Process Engineering Manager

6AM City, LLC; Minnesota; On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Kerry Rochester in Minnesota is seeking a Process Engineering Manager – Biofermentation to lead the process engineering team in support of safety, quality, production, cost, and maintenance goals at the Rochester site.

The role collaborates with process technology, R&D, and corporate engineering on capital projects and process optimization, enabling scalable improvements and robust operation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Rochester process engineering team to identify opportunities to improve equipment OEE (availability, downtime, performance).
• Apply deep knowledge in aseptic processing to identify contamination sources and improve processing steps.
• Develop capital plans to deliver business growth and cost efficiency aligned with the capital strategy.
• Conduct techno-economic analyses and support R&D/process science during pilot and production trials.
• Lead capital projects typically under $500k from initiation to installation with subcontractor management.
• Develop SOPs detailing operations of new equipment and reflect changes in operations.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce downtime and waste using the Kerry Plant System 8 approach.

Skills

Biofermentation

Process engineering

Aseptic processing

Project management

Continuous improvement

Lean manufacturing

Job description

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

Process Engineering Manager -- Biofermentation Our process engineering manager is responsible for leading the process engineering team in support of Kerry Rochester's safety, quality, production, cost, and maintenance goals. The process engineering manager also works closely with process technology and research and development on new product introductions and process optimization and with corporate engineering on capital projects exceeding $500k.

Key responsibilities

• Leads the Rochester process engineering team to identify opportunities to improve equipment overall equipment effectiveness (availability - unplanned downtime, performance - fermentation kinetics, quality - solids target). The leader will create a continuous improvement focus through use of the scientific method to reduce process variability and lean manufacturing principles to eliminate the 8 forms of waste.
• Apply deep knowledge in aseptic processing to identify and reduce sources of contamination and improve the reliability of processing steps. Partner with Engineering to design and implement improved process equipment as needed for new processes.
• Development of appropriate capital plans to deliver business growth and cost efficiency ensuring alignment with the overall capital strategy for the business.
• Conducts techno-economic analysis with technical feasibility studies including heat and energy balances and recommends the most cost-effective approach for development projects. Provides engineering support to R&D/process science activities during pilot and production trials.
• Lead capital projects typically under $500k using traditional project management from project initiation/scope, requirements capture, design, cost estimation, equipment procurement, and installation with subcontractor management to meet scope, schedule, and cost. Responsible in assuring compliance with safety, environment, quality, and food safety. Assures that projects have detailed project specifications, process flow diagrams (PFD's), piping and instrumentation drawings (P&ID's), site and floor plans, elevation drawings, utilities matrices, and other project documentation, as applicable. Process engineering team typically supports corporate engineering who leads projects greater than $500k.
• Process engineering team will lead the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that detail operations of new equipment and revises SOP's to reflect changes to operations.
• Leads elimination of systemic unplanned downtime events using continuous improvement tools and the 1 Kerry Plant System 8 step problem solving process to drive to root cause and eliminate future occurrences through corrective actions. Maintains the plant's process failure mode and effects analysis that manages the plants highest risks in terms of severity, detection, and probability calculating a risk priority number to prioritize risk reduction actions.
• Lead Kaizen events as needed to gather team of experts including the operators and production supervisors to solve large scale problems and also for conceptual design projects.
• Promotes projects to reduce water, electricity, carbon burning fuels, and waste to meet Kerry's sustainability targets.
• Regularly explores new technology and equipment and subsequently develops projects to drive process improvement. Fosters a culture of process innovation with key partners in R&D, Quality, Operations and Finance. Key technologies include fermentation, sterilization, centrifugation, evaporation, spray drying, and packaging.
• Leads team in accordance with the Kerry values and with a growth mindset to direct energy into identifying new solutions instead of wasting energy justifying why process improvements are not possible. Holds the team accountable