Junior Process Engineer - Winona, Minnesota

MissionHires; Winona (MN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full Benefits

Relocation Expenses

Job summary

MissionHires seeks a Junior Process Engineer for a clean, food-grade site featuring distillation, spray drying, and bulk packaging. You will drive process optimization, provide plant support, and lead capital projects from design through installation.

Ideal for entry-level engineers ready to join a strong program or early-career professionals seeking leadership opportunities within a growth-focused organization with nationwide and global paths.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• 1+ years of manufacturing experience (co-op/internship counts for new grads).
• Experience with unit operations such as distillation or drying; spray drying exposure is a plus.
• Strong interest in controls systems and process automation (PLC/DCS/HMI).
• Ability to manage capital projects from design through startup.
• Excellent data analysis and root cause problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Willingness to work on-site at a clean, food-grade manufacturing facility; authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Optimize production processes across distillation, spray drying, and bulk packaging to improve throughput, yield, quality, and cost.
• Provide day-to-day process and operations support to resolve issues, improve reliability, and ensure consistent, food-grade compliance.
• Plan and execute capital projects from concept and design through installation, commissioning, and handover.
• Develop process design documentation (P&IDs, mass/energy balances, equipment specs) and support procurement and contractor coordination.
• Contribute to controls and automation initiatives; collaborate on PLC/DCS updates, troubleshooting, and recipe control improvements.
• Support trials, validations, and technology development for new and upgraded unit operations.
• Partner with EHS and Quality to maintain compliance and implement safe, cGMP-aligned practices.
• Analyze process data to identify root causes and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Interface cross-functionally with operations, maintenance, quality, and corporate engineering.
• Document changes via MOC and maintain accurate engineering records.

Skills

Process optimization

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Communication

Project coordination

Education

BS Chemical Engineering

BS Mechanical Engineering

Tools

PLC/DCS/HMI

Job description

MissionHires is seeking a Junior Process Engineer on behalf of an international nutrition and food additive manufacturer. This role supports an expanding, clean, food-grade site featuring distillation, spray drying, and bulk packaging operations. You will drive process optimization, provide day-to-day plant support, execute capital projects from design through installation, and contribute to controls and automation efforts. Ideal for entry-level engineers ready to join a strong engineering program or experienced early-career engineers eager to lead newly created work streams within a stable, growth-focused organization with nationwide and global career paths.

Responsibilities

• Optimize production processes across distillation, spray drying, and bulk packaging to improve throughput, yield, quality, and cost
• Provide day-to-day process and operations support to resolve issues, improve reliability, and ensure consistent, food-grade compliance
• Plan and execute capital projects from concept and design through installation, commissioning, and handover
• Develop process design documentation (P&IDs, mass/energy balances, equipment specifications) and support procurement and contractor coordination
• Contribute to controls and automation initiatives; collaborate on PLC/DCS updates, troubleshooting, and recipe control improvements
• Support trials, validations, and technology development for new and upgraded unit operations
• Partner with EHS and Quality to maintain compliance and implement safe, cGMP-aligned practices
• Analyze process data to identify root causes and drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Interface cross-functionally with operations, maintenance, quality, and corporate engineering
• Document changes via MOC and maintain accurate engineering records

Requirements

• BS in Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
• 1+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment (co-op/internship experience considered for new graduates)
• Priority consideration for experience in Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Pulp & Paper, or Power Generation
• Familiarity with unit operations such as distillation and drying; exposure to spray drying is a plus
• Experience or strong interest in controls systems (PLC/DCS/HMI) and process automation
• Ability to manage capital projects from design through installation and startup
• Proficiency in process data analysis and problem solving (root cause, continuous improvement)
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Willingness to work on-site at a clean, food-grade manufacturing facility
• Authorized to work in the United States

Benefits

• Full Beneifts = Yes
• Relocation Expenses = Yes