Food Processing Engineer / Continuous Improvement Specialist

PastryStar; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Job summary

PastryStar is seeking a hands-on Food Processing Engineer / Continuous Improvement Specialist to support pastry manufacturing and a new plant buildout. You’ll lead improvement initiatives, document processes, and coordinate equipment installation across kettle, powder mixer, and related production equipment.

The role requires 3–5 years in food manufacturing, strong problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration, and a commitment to GMP and safety in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in industrial engineering or food processing engineering; hands-on experience may be considered.
• 3–5 years in food manufacturing, process engineering, or continuous improvement.
• Experience in bakery, pastry ingredient manufacturing, or GMP environments is desirable.
• Solid understanding of GMP, food safety, and quality documentation.
• Experience documenting processes and creating SOPs for manufacturing teams.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and manage the new plant buildout timelines and vendor coordination.
• Document, standardize, and improve processes, SOPs, and training materials.
• Assist with equipment selection, installation, and validation for scalable operations.
• Master kettle systems and powder mixer operations; ensure process controls.
• Lead continuous improvement to reduce waste and improve changeover efficiency.
• Collaborate with QA to enforce GMP and sanitation standards on the floor.
• Troubleshoot equipment and workflow issues to improve uptime and safety.
• Analyze production data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Develop visual management tools and dashboards for operational visibility.
• Train staff on updated processes, safety practices, and GMP expectations.

Skills

Project management

Continuous improvement

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Industrial Engineering or Food Processing Engineering

Tools

Power BI

ERP systems

CAD / layout tools

Microsoft Office

Data analysis platforms

Job description

We areseekinga hands-on, detail-oriented FoodProcessingEngineer / Continuous Improvement Specialist to support our pastry manufacturing operations and future growth.This roleis responsible forleading manufacturing improvement initiatives, supporting the project management of a new manufacturing plant buildout, documenting production processes,assistingwith machineselectionand installation, and strengthening operational efficiency across kettle, powder mixer, and related production equipment. The ideal candidate has strong manufacturing experience, technical problem-solving skills, and the ability to work cross-functionally with production, quality assurance, maintenance, warehouse, R&D, and leadership teams to improve safety, quality, consistency, and GMP compliance.

What you'll do

• Support the planning, coordination, and project management of the company’s new manufacturing plant buildout, including timelines, vendor coordination, equipment needs, production flow, and operational readiness.
• Document, standardize, and improve manufacturing processes, work instructions, SOPs, and training materials for pastry ingredient production, including kettle and powder mixer operations.
• Assistwith evaluating, selecting, installing, testing, and validating production equipment, machinery, and process improvements to support efficient and scalable manufacturing operations.
• Master the operation, training requirements, and process controls for kettle systems, powder mixer equipment, and other key production machinery.
• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing waste, improving production flow, increasing efficiency, improving changeover processes, and strengthening product consistency.
• Collaborate with the Quality Assurance department to ensure GMP procedures, sanitation expectations, food safety standards, and quality requirements are understood, documented, followed, and reinforced on the production floor.
• Partner with production and maintenance teams to troubleshoot equipment, process, and workflow issues and recommend practical solutions that improve uptime, productivity, and employee safety.
• Analyze production data, downtime, laborutilization, yields, batch records, and process performance toidentifytrends, root causes, and measurable improvement opportunities.
• Develop visual management tools, dashboards, checklists, and reporting methods to improve communication, accountability, and operational visibility across manufacturing teams.
• Train, coach, and support employees on updated processes, equipment use, standard work, safety practices, GMP expectations, and continuous improvement methods.
• Support layout planning, workflow design, capacity planning, and process flow improvements for current operations and future facility expansion.
• Participate in cross-functional projects involving operations, QA, R&D, maintenance, warehouse,purchasing, and leadership to implement sustainable process improvements.
• Assistwith equipment trials, new product scale-up, process validation, and production readiness activities for new or revised products.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement byidentifyingpractical opportunities for automation, workflow simplification, cost reduction, and stronger process controls.
• Maintain organized project documentation, process records, equipment information, training records, and improvement tracking tools.
• Provide support to management with special projects, operational initiatives, and facility improvement assignmentsas needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’sormaster'sdegree in industrial engineering or food processing engineering orarelatedfield preferred; equivalent hands-on manufacturing experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in food manufacturing, process engineering, continuous improvement, production operations, or a similar manufacturing role preferred.
• Experience working in bakery, pastry, ingredient manufacturing, food processing, or a regulated GMP manufacturing environment is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production equipment, process flow, quality standards, food safety practices, and operational efficiency principles.
• Knowledge of GMP requirements, sanitation practices, food safety standards, and quality documentation within a food production environment.
• Demonstrated ability to document processes, develop SOPs, create training materials, and standardize work instructions for manufacturing teams.
• Experience with equipmentselection, installation support, commissioning, troubleshooting, or plant start-up projects is a plus.
• Strong analytical,problem-solving,organizational, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, vendors, and cross-functional assignments.
• Proficiencywith Microsoft Office; experience with ERP systems, production reporting tools, Power BI, CAD/layout tools, or data analysis platforms is a plus.

PastryStar is proud to provide a clean, safe, and quality-driven environment. We are an equal opportunity employer and value teamwork, food safety, and operational excellence.

PLEASE NOTE: WE E-VERIFY.

All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Employment eligibility will be confirmed through theE-Verifysystem.

Job Type: Full-time

Must be located near Laurel, Maryland or willing to relocation.

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

PastryStar is more than a food manufacturer—it’s a team driven by passion, craftsmanship, and innovation. Founded by a French pastry chef and rooted in over 35 years of expertise, we create high-quality, clean-label ingredients that help professionals bring exceptional desserts to life. At PastryStar, we don’t just make products—we solve problems, elevate standards, and build something meaningful together.