Project Engineer

AK Pizza Crust; Green Bay (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Port City Bakery, Inc. seeks an experienced Engineer to support engineering, maintenance, and technical services across six facilities in Wisconsin and beyond.

You will collaborate with engineers, technicians and programmers, supporting production, safety, quality, and continuous improvement teams to sustain high reliability in a fast-paced SQF/USDA environment. The role involves designing and implementing automation, managing a multi-million-dollar budget, ensuring regulatory compliance, and

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in food manufacturing within SQF/USDA facilities.
• Strong mechanical design and process engineering for food production.
• Ability to design and implement automation systems.
• Leadership and project management capabilities.
• Proficiency with 2D AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor.
• Experience coordinating vendors and in-house teams.
• Knowledge of PLC programming and troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Design, procure and implement technologies to improve production processes.
• Maintain and improve reliability for production lines across six facilities; support machine shop.
• Collaborate with production and support departments to achieve uptime, waste reduction, and efficiency targets.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across all sites for reliability and performance.
• Manage annual maintenance and capital budgets exceeding $7 million.
• Ensure compliance with SQF, USDA and BISSC standards.
• Design conveyors, material handling equipment, presses and other production equipment to sanitary bakery standards.
• Oversee facilities projects (roofing, HVAC, expansions, refrigeration, electrical, sanitation and safety).
• Lead automation projects from design through procurement, implementation and long-term support.
• Coordinate controls integration with mechanical systems (Servo, VFD, sensors, vision, weighers, metal detectors, HMI).
• Research and manage equipment and automation vendors and suppliers.
• Manage project budgets, POs and invoices with accounting/operations teams.
• Plan plant layout, process flow, machinery rigging and material handling.
• Repair and rebuild of used equipment and control systems.
• Travel up to 20%; may require full-week trips for major projects.

Skills

Food manufacturing

Project management

Mechanical design

Automation systems

Leadership

Communication

AutoCAD

Autodesk Inventor

PLC programming

Vendor management

Tools

AutoCAD

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

Reports to: Director of Engineering and Maintenance

Based at: Green Bay, WI. Travel Required.

Date: TBD

Company Overview:

Port City Bakery, Inc. is a national leader in the food industry, built on a foundation of innovation, quality, and commitment to excellence. Since our start in 1989 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, we’ve evolved from a small retail bakery into a multi-facility operation specializing in frozen doughs, self-rising and par-baked pizza crusts, and now topped pizzas through our Pep’s Pizza Co., Bellarico, and Luige’s brands. With state-of-the-art production facilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and support from our in-house equipment engineers, we continue to grow and diversify. Today, with over 600 employees, we remain proud of our roots and excited for the future—one we build every day through the dedication and talent of our team.

Why Join Port City Bakery:

• Opportunity to lead projects across six manufacturing facilities
• Design equipment that is built and implemented in-house
• Drive automation and operational improvements
• Work directly with company leadership
• Growing organization with multiple brands and facilities

Position Summary:

Port City Bakery Inc is seeking an experienced and strategic Engineer to assist with all aspects of engineering, maintenance, and technical services across our multi-facility food manufacturing operations across multiple states. This role works with a diverse team including engineers, technicians and programmers, along with production, safety, quality and continuous improvement staff supporting 12 production lines across six facilities. The ideal candidate will drive operational excellence, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and ensure high levels of reliability, safety, and compliance within a fast-paced, SQF and USDA-certified environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work with a team of 60+ across engineering, maintenance, and technical functions, including Engineers, Programmers, Technicians, and Maintenance Supervisors to design, procure and implement technologies to improve our production processes.
• Assist with maintenance and reliability for 12 production lines across six facilities, including a dedicated machine shop for equipment design, build, and modification.
• Collaborate closely with production and support departments to achieve targets related to equipment uptime, waste reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and implement best practices across all sites to enhance reliability and performance.
• Help to effectively manage, and control annual maintenance and capital budgets exceeding $7 million, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety and regulatory requirements, including SQF, USDA and BISSC (Baking Industry Sanitation Standards Committee) standards.
• Design Conveyors, Material Handling Equipment, Presses, and other production equipment per sanitary and bakery standards of design
• Manage facilities projects ranging from Roof Work, HVAC, Building Expansions and Construction, Refrigeration, Facility Electrical, Sanitation/Waste disposal and Safety
• Implement Automation Projects for production processes.Projects may be designed in house or procured from suppliers. Manage project complete from design, procurement into implementation and long term production support.
• Work with controls engineering to integrate both mechanical and controls portions for automation and process control projects including Servo Drives, VFD, Sensors, Linear Motors, Vision Systems, Weigh checkers, Metal detectors, HMI, etc.
• Research and Mange suppliers providing equipment and automation services.
• Manage project budgets, purchase agreements, purchase orders and invoices working with accounting and operations management
• Responsible for Plant layout, Process Flow, Machinery Rigging, Material Handling
• Repair and rebuilding of used equipment and controls systems
• Travel required up to 20% of your time.Infrequent major projects can require full week travel.Vendor Visits, Support all facilities, Customer Visits, Trade shows, Education, Construction Projects

Qualifications:

• Prefer 5 years demonstrated experience in food manufacturing within SQF and USDA-regulated facilities.Will consider candidates with strong engineering and project management skills to train in our industry requirements.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design and process engineering used in food production environments.
• Ability to design and implement automation systems
• Ability to research and present all relative solutions.
• Strong leadership, project management, and communication skills.The ability to bring together vendors and suppliers to team with in-house resources to complete a project from start to finish.
• Proficiency with 2D AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor 3D design software.
• Knowledgeable in Design for Manufacturing and Manufacturing Engineering methodologies.
• Working knowledge of PLC programming and troubleshooting.
• Must have strong project management skills
• Interest in learning new technologies and skills and the ability to learn and adapt quickly.
• Strong people skills with the ability to work across all levels of the organization to research, plan and implement projects.

Preferred Knowledge & Skills:

• Hands-on experience with Ammonia and Freon-based refrigeration/freezing systems.
• Knowledge of building construction including HVAC, roofing, electrical, plumbing, sanitation, and fire prevention and security systems.Previous experience managing construction projects and contractors is very desirable.