Senior Process Engineer

Balchem Corp.; Faribault (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Balchem Corp. is seeking a Senior Process Engineer, Extrusion Technology, to translate product concepts into scalable, robust manufacturing processes.

You will lead scale-up, technology transfer, and lifecycle optimization, working with Product Development, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, and other teams. The role requires deep extrusion expertise, particularly twin-screw extrusion, and a track record of successful process development and commercialization in food or nutraceutical contexts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field is required, advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum seven years of process engineering, process development, or extrusion technology experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in extrusion, preferably twin-screw extrusion, and material/process relationships.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, food safety, quality systems, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong technical communication, leadership, and project management with cross-functional influence.

Responsibilities

• Lead and de-risk scale-up, technology transfer, and commercialization for extrusion-based processes.
• Develop and optimize process parameters, equipment configurations, and operating windows.
• Partner with Manufacturing and Quality to improve safety, quality, reliability, and capacity.
• Coordinate trials from laboratory to pilot to full-scale production and document results.
• Share best practices and mentor team members in extrusion technology and process development.

Skills

Process engineering

Extrusion technology

Project management

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Tools

Twin-screw extrusion

Job description

Balchem is committed to making the world a healthier place by delivering trusted, innovative, and science-based solutions for the health and nutritional needs of the world. Balchem employs approximately 1,400 employees worldwide who provide the service, quality, and technology that enables our customers to win with their customers. We have built a reputation for delivering results to all of our stakeholders. Founded in 1967, Balchem, a Maryland corporation, became a publicly-traded company in 1970 and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “BCPC.” Our corporate headquarters is located in Montvale, New Jersey, and we have a broad network of sales offices, manufacturing sites, and R&D centers, primarily located in the U.S. and Europe. The Company consists of three business segments: Human Nutrition and Health, Animal Nutrition and Health, and Specialty Products.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Process Engineer, Extrusion Technology is a senior-level individual contributor within the Human Nutrition & Health R&D Process Technology organization. The Process Technology team serves as the technical bridge between Product Development and Manufacturing, helping translate product concepts into scalable, robust, and economically viable manufacturing processes while maintaining product integrity.

This role brings deep expertise in extrusion technology to process development, scale-up, commercialization, technology transfer, manufacturing implementation, and lifecycle optimization. The position works closely with Product Development, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS, and Commercial teams, as applicable, to reduce technical risk, establish scalable operating conditions, and support sustainable commercial processes. While primarily focused on HNH and extrusion technology, the role may contribute to adjacent processing technologies and other Process Technology needs across Balchem where its expertise is applicable.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Innovation Scale-Up and Manufacturability

• Lead safe and compliant process development activities aligned with quality, food safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with Product Development to evaluate manufacturability, identify process risks, and develop scalable manufacturing solutions while preserving the intended product design, functionality, and performance
• Design, execute, and analyze laboratory, pilot, and commercial-scale trials to de-risk scale-up, establish process capability, and support commercialization decisions.
• Establish process requirements, operating conditions, and technical success criteria to guide scale-up and commercialization decisions.

Commercialization and Technology Transfer

• Lead or support commercialization, process qualification, and technology transfer activities for new products and process changes.
• Translate development knowledge into manufacturing requirements, process controls, operating windows, and specifications
• Assess manufacturing readiness, resolve technical gaps, and support startup and initial production activities.
• Ensure effective transfer of technical knowledge, process risks, and operating guidance to manufacturing teams.
• Develop or support qualification plans, acceptance criteria, technical protocols, and final reports that document process readiness, results, and residual risk.
• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for extrusion technologies, particularly twin-screw extrusion.
• Apply extrusion expertise to process development, scale-up, equipment evaluation, manufacturing support, and commercialization.
• Develop and optimize process parameters, equipment configurations, control strategies, and operating windows.
• Lead complex technical investigations involving extrusion equipment, raw materials, process performance, and product quality.
• Contribute to capability development through standards, training, best practices, and evaluation of emerging technologies.

Manufacturing Support and Process Optimization

• Partner with Manufacturing to improve process safety, quality, reliability, efficiency, and capacity utilization.
• Lead or support technical investigations and root-cause analysis, and partner with Manufacturing and other accountable functions to define and implement corrective actions and process improvements
• Analyze process data to identify variation, process limitations, and improvement opportunities.
• Support lifecycle activities including process optimization, raw material qualification, change management, and cost improvement initiatives.

Broader Process Technology Contribution

• Contribute engineering expertise to projects involving adjacent technologies, including spray drying, agglomeration, encapsulation, blending, drying, material handling, and powder processing.
• Support cross-functional projects requiring integrated process solutions across multiple technologies.
• Share technical knowledge, engineering methods, and lessons learned to strengthen overall Process Technology capabilities.

Engineering and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Engineering on equipment selection, process design, capital projects, commissioning, and startup activities.
• Partner with Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, EHS, and Commercial teams to ensure successful commercialization and process implementation.
• Provide technical input for equipment specifications, manufacturing requirements, and investment decisions.
• Clearly communicate technical risks, recommendations, and decisions to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders.

Technical Leadership and Documentation

• Manage assigned technical projects and balance priorities across development, commercialization, and manufacturing support activities.
• Apply sound experimental design, statistical analysis, and engineering judgment to support decision making.
• Develop and maintain technical reports, specifications, SOPs, process documentation, and best practices.
• Present technical findings, mentor team members, and contribute to organizational capability development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Food Science, or related technical field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Candidates with a non-engineering technical degree must demonstrate substantial applied process engineering and commercial scale-up experience.
• Minimum seven years of relevant experience in process engineering, process development, or extrusion technology, including demonstrated experience scaling and transferring products or processes from laboratory or pilot environments into commercial manufacturing.
• Demonstrated expertise in extrusion, preferably with twin-screw extrusion, and the relationship between materials, formulation, equipment, process conditions, and product performance.
• Strong understanding of process engineering fundamentals including heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid flow, drying, rheology, material handling, and process control.
• Experience designing trials, analyzing data, establishing process parameters, and troubleshooting manufacturing processes.
• Working knowledge of one or more adjacent processing technologies, such as spray drying, agglomeration, encapsulation, powder processing, blending, or material handling, preferred.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, food safety, quality systems, regulatory requirements, and change management processes.
• Strong technical communication, presentation, leadership, and project management skills with the ability to influence across functions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and travel as required to support pilot trials, manufacturing activities, and commercialization efforts.

#IND123

The expected salary range for this position is $120,000 - $145,000 a year.

Balchem Corporation, and its subsidiaries, offers a competitive salary and benefits package and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.