Principal, Food Processing & Food Safety

BW Design Group; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

BW Design Group in Raleigh, NC seeks a Principal, Food Processing & Food Safety to lead technical strategy across capital projects and manufacturing environments. You will mentor engineers, guide process design, and support business development while championing food safety and regulatory compliance.

The role requires 20+ years in food & beverage manufacturing, deep regulatory knowledge, and strong leadership to drive manufacturing modernization across diverse facilities and client engagements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline is required.
• 20+ years in food/beverage manufacturing, processing, or engineering consulting highly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of FDA/USDA/FSMA, HACCP, GMP, and sanitation design.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for food processing, packaging, and safety systems.
• Lead facility assessments, technology reviews, and front-end planning supporting capital investments.
• Guide project teams from concept to commissioning and operations readiness.
• Collaborate with clients to define requirements, opportunities, and solutions.
• Mentor engineers and advance BW Design Group's food & beverage capabilities.

Skills

Technical leadership

Client engagement

Food processing knowledge

Regulatory awareness

Mentoring

Communication

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Food Science or Engineering

Advanced degree (PhD) preferred

Professional certifications / PE registration valued

Job description

Who You'll Work With

You will join one of our 45 offices in the US, be part of a committed team of over 1500 professionals, and work in teams and directly with our clients doing work that is shaping the world around us. You will be welcomed into a rapidly growing business and team and empowered to make an impact. You will be valued, cared for, and challenged on your path to becoming a world-class professional consultant and surrounded by leaders who are committed to creating an environment that enables you to realize your own success and fulfillment.

Who You'll Work With

You will join one of our 45 offices in the US, be part of a committed team of over 1500 professionals, and work in teams and directly with our clients doing work that is shaping the world around us. You will be welcomed into a rapidly growing business and team and empowered to make an impact. You will be valued, cared for, and challenged on your path to becoming a world-class professional consultant and surrounded by leaders who are committed to creating an environment that enables you to realize your own success and fulfillment.

What You'll Do

The Principal, Food Processing & Food Safety serves as a senior technical leader within BW Design Group's Food & Beverage practice. This role provides subject matter expertise, technical leadership, and strategic guidance across client engagements, project pursuits, capital programs, and operational improvement initiatives. The Principal is recognized as a trusted advisor within the industry and helps clients evaluate manufacturing technologies, improve food safety, optimize operations, and execute complex capital investments. This role combines deep technical expertise with thought leadership, client engagement, and mentoring responsibilities. The Principal supports business development activities through technical credibility, industry relationships, and participation in strategic pursuits. This includes:

• Participating in BW Design Group capabilities presentations to clients.
• Contributing to proposal development and pursuit activities.
• Authoring technical publications, articles, and white papers.
• Presenting at industry conferences, client forums, and professional association events.

Serve as BW Design Group's subject matter expert and technical authority for food processing and food safety systems across multiple capital programs and manufacturing environments. Support project teams from planning and concept development through commissioning and operational readiness while ensuring technical excellence and alignment with client objectives. Partner directly with clients to understand business needs, evaluate opportunities, define project requirements, and develop solutions that improve manufacturing performance, product quality, food safety, and operational efficiency. Support the development and implementation of firmwide standards, best practices, and technical guidance for Food & Beverage manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities include:

• Provide technical leadership for food processing, packaging, ingredient handling, utilities, refrigeration, sanitation, and food safety systems.
• Conduct facility assessments, process evaluations, technology reviews, feasibility studies, and front-end planning activities supporting capital investment decisions.
• Evaluate manufacturing operations and recommend scalable solutions aligned with business objectives, food safety requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Serve as a technical advisor for strategic capital planning, operational optimization, innovation adoption, and manufacturing modernization initiatives.
• Guide project teams through process planning, conceptual design, and implementation strategies for new and existing facilities.
• Support the development of facility concepts, manufacturing process flows, equipment selection strategies, and operational readiness plans.
• Work closely with client personnel including Engineering, Operations, Quality, Manufacturing, Food Safety, Supply Chain, and Maintenance organizations.
• Interface with equipment suppliers, technology providers, OEMs, industry organizations, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Mentor and develop engineers and technical professionals across the organization.
• Champion innovation by evaluating emerging food processing technologies, food safety practices, automation solutions, and manufacturing trends.
• Drive thought leadership through conference participation, technical publications, client education, and industry engagement activities.
• Strengthen BW Design Group's reputation as a trusted advisor and technical leader within the Food & Beverage industry.

Areas of Expertise

• Food Processing & Manufacturing Systems
• Food Safety, Sanitation & Hygienic Design
• Thermal Processing & Process Validation
• Aseptic Processing & Packaging Technologies
• Process Scale-Up & Commercialization
• Facility Planning & Manufacturing Operations
• Technology Evaluation & Innovation Adoption
• Manufacturing Modernization & Capital Planning
• Operational Readiness & Startup Support
• Food Processing Regulatory Compliance

What You'll Bring

• 20+ years of progressive experience in Food & Beverage manufacturing, food processing, food safety, process development, facility design, engineering consulting, or related industrial environments.
• Recognized expertise in food processing technologies, manufacturing systems, and food safety programs.
• Deep understanding of food manufacturing operations, including process flow, equipment integration, packaging systems, sanitation, utilities, refrigeration, and operational readiness.
• Extensive knowledge of FDA, USDA, FSMA, HACCP, SQF, GMP, Preventive Controls, sanitation design, allergen management, thermal processing, and food safety systems.
• Experience supporting facility planning, process development, technology evaluation, manufacturing scale-up, operational improvement, and capital project planning.
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Demonstrated thought leadership through publications, patents, conference presentations, technical committees, academic involvement, training development, industry awards, or professional recognition.
• Experience supporting proposal development, technical sales activities, project estimation, and strategic pursuits.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage executive stakeholders, manufacturing leadership, engineering teams, regulators, and industry organizations.
• Recognition as a technical leader, subject matter expert, process authority, or industry resource within Food & Beverage manufacturing environments is highly valued.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated success in client relationship management and technical leadership.
• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or related discipline required.
• Advanced degree preferred; PhD valued.
• Professional certifications, Process Authority credentials, PE registration, or comparable industry recognition valued.
• Willingness to travel for client engagements, site visits, startup support, industry conferences, technical seminars, and project requirements.

Our culture and commitment to our people is what sets us apart. We foster an environment of mutual respect, integrity, and unconditional interest in the individual and collective success of our professionals. Our model and entrepreneurial mindset offer a rewarding, challenging, and highly flexible path. As a Principal, Food Processing & Food Safety, you will build a meaningful and fulfilling career with the support of professional development resources and mentorships including our First Year Experience program, Individual Development Plans, and Career Path resources and tools. You will be surrounded by exceptional talent who will support your development as both a world-class engineer and a highly effective leader.