Engineer 3, Decatur

1101 Primary Products Ingredients Americas LLC; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 101,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Healthcare

Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) with company matching

Disability & Life insurance

Paid holidays & vacation

Floating days off

Parental leave

Employee resource groups

Learning & development programs

Culture & growth

Job summary

Primient in Decatur, IL is seeking an Engineer 3 to optimize plant operations through process design, troubleshooting, and efficiency improvements. This role combines hands-on project work with responsibility for plant-wide improvements and mentoring junior engineers.

The candidate should hold a BS in engineering (ABET) with 5+ years in manufacturing, and experience leading capital projects. The position offers competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities to advance within a

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited BS in Chemical, Mechanical, Bio, or Electrical Eng (required).
• Master’s degree in Engineering (preferred).
• Six Sigma/Lean Certification (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to moderately complex engineering projects for process improvements.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers and operators.
• Collaborate across sites to standardize best practices and drive reliability.
• Analyze process data to identify energy, material, and throughput improvements.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory standards.
• Drive data-driven decision making and cross-plant benchmarking.

Skills

Process design

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Data driven

Root cause analysis

Lean Six Sigma

Troubleshooting

Critical thinking

Communication

Education

ABET-accredited BS in Chemical/Mechanical/Bio/Electrical Eng

Master’s in Engineering (preferred)

Six Sigma/Lean certification (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

SAP

CATS

Gensuite

Job description

About Primient

Primient is a century old company with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources. We deliver value through deep technical, commercial, and operational excellence that is backed by our long-standing corn wet milling heritage. Wherever we are in the process, from field to customer, our priorities are focused on ensuring we produce the safest, highest quality products through practices that uphold both our responsibility and commitments to the challenge and drive for excellence, our people and our planet. We’re investing in our plants and people to unlock our potential in the industrial and food sectors. Guided by our values of Safety, Excellence, Integrity, and Growth, we’re focused on growing our business, our reputation, and the career of every teammate.

Primient is a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources. We deliver value through deep technical, commercial, and operational expertise that is backed by our long-standing corn wet milling heritage. Wherever we are in the process, from start to finish, we focus our priorities on producing the safest, highest quality ingredients through practices that uphold our ongoing commitment to sustainability. Our employees, some of whom are second and third generation legacy, understand the importance of maintaining the highest levels of safety, excellence, and integrity in all that we do. We continue to grow with a century long history of ingenuity that started with agricultural visionary Augustus “Gene” Staley. Staley’s “can do” attitude and entrepreneurial spirit continue to lead and inspire Primient in new ways that ensure we honor our traditions to confidently trail blaze ahead. We proudly walk the halls of the ‘Castle in the Cornfields’ administration building in Decatur, IL, US, tracing our rich heritage and planning for the next big ideas.

About the Role

The Engineer 3 sits within the Engineering Technical Track and provides engineering expertise to optimize plant operations through process design, troubleshooting, and efficiency improvements. This role moves beyond troubleshooting to designing and specifying plant operations, taking ownership of process improvements that impact multiple unit operations. The Engineer 3 operates with greater autonomy, overseeing complex projects, driving plant-wide optimizations, and mentoring junior engineers. This role collaborates cross functionally to drive standardization, reliability, and best practices across sites, supporting Primient’s commitment to safety, excellence, integrity, and growth.

Primary Responsibilities

• Engineering Project Execution: Lead and contribute to moderately complex engineering projects, designing and implementing process improvements that enhance efficiency, safety, and product quality. Oversee end-to-end executing, ensuring timely and budget-compliant delivery.
• Technical Leadership and Mentorship: Serve as a key technical resource, providing guidance and instructions to junior engineers, operators, and cross-functional teams. Support the development of technical expertise within the plant by mentoring less‑experienced engineers.
• Cross Function & Multi-Plant Collaboration: Collaborate with engineers, production teams, and leadership across sites to drive operational consistency, share best practices, and troubleshoot plant‑wide challenges. Engage with external partners and vendors to implement solutions.
• Process Optimization & Troubleshooting: Analyze process performance data, identify inefficiencies, and develop independent solutions to optimize energy consumption, material usage, and production throughput. Work proactively to design process enhancements rather than reacting to troubleshooting alone.
• Regulatory & Compliance Standards: Ensure engineering projects and process changes comply with environmental, safety, quality, sustainability, and internal/external regulations. Maintain awareness of evolving industry regulations and implement necessary adjustments.
• Data-driven Decision-Making: Collect, analyze, and report operational data to identify performance gaps, generate insights, and recommend process improvements. Use benchmarking and cross‑plant comparisons to drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Primary Responsibilities Knowledge

• Process Design (Material & Energy Balance, Fluid Dynamics, Process Control, Thermodynamics, Material of Construction & Compatibility, Equipment Sizing)
• Technical expertise in engineering principles in applicable areas
• Knowledgeable about project workflow and disciplines involved
• Expertise in business systems (i.e. Microsoft Office, Outlook, SAP, CATS, Gensuite, etc)
• Safety & environmental regulations and best practices
• Skills Excellent written and verbal communication
• Project management of complex projects
• Implementation of process changes and engineering improvement
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Root cause analysis
• Cross‑functional leadership and coordination
• Documentation
• Mindsets
• Data driven
• Collaborative
• Technical Curiosity
• Innovative
• Goal‑oriented
• Attention to safety, quality, sustainability
• Operational excellence
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Economic consideration

Required and/or Education/Certification

BS in Chemical, Mechanical, Bio, Electrical Engineering or a related field from ABET accredited institution (required) Master’s Degree in Engineering or a related field. (preferred) Certification in Six Sigma, Green Belt or Black Belt, and Lean Manufacturing (preferred)

Required and/or Preferred Work Experience

5+ years of experience in engineering in related field (preferred) Experience leading optimization and cost reduction initiatives, including capital projects. (required) 5+ years of experience in engineering in a continuing manufacturing environment. (preferred) Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma or other continuous improvement methodologies. (preferred)

Total Rewards

The annual pay range estimated for this position is $101,819.20 - $127,274.00 and is bonus eligible. Please note that while this range reflects the full spectrum of compensation available for this role, individual compensation will be determined based on several factors including your experience, skills, and alignment with the role's responsibilities. During the interview process there will be an opportunity to discuss how your background fits into the pay range.

• Competitive Pay
• Multiple Healthcare plan choices
• Dental and vision insurance
• A 401(k) plan with company and matching contributions
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Life, AD&D, and Voluntary Insurance plans
• Paid holidays & vacation
• Floating days off
• Parental leave for new parents
• Employee resource groups
• Learning & development programs
• Fun culture where you have an opportunity in shaping our future

Career Path & Culture

Primient is committed to a workplace that is all in – ensuring everyone has the opportunity to develop and shape a career that matters in an open culture which embraces equity, diversity and belonging. We challenge old ways of thinking; and encourage employee voices to be a guiding force for ongoing learning. Primient supports a culture of inclusion that respects individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe our differences make better decisions, drive excellence, and deliver better business results. Primient employees experience autonomy and accountability in their role. Here, employees control their destiny as there is opportunity for career growth and pathways outside the norm.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

We are believers in the power of difference. We strive to provide an inclusive, welcoming environment for all. We want Primient to be a place where every employee feels they belong and knows they are seen, heard, valued and safe to speak up. Our aspiration is to unlock the full potential in diverse perspectives, while offering everyone an equal chance to grow, Primient is an equal opportunity employer, committed to the strength of an inclusive workforce.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

The Company is committed to complying with the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) and all data privacy and laws in the jurisdictions in which it recruits and hires employees. We collect the following categories of personal information for the purpose of hiring the best qualified applicants and to comply with applicable employment laws: Name and contact information; Job preference and work availability; Social Security Number and/or other identification information; Education and qualifications; Employment history and experience; Military service; Reference and background check information, including relevant criminal history and credit history; Social media information; Pre-employment test results; Post-offer medical examination information and results, including drug test results; Voluntary self-disclosure information regarding minority, veteran, and disability status; and Information provided by you during the hiring process.