Senior Project Engineer

Jobtailor; Iowa (LA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in the United States seeks an experienced engineering leader to manage large capital projects in the dairy and food industries. You will oversee scope, design, budgeting, and vendor selection while enforcing safety and quality standards.

The role requires coordinating cross-functional teams, driving process improvements, and ensuring on-time delivery within budget, starting up new assets and commissioning plant upgrades.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or equivalent required.
• 5–10 years in large capital project engineering and project management.
• Experience in dairy, food, or sanitary processes preferred.
• Willingness to travel 25–50%.

Responsibilities

• Develop project scope, capital estimates, vendor selection and execution plans.
• Coordinate with on-site contractors and plant management to meet timelines and budgets.
• Ensure compliance with codes, QA policies and dairy manufacturing standards.
• Facilitate training and support plant start-up and commissioning.
• Prepare cost/benefit analyses and equipment specifications.

Skills

Collaboration

Communication

Problem-Solving

Leadership

Training Support

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

Engineering Assessments

Cost Estimates

Process Designs

Equipment Specifications

Project Scope Development

Corrective Action Execution

Cost/Benefit Analysis

Contractor Selection

Vendor Selection

Implementation Planning

Safety Standards Enforcement

Job description

• Work collaboratively with fast-paced cross-functional teams to solve complex issues, set goals, track deliverables, and report out
• Conduct engineering assessments, cost estimates, design requirements, and execution of capital projects
• Develop project scope, process designs, capital and expense estimates, contractor/vendor selection, equipment specifications and purchases, implementation timelines, and execution plans
• Review deliverables prepared by construction teams
• Apply company methodologies and enforce project standards
• Minimize project expenses and risks and enforce safety standards and construction best practices
• Track and report team hours and expenses
• Prepare process designs, equipment specifications, and capital estimates for process upgrades, system modifications, and new asset installation/commissioning
• Ensure capital projects comply with codes and requirements
• Recommend methods and equipment and develop standard operating practices to optimize processes and meet product specifications
• Facilitate training and conduct plant assessments; execute corrective actions
• Plan projects with plant management and corporate functions for business growth, innovation, quality improvement, and safety
• Maintain compliance with Quality Assurance policies and report potential food safety issues
• Coordinate implementation, write technical specifications, prepare plans and quotes, and allocate contracts for capital expenditure projects
• Communicate with on-site contractors and provide guidance
• Troubleshoot production problems and take corrective action or propose capital projects
• Prepare and manage project budgets to deliver projects on time and within budget
• Perform cost/benefit analyses for design alternatives
• Evaluate material and equipment selections with vendors
• Coordinate supplier field support
• Assist with plant start-up and commissioning
• Support environmental permitting and dairy manufacturing compliance

Requirements

• 5–10 years experience in large capital project engineering and project management
• Experience in dairy, food, or sanitary processes strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or similar degree/experience required
• Willingness to travel 25%–50%
• Knowledge of quality assurance policies, food safety, environmental permitting, and dairy manufacturing compliance
• Ability to work with project standards, safety standards, construction best practices, budgets, contractors, vendors, and suppliers
• Ability to facilitate training and support plant start-up and commissioning activities

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in managing large capital projects within the dairy and food industries, ensuring compliance with quality assurance policies and safety standards while optimizing processes and budgets. Proficient in project planning, execution, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and quality improvement.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Capital Project Management
• Dairy Manufacturing Compliance
• Quality Assurance Policies
• Project Budget Management
• Training Facilitation

Hard Skills

• Engineering Assessments
• Cost Estimates
• Process Designs
• Equipment Specifications
• Project Scope Development
• Corrective Action Execution
• Cost/Benefit Analysis
• Contractor/Vendor Selection
• Implementation Planning
• Safety Standards Enforcement

Soft Skills

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Problem-Solving
• Leadership
• Training Support

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Industry Keywords

• Food Safety
• Environmental Permitting
• Sanitary Processes
• Construction Best Practices
• Plant Start-Up