Manufacturing Engineer

Graceland Fruit, Inc.; Frankfort (MI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Graceland Fruit, Inc. is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to design, operate, control, and optimize manufacturing processes that improve quality, productivity and reliability.

The role emphasizes increasing yields and equipment utilization, leading capital projects, and collaborating with the Controls Dept. and HACCP teams to drive continuous improvement across manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing systems or equivalent with 5 years in manufacturing, controls or process engineering (food experience preferred).
• Food Industry and HACCP experience preferred.
• Strong data analysis capabilities; Excel required; experience with Power BI and Amazon QuickStart.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and improve manufacturing methods to maximize yield, equipment uptime and quality.
• Identify performance trends and corrective actions based on product quality and customer feedback.
• Lead root cause analysis on process and controls issues using structured methodologies (5 Whys, fishbone, fault tree).
• Develop and oversee process control methods to ensure product quality and conformity to standards.
• Maintain and improve process setup specifications for manufacturing and packaging processes.
• Document continuous improvement efforts for new or revised processes (flow, work instructions, plant layouts).
• Collaborate with suppliers to specify requirements, design and fabricate equipment to meet process needs.
• Lead capital projects with focus on safety, performance, reliability and maintainability.
• Serve as a process expert and member of HACCP team; participate in Kaizen projects.

Skills

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

Lean Six Sigma

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/manufacturing systems

Tools

AutoCAD 2D

Power BI

Job description

Job Summary

This position is responsible for the design, operation, control, and optimization of manufacturing processes that result in increased operational quality, productivity and reliability.

Deliverables

Increased product yields and processing equipment utilization while reducing customer concerns, processing downtime and process waste. Manage capital equipment projects from scope development to final commissioning. Work with Controls Dept. to increase reliability, improve up-time, lead root cause analysis and continuous improvement projects. Improve process and control strategies across manufacturing processes.

Job Title and Logistics

JOB TITLE: Manufacturing Engineer
WAGE RANGE: TBD
DEPARTMENT: Engineering
REPORTS TO: Engineering / R&D Manager

Job Summary

This position is responsible for the design, operation, control, and optimization of manufacturing processes that result in increased operational quality, productivity and reliability.

Deliverables

Increased product yields and processing equipment utilization while reducing customer concerns, processing downtime and process waste. Manage capital equipment projects from scope development to final commissioning. Work with Controls Dept. to increase reliability, improve up-time, lead root cause analysis and continuous improvement projects. Improve process and control strategies across manufacturing processes.

Job Duties

Essential Functions –

• Evaluate and improve manufacturing methods to maximize yield, equipment up-time and quality.
• Identify performance, trends, and corrective actions based on product quality and customer feedback.
• Lead root cause analysis on process and controls issues using structured methodologies (e.g., 5 Whys, fishbone, fault tree).
• Develop and oversee process control methods to ensure product quality and conformity to our standards.
• Maintain and improve process Setup Specifications for manufacturing and packaging processes.
• Document continuous improvement efforts for new/revised process (process flow, work instructions, plant layouts, etc.)
• Work with suppliers to specify requirements, design, and fabricate manufacturing equipment to meet our process requirements.
• Lead capital projects - focus on safety, equipment performance, design, reliability, and maintainability standards.
• Function as a process expert and member of core HACCP Team.
• Lead and participate as team member of Kaizen Projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing systems along with 5 years of experience in manufacturing, controls or process engineering (food experience desired) or equivalent experience education and experience.
• Food Industry and HACCP experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with root cause analysis and continuous improvement (Lean, Six Sigma, TPM concepts)
• Strong data analysis capabilities and skills (Excel required, experience with Power BI, Amazon QuickStart)
• Proficient with the use of AutoCad (2D).
• Excellent interpersonal, computer and communications skills (both verbal and written).
• Be a self-starter who works with a sense of urgency and acts as a good team player working with other disciplines.