Continuous Improvement Process Specialist

Agropur Cooperative; Town of Luxemburg (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

Agropur Cooperative in Luxemburg, WI seeks a Continuous Improvement Process Specialist to enhance production efficiency for cheese and whey products. You will troubleshoot machinery, analyze data, and implement improvements across plant operations.

Required: Bachelor’s in a related field and 3+ years in dairy processing; familiarity with SAP/MES/AOS; ability to write SOPs and lead process improvements. Travel to customer sites may be needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Operations Management or Manufacturing Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Minimum three years of dairy processing experience, preferably whey-processing.
• Experience with dairy processing equipment and quality programs.
• Ability to develop SOPs and improve production processes.

Responsibilities

• Identify problems or areas for improvement in production and determine actions.
• Help implement improvements and corrective actions in production areas.
• Develop and write SOPs for production and cleaning processes.
• Collaborate with plant, corporate and client personnel on tasks.
• Work with ERP/SAP, MES and AOS for product disposition and updates.
• Lead AOS activities such as centerline, loss tree and 90‑day plans.

Skills

Statistical analysis

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Operations Management or Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

SAP ERP

MES

AOS

Job description

Job Type: Regular Job Description

People are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability in order to generate value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of the team means committing to an environment where everyone’s impact truly matters. At Agropur, each role aims to generate value and have a tangible impact on collective performance.

Context to maximize your impact: Salary range 004: $69,500 - $86,900 (Salary will be determined based on skills, education, training & experience related to the position.) Work Schedule: Monday - Friday or Sunday - Thursday Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-term Disability Insurance 401(k) with 7% company contributions 3 weeks Paid Time Off Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays Paid parental leave

Advancement Opportunities Where you will drive value:

We are looking for a Continuous Improvement Process Specialist in Luxemburg, WI. The Continuous Improvement Process Specialist works as part of a collaborative team to help improve the operating efficiencies in the production of high-quality cheese and/or whey ingredients. The Process Specialist performs advanced troubleshooting on all machines and processes in the assigned plant location (s). Identify problem areas or areas for improvement in production; determine a course of action; help implement improvement and corrective actions in these areas. Obtain and maintain good knowledge of cheese make, cheese conversion, whey and permeate process and procedures as assigned. Collaborate with internal and external personnel to develop systems and procedures for new unit operations for the production of whey/dairy products. Accurately perform statistical analysis of laboratory and process data to identify trends, deficiencies and formulate predictions. Develop and write Standard Operating Procedures for production and cleaning processes. Work with plant, corporate and client personnel to resolve day-to-day production tasks/needs as they arise. Understand and comply with all Quality Assurance policies; immediately reporting any potential food safety issues to management. Work with the sales department regarding product disposition as well as with the customers. Visit customers as required to support the customer’s needs and wants for whey ingredients, such as coordinating and leading production trials. May work with ERP (SAP, MES, AOS) system for product disposition and formulation updates/changes for the plant. Engage and lead applicable AOS activities, such as centerline and CIL management, loss tree, and 90-day plan development, etc. Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management. Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations. Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.

What will enable you to have an impact:

Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science, Operations Management or Manufacturing Engineering required. Equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered. Minimum three (3) years of dairy processing experience preferably in a whey-processing environment (Pasteurizes, Membrane Systems, Spray Dryers, and Evaporators) required. Extensive dairy experience along with progressive leadership growth preferred. A role aligned with what creates the greatest collective impact.

#CH-1 Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and origins. We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to providing a respectful and inclusive experience for all employees and applicants. We will work with candidates who request accommodation. Please note that an adequate knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec. In this text, the use of the masculine gender to designate persons is intended only to lighten the text. Agropur is an E-Verify Employer (US Operations).