Pastry Plant Process Engineer & Continuous Improvement

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

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.