Lead Engineer, Project Engineering

Florida Crystals / ASR Group; California City (CA); Remote; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ASR Group is seeking a Lead Engineer, Project Engineering to drive large-scale capital programs across its operations. You will lead cross-functional teams, manage program scopes and budgets, and uphold safety and regulatory compliance throughout the project lifecycle.

Fully remote within California with up to 50% travel to refinery sites. The ideal candidate has 15+ years in manufacturing project engineering, strong project management skills, and advanced degrees (MBA/PM certifications) as a

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in manufacturing process engineering or project-focused roles.
• 15+ years of experience managing capital projects in manufacturing.
• Experience with project-management budgets, forecasts, and schedules.

Responsibilities

• Develop program investment strategies with stakeholders.
• Lead cross-functional teams including Engineering, Procurement, Safety, Operations.
• Prepare and manage program budgets up to $100M; monitor cash flow and cost controls.
• Identify risks and implement mitigation strategies across project lifecycle.
• Ensure safety, PSM, regulatory compliance throughout projects.
• Provide updates to senior leadership on progress, schedule, and financials.
• Mentor and train project engineers and develop design standards.
• Oversee commissioning plans and CQV activities; manage external resources.

Skills

15+ years experience

Project management

Leadership

Financial acumen

Education

ABET-accredited engineering degree

Advanced engineering degree

MBA

PMP certification

Tools

Microsoft Project

SAP

Job description

The companies produce a full line of grocery, industrial, foodservice and specialty sweetener products. Across North America, ASR Group® companies operate five sugar refineries, located in California, Maryland, Louisiana, Canada and Mexico. In Europe, ASR Group® companies operate sugar refineries in the United Kingdom, Portugal, and, with a joint venture partner, Italy. The companies also farm sugarcane and own sugar mills in Mexico and Belize. The ASR Group® portfolio includes the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Florida Crystals®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®, Lyle's®, Sidul® and Whitworths®. ASR Group® companies also produce and market Tellus®, a single-use, compostable tableware and foodservice product made from plant fibers, including sugarcane.

The Lead Engineer, Project Engineering is a senior-to-advanced-level capital project engineering role responsible for developing and managing large-scale, highly complex capital programs across ASR operations. Programs may support plant safety, Process Safety Management (PSM), infrastructure, process improvement, capacity expansion, compliance, and operational efficiency and capability. The role leads cross-functional project teams; manages program scope, budgets, resources, risks, and stakeholder communications; The position also serves as a subject-matter resource in the capital expenditure process and mentors and trains project engineers.

• Develop program investment strategies, including scope, goals, deliverables, success criteria, and implementation plans, in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Lead cross-functional teams that may include Engineering, Procurement, Safety, Operations, and contract labor.
• Prepare and manage program budgets ranging from $2 million to $100 million, including forecasts, cash-flow projections, and cost controls.
• Identify program and project risks, establish mitigation strategies, and monitor risk through execution and startup.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety, health, environmental, PSM, regulatory, engineering, and company requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary liaison among project teams, executive leadership, external engineering partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership on program progress, schedule, risks, challenges, and financial performance.
• Provide technical direction and oversight for process design, equipment selection, detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, qualification, validation, and startup activities.
• Own, contribute to, and develop design standards for ASR operations that are consistent with industry best practices.
• Review peer engineering designs for technical quality and compliance with industry standards, best practices, and company policies.
• Develop and implement best practices and innovative solutions that improve operational performance and reduce cost.
• Partner with Procurement to establish and manage relationships with key equipment, engineering, and construction service providers.
• Develop and execute commissioning plans and promote CQV and vertical-startup practices.
• Manage external engineering, construction-management, and other supplemental project resources.
• Oversee project delivery activities, including scope definition and control, cost control, schedules, construction management, training, coordination, and post-completion reviews.
• Lead and support process-safety and environmental compliance and implementation projects.
• Mentor and train project engineers and model disciplined application of the capital expenditure business process.

WORK EXPERIENCES

• 15 or more years of experience in manufacturing process engineering and/or project-focused roles.
• 15 or more years of experience managing capital projects in manufacturing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of project management methodology, including experience managing multiple projects valued at $5 million or more.
• Demonstrated experience managing program budgets, forecasts, schedules, resources, risks, and stakeholder communications.
• Experience working with process equipment and implementing process changes in industrial manufacturing environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively across organizational levels and represent the company professionally with vendors and engineering partners.
• Ability to perform in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project, SAP, and comparable project-management applications.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% and work in industrial plant environments.
• Experience across multiple capital disciplines, including mechanical, electrical, power distribution, control systems, civil, and environmental.
• Experience with both batch and continuous-flow manufacturing processes.
• Experience with the OSHA Process Safety Management standard and covered processes.
• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline from an ABET-accredited institution. Candidates with other degrees may be considered based on relevant process and project experience.
• Advanced degree in engineering or project management.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA).
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES)

• Expert knowledge of engineering principles, engineering standards, and industry best practices.
• Advanced capital-program and project-management capability across initiation, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, and closeout.
• Strong financial acumen for capital budgeting, forecasting, cost control, cash-flow management, and financial performance reporting.
• Strong technical judgment in process design, equipment selection, construction, commissioning, and implementation of process changes.
• Working knowledge of safety, health, environmental, PSM, and regulatory requirements applicable to industrial capital projects.
• Ability to identify, evaluate, communicate, and mitigate technical, financial, schedule, safety, and execution risks.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop project engineers.
• Commitment to safety, compliance, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

connects data points through analysis to arrive at a logical conclusion.

• Business & Financial Acumen - Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the financial, accounting, marketing and operational functions of our organization; interprets and applies key financial indicators to make better corporate decisions.
• Customer Orientation - Keeps internal and external customers in mind and proactively addresses their concerns and needs.

Fully remote within the State of California, with travel of up to 50% to refinery, non-refinery, and potential greenfield operating locations as required. Work includes time in industrial plant environments.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, genderidentity, age,nationalorigin, disability, veteranstatusorany other category protected under federal, state, or local law.