Field Service Engineer

Modern Process Equipment Corporation; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Vacation and paid holidays

Job summary

Modern Process Equipment (MPE) in Chicago, IL is seeking a Field Service Engineer who travels across North America installing our grinders and conveying systems for top food and beverage clients.

You’ll diagnose complex problems, perform preventive maintenance, and deliver hands-on training. This role requires strong mechanical/electrical skills, PLC familiarity, and a willingness to travel 50–70%.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with processing equipment in food or industrial manufacturing.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills on real facilities.
• Comfort working with PLCs, motors, drives, and industrial control systems.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel domestically 50–70%.
• Desire to grow in a technical service career.

Responsibilities

• Install and commission MPE equipment nationwide, setting the tone for relationships that follow.
• Diagnose and resolve mechanical, electrical, and process issues under deadline.
• Perform preventive maintenance and system optimization to minimize downtime.
• Deliver hands-on training that builds customer confidence running equipment after visits.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Technical equipment

Travel readiness

Customer-facing communication

Team collaboration

Tools

PLCs

Motors & Drives

Industrial control systems

Electrical troubleshooting

Job description

Field Service Engineer

Modern Process Equipment (MPE) Chicago, IL

Full-time

Food and Specialty Coffee

50% to 70% travel

ABOUT MPE

For nearly 60 years, MPE has been the technical backbone of North America's food processing industry. Today, over 90% of coffee processors across North America run our grinders and conveying systems to keep their operations moving. We're family-owned, headquartered in Chicago, and growing, with over 100 team members and operations spanning three continents. We serve specialty coffee, food manufacturing, craft brewing, pet food, and more, building equipment that plants depend on every single day.

THE ROLE

You're the person customers call when something breaks, and the one they remember when everything runs perfectly. As a Field Service Engineer, you'll travel across North America installing MPE equipment, diagnosing tough problems, and keeping our systems running at peak performance for some of the most respected names in food and beverage. One week you're commissioning a grinder at a specialty roaster in Portland. The next, you're troubleshooting a conveyor at a major food manufacturer in Texas. No two visits are ever alike, and the impact you make is immediate and visible.

This isn't a desk job, and it isn't monotonous work either. Every site brings a different challenge, from boutique roasters to large scale processors to craft breweries. And you're never out there alone. You've got the full backing of our engineering, sales, and operations teams behind every visit.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Technical Excellence

• Install and commission MPE equipment at customer facilities nationwide, setting the tone for every relationship that follows


• Diagnose and resolve mechanical, electrical, and process related issues, often under pressure and always under a deadline that matters


• Perform preventive maintenance and system optimization that keeps customer lines running and downtime off the table


• Deliver hands-on training that gives customers real confidence running their equipment long after you've left the site

Customer Partnership

• Represent MPE as the trusted technical face of the company, the reason customers call us again


• Translate complex technical information clearly for operators, plant managers, and executives alike


• Spot opportunities for customers to get more value and more output from their MPE systems

Documentation and Collaboration

• Write clear, detailed service reports after each visit that keep the whole team in the loop


• Coordinate your own scheduling and travel logistics with real autonomy


• Bring field insights back to engineering and sales. Your perspective from the floor genuinely shapes how we build

WHAT YOU BRING

Technical Foundation

• Hands-on experience with processing equipment, ideally in food or industrial manufacturing


• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills, sharpened on real problems in real facilities


• Comfort working with PLCs, motors, drives, and industrial control systems


• Valid driver's license and the ability to travel domestically 50 to 70%, with occasional trips to Canada and Mexico

A Problem Solver's Mindset

• Works through issues methodically and doesn't leave a site until it's resolved


• Genuinely curious about why something works, not just how to fix it


• Adapts easily when customer needs shift the schedule

People Skills

• Explains technical concepts in plain language, never talking down to customers


• Treats customer success as personal, not finished until they feel confident


• Collaborates naturally across departments


• Brings a level of professionalism that earns trust the moment you walk on site

Growth Minded

• Keeps building technical knowledge in a fast moving industry


• Takes feedback well and puts it to use


• Sees this as a career in technical service, not just a job

BENEFITS

• Competitive salary


• Health, dental, and vision coverage


• 401(k) with company match


• Vacation and paid holidays

For the right person, this is a career that genuinely doesn't get old. Ready to see the country and solve hard problems?