Process Engineer (Tempo)

Material Bank; Chicago, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Paid holidays

401k program

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

Home Chef is seeking a Ready to Heat (RTH) Process Engineer to ensure site readiness for RTH expansions and standardize RTH improvement processes. You will partner with plant and corporate teams to implement new product launches and optimize packaging, sealing, and ice logic across facilities.

The role requires strong analytical skills, Excel modeling, and the ability to travel up to 50% to fulfillment centers, supporting tempo brand expansion and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Completion of a four-year degree program in a related field: STEM degree such as Industrial Engineering and 1-2 years of experience in operations strongly preferred
• Experience in food manufacturing is preferred; supply chain, plant operations, or operations excellence roles are a plus
• Exceptional communication with demonstrated ability to drive results, manage conflict, achieve alignment, and collaborate amongst cross functional teams and with external stakeholders
• Excellent project management ability, with experience overseeing and prioritizing among multiple workstreams and facilitating problem-solving amongst diverse stakeholders
• Must be willing and able to accommodate up to 50% travel to the fulfillment centers
• Strong analytical skills with experience using Excel to build models and demonstrate findings to partners
• High energy, strong people skills, influential partner, ownership and flexibility; willingness to take on any project
• Strategic mindset with ability to see the big picture and dive into the weeds when necessary

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and execute site openings and RTH product expansions with site leadership
• Build and maintain roadmap for new RTH initiatives across sites
• Assist plant leaders in following a stage gate process for new product launches
• Advocate for plant teams to corporate partners
• Develop RTH network SOPs for uniformity and continuously improve RTH processes
• Ensure SOPs exist for all critical RTH tasks and align processes across fulfillment sites
• Act as liaison between centers to share best practices and streamline across facilities
• Evaluate success of Ready to Heat processes and drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Build understanding of RTH machines to create testing plans and drive performance
• Create partnerships to launch and standardize machine operator training and maintenance PM plans
• Track and report on machine performance to drive operational improvements
• Identify and implement new automation to improve operations
• Evaluate and optimize product design (tray seal, packaging, ice logic) and coordinate with stakeholders

Skills

Excel

Analysis

Communication

Team collaboration

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM (Industrial Engineering)

Tools

Excel

Job description

Founded in 2013, Home Chef is the leading meal solutions company with both a retail and online presence. Available online at homechef.com and in retail at more than 2,100 Kroger grocery stores, Home Chef is committed to inspiring and enabling more people to cook simple, delicious meals, no matter how busy they are.

In 2023, Home Chef introduced a new brand, Tempo! Tempo features a rotating selection of ready-to-heat meals delivered directly to your door. These meals are better-for-you versions of familiar favorites, designed to save you time and reduce stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our Tempo menu includes options that are protein-packed, fiber-rich, calorie and carb conscious, keto-friendly, and dietitian-approved.

Similar to our recipes, we recognize that variety is the spice of life, and therefore, our employees also bring their uniqueness and color to our fantastic team. We're eager to work with humble team players and pragmatic next-level thinkers to innovate on Home Chef's offerings.

The Home Chef Ready to Heat (RTH) Process Engineer is responsible for ensuring site readiness of RTH product expansions, standardizing and improving RTH-specific improvement processes, and being the point of contact for RTH product packaging improvements. The RTH Process Engineer will partner closely with cross‑functional peers both corporately and at the plant level to complete project work in support of the expansion of the Tempo brand and complete ad hoc assignments to support the Sr. Manager of New Customer Growth Continuous Improvement.

Detailed Responsibilities

Coordination and execution of site openings and RTH product expansions, working with RTH site leadership for planning and preparedness

• Aid plant and corporate teams in scoping out new initiatives to support rolling out new product lines, increasing capacity and complexity, and improving metric performance while providing plant teams with the ownership to implement those initiatives and providing appropriate support as needed.
• Build and maintain roadmap for new RTH initiatives being rolled out to the site from corporate business partners
• Assist plant leaders and corporate stakeholders in following a stage gate process for new product launches to ensure proper change management
• Advocate for plant teams to corporate partners

Develop RTH network SOPs for uniformity and continuously improve RTH processes

• Ensure standard operating procedures exist for all critical RTH tasks and align processes across all fulfillment sites
• Act as a liaison between fulfillment centers to ensure that the best of Home Chef's knowledge/ processes are communicated between facilities and works to oversee initiatives to streamline across facilities where appropriate
• Using performance metrics, evaluate the success of Ready to Heat processes and develop and implement continuous improvement initiatives

Partners cross functionally to build out learnings across all machines used in RTH processes to create proactive actions to increase OEE.

• Builds a strong understanding of all RTH machines to build testing plans to increase performance.
• Creates strong partnerships with plant teams to create, launch and standardize Machine Operator training and maintenance PM plans.
• Track, analyze and report on machine performance to drive operational improvements
• Identify, propose and implement new automation within the RTH process to improve operations and increase capabilities
• Evaluates and optimizes product design in terms of tray seal performance, box packaging and ice logic performance, and other characteristics. Work with corporate stakeholders to successfully drive improvements

This position requires at least 50% travel.

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

• Completion of a four-year degree program in a related field: STEM degree such as Industrial Engineering and 1-2 years of experience in operations strongly preferred
• Experience in food manufacturing is preferred. Strong candidates would have experience in supply chain, plant operations, or operations excellence roles
• Exceptional communication with demonstrated ability to drive results, manage conflict, achieve alignment, and collaboration amongst cross functional teams and with external stakeholders
• Excellent project management ability, with experience overseeing and prioritizing among multiple workstreams, and facilitating problem-solving amongst diverse stakeholders
• Must be willing and able to accommodate up to 50% travel to the fulfillment centers
• Strong analytical skills required, with experience using Excel to build models and demonstrate findings to partners
• Successful candidate must be high energy, have strong people skills, demonstrated history of being an influential partner, and have a strong history of ownership and flexibility. They are willing to take on any project, large or small, and the words 'that's not in my job description' are not in their vocabulary.
• Ideal candidate has a strategic mindset, with the ability to see the big picture as well as diving into the weeds when necessary.

More About Us

Perks and Benefits

• Candidates can experience Home Chef as a customer - enter promo code PEOPLE30 for $30 off your first order!
• Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance available
• Paid holidays, sick time and vacation time
• 401k program
• Flexible spending accounts for qualified medical, dependent care, parking, or transit expenses

How We Work Together

We are humble team players.
We are warm and gracious with team members and customers. We seek feedback to improve ourselves - and respectfully listen to and accept input.

We are pragmatic next-level thinkers.
We come up with novel and unique ideas. We explore new strategies to avoid being constrained by conventional thinking.

We take ownership.
We approach ambiguous problems, prepared to dive in, get curious, and learn more. We are results-driven, always challenging ourselves to exceed goals.

Be at Home at Home Chef

We all show up authentically at Home Chef. Our team includes individuals with a variety of identities, backgrounds, and perspectives. You can trust that you'll be able to bring your whole self to an inclusive and enjoyable workplace.

We welcome people of all races, colors, religions, national origin or ancestry, sex (including sexual identity), age, physical or mental disabilities, pregnancy, veteran or military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, order of protection status, citizenship status, arrest record or expunged/sealed convictions, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law.

Home Chef is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Home Chef will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our People team at [e-mail].

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