Principal Mechanical Engineer

Ingredion Incorporated; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Ingredion Incorporated in Westchester, IL seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical engineering across facilities, driving design, optimization, and troubleshooting of utilities and process equipment. You will mentor teams and ensure safety, reliability, and cost goals are met.

The role requires a Bachelor’s or Master’s in mechanical engineering and extensive plant manufacturing experience, with preference for multi-site or global experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field.
• Extensive experience in mechanical engineering and plant manufacturing.
• Experience with multi-site, regional, or global operations preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide mechanical engineering, design, and technical expertise across multiple Ingredion facilities.
• Evaluate equipment and systems for safety, codes, and best practices.
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams to analyze and solve mechanical problems.
• Develop and disseminate engineering standards and best practices across the organization.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Multi-site collaboration

Project leadership

Technical mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

About Ingredion:

Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.

Location: Westchester, IL

Workplace type: Hybrid

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will lead across a broad range of mechanical engineering expertise and technical support in multiple Ingredion facilities across all Ingredion segments to meet manufacturing, quality, safety, reliability, and cost goals. Considered Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Mechanical Engineering for Utilities and Process Equipment. Supports the mechanical design of utilities and process equipment, and systems, equipment troubleshooting and optimization, development and review of projects, and support during and after major project implementation. Provides an elevated level of technical leadership through mentoring, leading multi-disciplined teams, solving technical challenges, and ensuring Ingredion applies the best technologies in its business segments globally.

This role reports to the Director of Global Process Engineering, Utilities

What You Will Do:

Technical Competencies

• Provide mechanical engineering, design, and technical expertise as needed to optimize the operation of multiple Ingredion facilities across all segments. This includes conducting engineering studies, developing mechanical systems and equipment specifications, as well as selecting, designing, testing, troubleshooting, and optimizing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mechanical engineering subjects including bulk solids material handling, conveyor system, storage; liquid/slurry material movement and storage; high inertia rotating equipment, primary utilities; boilers, air compressors and cogeneration systems; tanks, silos and pressure vessels; equipment and systems sizing, design, fabrication, troubleshooting and failure analysis; general mechanical technology such as strength of materials, machine design, fluid mechanics and materials of construction.
• Evaluate and review appropriate equipment and mechanical systems designs for projects and existing operations to ensure compliance with safety, applicable codes, standards, and best practices.
• Evaluate proposed projects to ensure optimal technology selection, comprehensive scope inclusion, properly sized mechanical systems and equipment, an adequate budget estimate, and alignment with business objectives.
• Leads multi-disciplinary teams to analyze and solve complex mechanical problems and implement solutions.
• Utilizes and contributes to our knowledge management systems, driving the availability and implementation of best practices across the organization.
• Authors and disseminate engineering standards to implemented across the organization.

Core Competencies

• Engineering skills apply to optimize the financial benefits of various business alternatives.
• Actively engage stakeholders on complex business issues and drive collaboration to ensure the best solution.
• Identifies gaps and improvements to drive EHSSQ compliance globally.
• Identifies and drives best-in-class technology to resolve reliability issues.
• Leads deviation treatment to solve the most complex problems across multiple sites and implements sustainable solutions in collaboration with local teams.
• Applies knowledge of IPS operational governance, process standardization, and deviation treatment.
• Develops prioritized Best Operating Practices (BOP) and critical routines, provides training of their application, and supports the implementation and adherence tracking.
• Leads the documentation and sharing of success cases and lessons learned across the organization to multiply favorable impact of top KPIs and drive standardization.

What You Will Bring:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field with equivalent experience.
• Extensive experience in Mechanical engineering and plant manufacturing required. Experience with multi-site, regional, or global experience preferred.

Who You Are

• Use an elevated level of industry knowledge and expertise to deliver critical business objectives.
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability to collaborate within multi-disciplined groups to deliver results.
• Drives global collaboration to improve knowledge and services across the Ingredion network.
• Utilize finite resources across multiple regions to efficiently