new engineers to meet emerging operational needs.
• Providing direction, leadership and support for existing engineers to enhance day-to-day problem-solving and plant coordination.
• Setting the agenda for chemical engineering to drive adoption of new technology and to scale up new products. Leading long-term initiatives to improve safety, quality and efficiency.
• Standardizing tools for engineering analysis, root cause problem-solving and equipment specification.
• Leading the fulfillment of key Process Safety Management (PSM) disciplines including Change Management and Process Hazard Analysis

Process Definition

• Publishing new and updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reflect agreed process changes.
• Publishing new and updated batch records to reflect agreed process and BOM changes.
• Maintaining the bill of material (BOM) for each production output for use across the organization.
• Securing approval for changes to SOPs and batch records from affected stakeholders prior to publishing

Specification of Equipment

• Defining functional requirements for new equipment to achieve process performance.
• Prescribing criteria and running tests to confirm equipment changes or upgrades.
• Definition of maintenance required to maintain all aspects of process performance.

New Product Launch

• Devising trials for demonstration of production process capability pertaining to new products.
• Analyzing trial data to identify issues and propose improvements.
• Define material specifications, SOPs, and process parameters that are compatible with our goals for Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost in mass production.

Production Support

• Determining the root cause of quality issues and working cross-functionally to propose and implement solutions.
• Generating and assessing proposals for process improvement including changes in procedures, equipment, and tools.
• Analyzing production data to identify issues and propose improvements.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
• Ten to fifteen years of experience in an engineering role involving product development or manufacturing.
• Previous experience with leading teams and formal responsibility for managing direct reports.
• Experience at a site under Process Safety Management and direct involvement in implementing the elements of the program.
• Familiarity with programmable logic controllers and an ability to troubleshoot chemical, mechanical and electrical issues.
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems while mitigating risks to resources and deadlines.
• Enthusiasm for teamwork at multiple levels and across multiple functions of the organization.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Additional Information

Why Join Suterra?

This is more than a field service role. It's the first step in a career supporting growers, advancing sustainable agriculture, and developing technical expertise in one of California's most important industries.

At Suterra, you'll receive:

• Hands-on training and mentorship from experienced agricultural professionals.
• Opportunities to build technical skills and grow your career.
• The chance to work with innovative technology that's making agriculture more sustainable.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.
• A collaborative team that values curiosity, integrity, and continuous learning.

If you're passionate about agriculture, enjoy working outdoors, and are ready to grow your career, we'd love to hear from you.

Suterra is wholly owned by The Wonderful Company

The Wonderful Company, headquartered in Los Angeles, is a privately held $6 billion global agribusiness company with consumer brands including Wonderful® Pistachios, Wonderful® Halos®, POM Wonderful®, FIJI® Water, JUSTIN® and Landmark® wines, as well as the Teleflora® flower delivery service.

To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit www.wonderful.com/csr.

The Wonderful Company is an Equality Opportunity Employer that provides opportunities for advancement.

We are committed to creating a diverse workforce that embodies a deep culture of acceptance, equity, and inclusion.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, region, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories.

Learn about sustainable programs and ways we give back to the community!

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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