Sr. Food Process Engineer

ZipRecruiter; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading food manufacturing team as a Senior Food Process Engineer, focusing on designing and optimizing automated processing systems. With a strong emphasis on compliance with FDA and USDA regulations, this role is critical for launching a new facility in East Chicago, IN, and offers exciting career development opportunities.

Benefits

Great team environment!

Manager is well respected by team!

Inclusive Workplace

Awesome career development opportunities!

Competitive Rates

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years in food process engineering, preferably in frozen meal manufacturing.
• Expertise in FDA and USDA food safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, installation, and commissioning of food processing and packaging systems.
• Ensure compliance with FDA/USDA regulations and food safety standards.

Skills

Communication

Collaboration

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Bachelor’s degree in food science

Tools

AutoCAD

ERP systems

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Description

Top reasons to work for our client:

• Great team environment!
• Manager is well respected by team!
• Inclusive Workplace
• Awesome career development opportunities!
• Competitive Rates

Join a dynamic and forward-thinking food manufacturing team leading innovation in frozen recipe meal production. We're seeking a Senior Food Process Engineer with 7–10+ years of experience in food manufacturing—ideally frozen meals—who can design, develop, and optimize high-speed, automated processing systems in compliance with FDA and USDA regulations. This role is key to launching a cutting-edge facility in East Chicago, IN, with a focus on sanitary design, advanced automation, and operational excellence.

What you will be doing:

• Lead design, installation, and commissioning of food processing and packaging systems (e.g., VFFS baggers, multi-head weighers).

• Ensure compliance with FDA/USDA regulations and food safety standards including GMP, HACCP, and SQF.

• Apply sanitary equipment design principles to layouts and system installations.

• Troubleshoot automated lines and collaborate with cross-functional teams on new product launches and process improvements.

• Manage capital projects from concept through vendor selection, procurement, and startup.

• Develop documentation such as PFDs, SOPs, sanitation protocols, and validation reports.

• Support automation system design and integration with control vendors.

• Track key metrics like throughput, yield, and waste to drive continuous improvement.

• Interface with contractors on utilities and infrastructure needs during commissioning.

• Collaborate with Finance and Operations to establish labor models and cost routings.

Experience you will need:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, food science, or related field.

• 7–10+ years in food process engineering, preferably in frozen meal manufacturing.

• Expertise in FDA and USDA food safety regulations.

• Experience with high-speed packaging and processing equipment (e.g., VFFS, Yamato scales, conveyors).

• Proficiency in AutoCAD and process flow design.

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, SQF, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma.

• ERP familiarity (e.g., Plex, SAP, Oracle).

• : experience scaling from pilot to commercial, understanding of IQF processing, and utility systems knowledge.

Company DescriptionJoin a dynamic and forward-thinking food manufacturing team leading innovation in frozen recipe meal production. We're seeking a Senior Food Process Engineer with 7–10+ years of experience in food manufacturing—ideally frozen meals—who can design, develop, and optimize high-speed, automated processing systems in compliance with FDA and USDA regulations. This role is key to launching a cutting-edge facility in East Chicago, IN, with a focus on sanitary design, advanced automation, and operational excellence.Company DescriptionJoin a dynamic and forward-thinking food manufacturing team leading innovation in frozen recipe meal production. We're seeking a Senior Food Process Engineer with 7–10+ years of experience in food manufacturing—ideally frozen meals—who can design, develop, and optimize high-speed, automated processing systems in compliance with FDA and USDA regulations. This role is key to launching a cutting-edge facility in East Chicago, IN, with a focus on sanitary design, advanced automation, and operational excellence.