Principal Food Systems Engineer

Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc.; Carol Stream (IL); On-site; USD 114,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Health advocacy

401(k) with company match

Wellness programs

Paid time off

Job summary

Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc. in Illinois seeks a Principal Food Systems Engineer to lead advanced R&D on food interactions with Marmon equipment.

You will apply thermodynamics, heat transfer, and modeling to improve food quality, equipment performance, and customer value while prototyping and validating concepts. Working closely with engineering, product management, and product teams, you will translate insights into actionable design improvements, develop maturation plans for emerging

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant technical discipline with 10–15+ years in food systems engineering or related development areas.
• Proven ability to translate food science into engineering constraints and actionable design decisions.
• Experience driving concept maturation from exploration to proof-of-concept and feasibility validation.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and apply analytical, numerical, and simulation models to evaluate concepts and predict food-system behavior.
• Prototype, instrument, test, and refine proof-of-concept systems and hardware in early-stage development.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and develop maturation plans aligned with product roadmaps.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate insights into design criteria and validation strategies.
• Design experiments, including DOE, to resolve complex development questions.

Skills

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Thermal management

Food interaction

Modeling

Simulation

DOE

Data analysis

Education

Master’s or Ph.D. in Food Engineering / related field

Tools

CAD

Instrumentation

DOE tools

Test rigs

Job description

Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc. As a part of the global industrial organization Marmon Holdings—including the backing of Berkshire Hathaway—you’ll be doing things that matter, leading at every level, and winning a better way. We’re committed to making a positive impact on the world, providing you with diverse learning and working opportunities, and fostering a culture where everyone’s empowered to be their best. Though you may not know us by name, you’ve most likely enjoyed meals and refreshments supported by our industry-leading brand portfolio. For decades, we’ve designed and manufactured foodservice equipment for some of the world’s biggest, most recognized consumer brands. We are driven to innovate with a clear purpose in mind: revolutionizing the future of foodservice. Guided by our commitment to Doing Things That Matter, Leading at Every Level, and Winning a Better Way, we focus on delivering meaningful impact for our customers, our communities, and each other. The Principal Food Systems Engineer is a senior technical expert responsible for advancing the scientific and engineering understanding of how food interacts with Marmon Foodservice Technologies equipment—including holding bins, toasters, heated platforms, and emerging foodservice technologies. This role applies food systems science, thermodynamics, modeling and simulation, mechanical design, hands‑on prototyping, and validation to develop technologies that improve food quality, operational performance, and customer value. As part of the Advanced R&D Technology Team, this role explores, incubates, and matures food‑system technologies that support future product roadmaps, competitive differentiation, and improved customer outcomes. Working closely with engineering, product management, and product teams, this individual identifies technology opportunities and translates complex food‑quality challenges into predictive models, engineering solutions, measurable performance metrics, proof‑of‑concept technologies, and actionable technical insights that drive future product development. The role is expected to personally contribute throughout the innovation process via simulation, engineering design, CAD development, prototype creation, instrumentation, experimentation, and technical analysis that advance technologies from concept through feasibility and validation. This is a highly hands‑on Advanced R&D Principal Engineer role focused on technology exploration, concept development, proof‑of‑concept maturation, and solving complex challenges involving food systems, heat transfer, thermal management, and food‑equipment interaction through scientific rigor, modeling and simulation, engineering analysis, and experimental development.

What You’ll Do

Develop and Apply Modeling, Simulation, and Analytical Methods Develop, validate, and apply analytical, numerical, and simulation models to evaluate concepts, test hypotheses, predict food‑system behavior, and guide design decisions before physical prototyping and full‑scale testing. Analyze heat transfer, mass transfer, airflow, humidity behavior, contact conditions, and thermal response to better understand food‑equipment interaction. Integrate simulation results, experimental data, and observed food performance to guide design tradeoffs, reduce development risk, and accelerate concept maturation. Drive Hands‑On Concept Development and Proof‑of‑Concept Work Work directly in the front‑end innovation phase to shape concepts, evaluate feasibility, and identify promising technical pathways. Create mechanical concepts, CAD models, design layouts, prototype configurations, and experimental setups to support early‑stage technology evaluation. Independently design, build, instrument, test, and refine prototype systems, fixtures, sensors, data acquisition setups, and proof‑of‑concept hardware with minimal reliance on dedicated technical support. Partner closely with engineering, product management, and product teams to translate scientific insight into physical concepts, test articles, and practical design improvements. Explore, Evaluate, and Mature Emerging Technologies Identify, evaluate, and assess emerging technologies, scientific advancements, customer needs, and industry trends that may create future opportunities for Marmon Foodservice Technologies. Perform technical feasibility assessments to understand the applicability, risks, benefits, and limitations of new technologies and concepts. Develop technology maturation plans that advance concepts from exploration through proof‑of‑concept, feasibility assessment, technology validation, and roadmap readiness. Generate technical insights and recommendations that inform technology roadmaps, innovation investments, future product strategies, and potential intellectual property opportunities. Provide Deep Technical Contribution Across Product Development Work directly with engineering and product teams to translate food science and application data into engineering constraints, design criteria, and validation strategies. Design and execute experiments, including DOE and hypothesis‑driven testing, to resolve complex development questions. Apply technical judgment and evidence‑based analysis to influence design direction across multiple programs. Serve as a technical mentor and subject matter expert, helping elevate organizational capability in food systems, thermal management, modeling and simulation, experimental methods, and technology development.

Strong Foundation in:

• Thermodynamics, heat transfer, thermal management, and food‑equipment interaction
• Food systems engineering, food texture, rheology, and product quality analysis
• Modeling, simulation, mechanical design, prototyping, and instrumentation
• Experimental design, DOE, and data‑driven problem solving

Skills and Experience

We’re Looking For Experience developing commercial food equipment, collaborating with QSR R&D teams, or advancing foodservice technologies in innovation‑focused environments. Experience working hands‑on in concept development, proof‑of‑concept work, prototyping, experimental development, and technology feasibility assessment. Experience applying rigorous scientific and engineering principles, including DOE, root cause analysis, and multi‑variable performance characterization to solve problems involving food behavior, thermal response, texture, moisture, and equipment interaction. Experience exploring, incubating, and maturing new technologies from concept through proof‑of‑concept and technical feasibility validation. Deep expertise in food systems, thermodynamics, heat transfer, thermal management, modeling and simulation, mechanical design, and food‑equipment interaction. Demonstrated ability to independently solve complex technical challenges, develop new methods and frameworks, and translate technical insights into innovative solutions through effective cross‑functional collaboration.

Required Qualifications

Master’s or Ph.D. in Food Engineering, Food Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Thermal Sciences, or a related technical discipline 10-15+ years of experience in food systems engineering, food science, food service equipment development, advanced product development, or related innovation‑focused technical environments.

Benefits

We support your well‑being with comprehensive and easy‑to‑use benefits that you’ll be eligible to enroll in on your first day of employment.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug insurance plans
• Access to a Health Advocate who is an expert in Marmon’s health plan and can help you select the best health benefits for you and your family
• Tax advantaged spending accounts for health and dependent care expenses
• Wellness programs and resources including Telehealth, Mental Health, Fitness, and Family Planning
• Generous paid time off for personal use, holidays, and parental leave
• Company‑sponsored life insurance 401(k) with fully vested company match; Marmon may also make an additional annual discretionary contribution to your account, whether or not you contribute on your own
• Financial and retirement advising

Pay Range: 113,600.00 - 170,400.00 We offer a comprehensive benefits package that may include medical, dental, vision, 401k matching, and more!

Following receipt of a conditional offer of employment, candidates will be required to complete additional job‑related screening processes as permitted or required by applicable law.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all applicants will be considered for employment without attention to their membership in any protected class.

If you require any reasonable accommodation to complete your application or any part of the recruiting process, please email your request to [e-mail], and please be sure to include the title and the location of the position for which you are applying.

Welcome to the biggest small business you’ll ever find.

Part of Berkshire Hathaway, Marmon is a global industrial organization made of 11 industry groups with 30K employees and $12 billion in annual revenue.

As leaders in their respective industries, our 120+ companies thrive on an independent mindset and entrepreneurial spirit.

At the same time, they benefit from being part of our industry groups—where they’re able to tap into the expertise and insights of other Marmon companies.

While we’re all unique, we all share a common commitment to doing things that matter, leading at every level, and winning a better way.

When you work at Marmon, you're advancing our everyday world and beyond.

Our engineering solutions help millions around the world stay connected, healthy, and safe.

Wherever you're at in your career, our people and resources will help you go further.

As you grow your skills, you can also move up and around our 120+ companies.

Work at a place you can stand behind.

We show up to win every day, uphold the highest ethical standards, and always look to put each other in the best position to win.