Senior Process Engineer

Bell & Associates, Inc.; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Bell & Associates, Inc. seeks a Senior Process Engineer to design, optimize, and implement fluid and thermal systems for the food and beverage industry.

You will lead projects from concept through commissioning, ensuring food safety compliance and driving continuous improvement in efficiency, reliability, and cost effectiveness. You will translate requirements into PFDs/P&IDs, size equipment, create manufacturing drawings, and collaborate across Operations, QA, Maintenance, and Controls teams.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering required.
• 5+ years in process engineering for food & beverage or dairy systems.
• Strong knowledge of heat/mass transfer, fluids and thermal processes.
• Experience with CFD and hygienic design principles.
• Familiarity with CIP systems and safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Develop and interpret PFDs, P&IDs, and mass/energy balances.
• Design and layout fluid process systems using SolidWorks 3D.
• Lead projects from concept through commissioning including BOMs and drawings.
• Prepare RFQs, performance specifications, and vendor evaluations.
• Ensure proper sizing and procurement of equipment and services.
• Evaluate processes for efficiency, yield, and cost reduction.
• Conduct root cause analysis and corrective actions for deviations.
• Prepare and maintain process documentation and SOPs.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards and regulations.
• Collaborate with Operations, QA, Maintenance, and Controls Engineering.

Skills

Process optimization

Project management

Cross-functional teamwork

Heat & mass transfer

Troubleshooting

Education

BS in Mechanical/ Chemical/ Process Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

CFD simulations

Job description

Bell & Associates is seeking a Senior Process Engineer who will be responsible for the design, optimization, and implementation of fluid and thermal process systems for the food and beverage industry. This role includes leading projects from concept through commissioning, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, and driving continuous improvement in process efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical expertise, project management skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple functions.

Are you excited about this work?

• Develop and interpret process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and mass/energy balances.
• Design and layout fluid process systems and mechanical solutions using SolidWorks 3D to customers process and equipment needs.
• Size and specify process equipment such as pumps, valves, heat exchangers, CIP systems, pasteurizers, and filtration units.
• Create assembly drawings for manufacturing and supporting documentation.
• Lead process engineering activities for projects from concept through commissioning including Bill of Materials (BOM), assembly drawings, revisions and supporting documentation, including on-site installation and start-up testing.
• Prepare RFQs, performance specifications, and vendor evaluations.
• Ensure proper sizing, selection, and procurement of equipment, instrumentation, and services are selected for each project.
• Evaluate existing processes and identify opportunities for efficiency, yield improvement, and cost reduction.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions for process deviations.
• Perform process capability studies and risk assessments.
• Prepare and maintain accurate process documentation. This includes: Best practices and procedures
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• Technical Manuals and Training Troubleshooting and Maintenance guides
• Operation Manuals
• Ensure our designs and equipment are in compliance with food safety regulations and our customer and company standards.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams (Operations, QA, Maintenance, Controls Engineering) both internally and externally.

Qualifications:

• BS in Mechanical, Chemical, or Process Engineering (or related field).
• 5+ years in process engineering for food & beverage or dairy systems.
• Strong knowledge of heat and mass transfer, fluid dynamics, and thermal processes.
• Experience with computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• Familiarity with CIP systems, pasteurization, and hygienic design principles.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks and AutoCAD design and process simulation software.
• Knowledge of regulatory compliance and safety standards.
• Food safety standards (FDA, USDA, 3-A Sanitary Standards).
• Understanding of PLC-based automation and control systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including presentation skills.
• Advanced problem-solving skills and ability to work effectively in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Leadership abilities including ability to lead cross functional engineering teams.
• Ability to travel up to 25%, including extended site visits. (Primarily North America with some International)