Senior Staff Engineer—Process Equipment & Slurry Systems

Sterling Kohler; Wisconsin; Hybrid; USD 119,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Kohler Co. is seeking a Sr. Staff Engineer to lead process equipment, materials handling, and slurry systems across multiple sites.

You will guide complex capital projects from concept through commissioning, balancing safety, quality, cost, and schedule while mentoring engineers and collaborating with suppliers and contractors. This onsite role in Kohler, WI requires up to 30% travel, strong leadership, and deep expertise in bulk materials handling and process-fluid systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, chemical, manufacturing, industrial, ceramic, or a related engineering discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering experience leading complex process, equipment, manufacturing, plant-system, or capital projects with broad business impact.
• Recognized expertise in process equipment or industrial systems, including design, integration, installation, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization.
• Experience independently managing multiple complex projects, including scope, schedule, budget, resources, procurement, risks, milestones, and acceptance criteria.
• Advanced knowledge of bulk materials handling and process-fluid systems, including storage, conveying, feeders, pumps, piping, tanks, mixing, and distribution.
• Ability to develop and review calculations, layouts, process flow diagrams, specifications, utility requirements, controls narratives, cost estimates, schedules, and commissioning documentation.
• Strong systems thinking, technical problem-solving, project planning, risk assessment, root-cause analysis, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead across functions and sites, manage external partners, establish standards, mentor technical talent, and communicate effectively with senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority and project leader for complex process equipment, bulk material transfer, storage, batching, pumping, conveying, piping, tanks, silos, mixers, slurry distribution, utilities, and controls.
• Lead engineering and capital projects from concept and feasibility through design, procurement, installation, commissioning, validation, and operational handoff.
• Define and manage project scope, schedules, budgets, resources, risks, milestones, technical requirements, specifications, acceptance criteria, and stakeholder communications.
• Develop engineering solutions that balance safety, quality, throughput, reliability, maintainability, cost, schedule, and long-term flexibility.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and manage engineering firms, suppliers, consultants, contractors, and system integrators.
• Lead design reviews, technical risk assessments, supplier evaluations, factory acceptance testing, installation and commissioning readiness, and project closeout.
• Monitor technical, cost, schedule, and quality performance; address variances through tradeoff decisions, recovery plans, and appropriate escalation.
• Resolve complex technical and execution issues using structured analysis, root-cause investigation, contingency planning, and sound engineering judgment.
• Influence capital and technology decisions through technical analysis, lifecycle-cost evaluation, and risk-based recommendations.
• Establish engineering and project execution standards, mentor engineers, and communicate recommendations, risks, and decisions to technical teams and senior leaders.

Skills

Process equipment

Materials handling

Slurry systems

Project leadership

Risk management

Cross-functional

Education

Bachelors degree

Job description

Kohler Co. is seeking a Sr. Staff Engineer to lead process equipment, materials handling, and slurry systems across multiple sites.

You will guide complex capital projects from concept through commissioning, balancing safety, quality, cost, and schedule while mentoring engineers and collaborating with suppliers and contractors. This onsite role in Kohler, WI requires up to 30% travel, strong leadership, and deep expertise in bulk materials handling and process-fluid systems.