Process Engineer

Actalent; Saline (MI); On-site; USD 39,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

PTO / Time Off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Process Engineer to support CIP systems in a food manufacturing environment. You will enhance cleaning performance, validation, process monitoring, troubleshooting, sanitation verification, and continuous improvement.

The role requires collaboration with Quality, Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Food Safety, EHS, and external suppliers to ensure compliant CIP operation and documentation. Base location is Saline, MI, with onsite work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or closely related field; 3+ years in regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience with CIP in food, beverage, or related industries is required.
• Ability to review process data and apply root-cause analysis to improve cleanliness and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Monitor CIP system performance using process data and records.
• Trend cleaning parameters to identify deviations and improvements.
• Participate in CIP validation, verification, and continuous improvement.
• Investigate issues and lead root-cause analyses for CIP problems.
• Support corrective and preventive actions for sanitation processes.
• Audit CIP execution and documentation for compliance.

Skills

CIP systems experience

Regulated manufacturing

Process data interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Troubleshooting pumps/valves/tanks

Sanitation/verifications

Documentation & records

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

PLC data systems

Job description

Job Title: Process EngineerJob Description

The Process Engineer will support and enhance Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems in a food manufacturing environment, with a strong focus on cleaning performance, validation, process monitoring, troubleshooting, sanitation verification, documentation, and continuous improvement. In this role, you will work cross-functionally with Quality, Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Food Safety, EHS, and external suppliers to ensure CIP systems operate effectively and consistently while meeting regulatory and food safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and evaluate CIP system performance using PLC-generated process data and operational records to ensure consistent and effective cleaning.
• Review and trend critical cleaning parameters, including temperature, flow, conductivity, chemical concentration, pressure, and cycle duration, to identify deviations and improvement opportunities.
• Participate in CIP validation, verification, and continuous improvement activities to strengthen sanitation programs and process reliability.
• Investigate CIP performance issues and lead or support root cause analysis to resolve system and process-related problems.
• Support corrective and preventive actions related to sanitation and cleaning processes to prevent recurrence of issues and improve overall performance.
• Audit CIP execution and documentation to ensure compliance with established procedures, regulatory standards, and internal policies.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Scheduling, and other stakeholders on CIP planning, scheduling, and operational readiness.
• Assist with troubleshooting pumps, valves, tanks, heat exchangers, instrumentation, sanitary piping systems, and chemical dosing systems that impact CIP effectiveness.
• Maintain validation records, audit documentation, training records, and process improvement tracking to provide accurate and complete documentation for internal and external reviews.
• Support food safety, regulatory, SQF, GMP, and customer audit requirements by ensuring CIP systems and documentation meet applicable standards.
• Participate in process improvement projects related to cleaning systems, sanitation performance, and operational efficiency to optimize production and reduce downtime.

Essential Skills

• At least 3 years of experience in food, medical, beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, chemical, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on experience with Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems in a manufacturing or processing setting.
• Practical experience working with pumps, valves, tanks, heat exchangers, and sanitary piping systems.
• Strong understanding of process and manufacturing flow within a regulated production environment.
• Experience reviewing and interpreting process data, production records, or automated system data.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Demonstrated skills in process improvement, process engineering, continuous improvement, and manufacturing processes.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in FDA, HACCP, SQF, GMP, or GFSI-regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting CIP validation and verification programs, including documentation and audit readiness.
• Experience interpreting PLC-generated process data and equipment trends to diagnose issues and optimize performance.
• Knowledge of monitoring and analyzing conductivity, flow, temperature, pressure, and chemical concentration parameters.
• Familiarity with food safety and regulatory requirements related to sanitation and cleaning processes.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
• Effective communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and documentation.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a focus on accuracy, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

This role is based in a food manufacturing environment that relies on Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems to maintain high standards of sanitation and product safety. You will work closely with production lines and processing equipment, including pumps, valves, tanks, heat exchangers, sanitary piping systems, instrumentation, and chemical dosing systems. The position involves regular interaction with cross-functional teams such as Quality, Production, Maintenance, Engineering, Food Safety, EHS, and external suppliers. Work may include reviewing PLC-generated process data, monitoring cleaning parameters, auditing documentation, and participating in validation and verification activities. The environment emphasizes regulatory compliance, food safety, and continuous improvement, with a culture that values collaboration, technical excellence, and operational efficiency.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Saline, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $35.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Saline,MI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 11, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.