Expert Project Engineer

Land O'Lakes; San Jose (CA); Remote; USD 120,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agricultural cooperative is seeking an Expert Project Engineer to lead packaging equipment projects within their manufacturing operations. The role involves overseeing project scopes, estimating costs, and managing supplier relationships. The ideal candidate has a mechanical or agricultural engineering degree and extensive experience in packaging equipment and project management, coupled with strong communication skills. Remote work is possible with 60% travel required.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401k plan

Education assistance

PTO and disability insurance

Qualifications

• 10+ years related work experience preferred.
• Solid working knowledge of mechanical or agricultural engineering.
• Highly organized and proficient in food processing systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, installation, and start-up of plant construction or process equipment projects.
• Prepare process designs and equipment specifications.
• Manage relationships with packing equipment suppliers.

Skills

Highly effective communications

Ability to collaborate closely with operators

Root cause analysis

Education

B.S. degree in Mechanical, Agricultural, Food, or Feed Process Engineering

Tools

Packaging equipment

Robotics

Feed processing systems

Job description

Expert Project Engineer

The purpose of the Expert Project Engineer position is to lead the design, installation and start-up of plant construction or process equipment projects for Feed Supply Chain and Manufacturing operations. This position specifically focuses on packaging equipment. Incumbent is responsible for development of the project scope, working closely with the Feed Engineering Manager and Plant Manager, develop project and process design, capital and expense estimates, contractor selection, equipment specifications and purchases, implementation timeline and coordinate implementation plans for the projects. Provide recommended methods and standard operating practices to optimize processes and meet product specifications.

Work closely with the Directors of Operations to prepare capital plans. Manage the business relationship with packing equipment suppliers.

The target location for this role is Land O’Lakes Corporate Headquarters in Arden Hills, MN, however this position can be remote (virtual) and located anywhere in the USA. International travel will be required occasionally for business meetings.

Responsibilities

• Prepare process designs, equipment specifications and capital estimates for process upgrades and modifications to existing systems.
• Track equipment condition and provide long-term projections for repairs/replacements based on equipment age and number of cycles.
• Work closely with the Feed Engineering Manager and Plant Managers on the capital approval and implementation steps.
• Validate expected improvements are obtained from capital investments.
• Prepare equipment standards for processing equipment.
• Provide project management working with contractors, equipment vendors and plant personnel to insure on budget and on schedule project implementations.
• Conduct process evaluations in the forms of process system audits and in-plant testing.
• Evaluate process variables and provide recommendations for processing and energy efficiency improvements. Implementation of process improvements and validations of improvements.
• Provide equipment recommendations and methods to optimize processing

Required Education and Skills

• B.S. degree with concentration in Mechanical, Agricultural, Food, Feed Process Engineering or related degree and 10+ years related work experience.
• Technical experience in packaging equipment and robotics is highly preferred
• Technical processing expertise for Feed Operations highly preferred
• Solid working knowledge of mechanical or agricultural engineering and processing plants and equipment
• Individual is highly organized, proficient, and knowledgeable in most current grain or food processing systems

Competencies-Skills (Required)

• Highly effective communications is required and ability to modification communications approach to reach operators, supervisors, and Plant Managers. Strong interpersonal skills are required to sell and implement improvement projects.
• Ability to collaborate closely with operators on the plant and processing floor to understand equipment variables and equipment operations.
• Ability to understand root cause of problems and develop solutions is critical to success. Fact based reasoning and recommendations are essential to optimizing process variables and systems. Visualize process and building revisions and improvements.
• Ability to work closely with operators on the plant and processing floor to understand equipment variables and equipment operations.
• This position will involve 50% to 75% travel and will involve exposure to all shifts to allow training and operations improvements to be refined and fully implemented. Project installations can be up to 3 weeks in duration, including weekends. Significant time required in feed manufacturing facilities which have typical levels of dust and noise.

Travel: 60%

Salary: $120,880 - $181,320

In most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Neither Land O’Lakes, nor its search firms, will ever contact you and ask for confidential information over the phone or in email. If you receive a call or email like this, please do not provide the information being requested.