Operations Excellence Engineer I — Poultry Processing

Foster Farms; Livingston (CA); On-site; USD 96,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Foster Farms in California is seeking an Operational Excellence Engineer I to lead data-driven improvements across poultry processing operations. Reporting to the Complex Manager, you will partner with live production, processing operations, maintenance, QA, food safety, and safety teams to improve throughput, yield, cost control, and compliance.

Applying Lean, Six Sigma, and audit-based methods, the OE Engineer will standardize processes, reduce variability, and deliver measurable value to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, operations, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, supply chain, operations management, or related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in poultry, meat processing, food manufacturing, high-volume labor-intensive operations or related environment.
• Strong data analysis, database management, and business operations experience.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green or Black Belt) preferred.
• Experience supporting internal audits, operational assessments, or compliance programs.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office with advanced Excel skills preferred.
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Collect and analyze operational, yield, labor, downtime, and quality data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Design and implement Lean and continuous improvement initiatives including waste reduction and line efficiency.
• Develop internal audits and compliance reviews related to food safety, quality, and safety standards.
• Plan, execute, and validate CAPAs and standardized work across departments.
• Create dashboards and reports to track KPIs such as yield, efficiency, and downtime.
• Coordinate cross-functional projects from scoping to post-implementation validation.

Skills

Data analysis

Project management

Team collaboration

Communication

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/Operations/Industrial Engineering/Mechanical Engineering/Supply Chain

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Lean Six Sigma

Job description

Foster Farms in California is seeking an Operational Excellence Engineer I to lead data-driven improvements across poultry processing operations. Reporting to the Complex Manager, you will partner with live production, processing operations, maintenance, QA, food safety, and safety teams to improve throughput, yield, cost control, and compliance.

Applying Lean, Six Sigma, and audit-based methods, the OE Engineer will standardize processes, reduce variability, and deliver measurable value to