Senior Project Engineer

AFB International; Aurora (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading pet food solutions company in Missouri is seeking a highly skilled Project Engineer to manage complex capital projects. This role requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and over 7 years of relevant experience. The ideal candidate will lead project planning, ensure compliance with safety practices, and collaborate with various teams to implement plant improvements. Strong analytical and project management skills are essential to succeed in this dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of significant, relevant work experience.
• Proven track record of managing and delivering complex projects on time and within budget.
• Knowledge of safety practices applicable to a production environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans and proactively address bottlenecks.
• Lead plant capital planning and execution of capital projects.
• Collaborate with teams to ensure successful project outcomes.

Skills

Project management

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Interpersonal communication

Mentorship

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering

Tools

MS Office Applications

AutoCAD or similar software

Job description

We make pet food taste great! For over 30 years, AFB International has been providing pet food solutions that enrich the lives of pets and their people. Our palatants are specially designed to make pet foods, treats and supplements taste better, ensuring pets receive the vital nutrients they need. We know wagging tails, licking whiskers and empty bowls equal happy pets and happy pet parents. Join AFB and you'll be a part of a team of highly skilled professionals that provide the greatest contribution to our success as an organization. Our team members are diverse, creative, passionate experts who are genuinely dedicated to our mission, our customers, and the pets we serve worldwide.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, resource allocations, identify critical path activities, and proactively address potential bottlenecks or risks to deliver on the capital plan
• Lead the plant capital planning process with a strategic thought approach, including the identification, prioritization, and execution of capital projects to drive plant improvements and long-term growth
• Oversees large-scale, complex capital projects, potentially exceeding multi-million-dollar budgets
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including production, quality assurance, maintenance, and EHS to ensure seamless project integration and successful outcomes
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with external contractors and suppliers to acquire high-quality services and materials for plant projects
• Monitor project progress, track key performance indicators, and prepare regular status reports for stakeholders
• Responsible for all aspects of project management including scoping, approval, budgeting, specification, execution, qualification and operational handover as appropriate
• Evaluate existing manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for improvement in terms of efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness
• Lead engineering efforts in support of the root cause identification of non-conformances. Take ownership of implementing corrective and preventive action
• Provide on-site manufacturing support, engaging well with operators and management to implement permanent counter measures
• Provide mentorship to other engineers. May participate in the evaluation of other team members and in the identification of development needs. May provide day-to-day work direction to other engineers or technicians
• Maintain a working knowledge of new technologies which may improve operations and develop recommendations accordingly
• Maintain a working knowledge of safety policies and regulations to ensure duties of self and others are performed in a safe manner

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering from a four-year ABET accredited college or university
• 7+ years of significant, relevant work experience
• Knowledge of safety practices applicable to a production environment and ability to follow designated safety procedures.
• Ability to maintain accurate records relating to jobs as they are planned, performed and completed. Skill to use electronic means for recording data.
• Proven track record of managing and delivering complex projects on time and within budget.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex engineering challenges.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills to interact effectively with peers, co-workers, supervisors, and vendors as required.
• Ability to lead and mentor junior engineers and production staff.
• Capability to think strategically and align projects with long-term business goals.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to read drawings and interpret line diagrams, equipment layout drawings, and electrical prints.
• Knowledge and understanding of plc ladder logic programming and interpreting line diagrams and electrical schematics is beneficial.
• Proficient skill level in MS Office Applications such as Word and Excel
• Knowledge of food product manufacturing equipment including but not limited to meat grinders, extrusion machines, spray dryers, and dry blend equipment is highly desired. Previous experience with food safety programs, including HACCP and cGMPs is beneficial.
• The ability to convey technical requirements using AutoCAD or similar software to generate drawings, process flow diagrams as well as process and instrumentation drawings.

AFB International is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status.