Sr. Process Engineer (Cheese & Liquid Systems)

Red Seal Recruiting; Stratford (WI); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401K match

HSA/FSA

PTO

10 holidays

Job summary

Red Seal Recruiting is seeking a Sr. Process Engineer for cheese and liquid systems in Central Wisconsin, with remote options for eligible US-based candidates and 20-30% travel to client sites.

The role spans from conceptual design to startup, demanding collaboration with sales, automation, project management, and field teams. The ideal candidate has 5+ years in sanitary dairy processing, strong design skills, and experience with 3-A, ASME, FDA, and USDA standards.

Qualifications

• BS in chemical, mechanical, bio-systems, or electrical engineering.
• 5+ years in the sanitary dairy process industry.
• Knowledge of liquid process system design and sizing.
• Familiarity with 3-A, ASME, FDA, USDA standards.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate cross-functionally.

Responsibilities

• Audit customers' existing process lines and design cheese and liquid systems.
• Prepare mass/energy balances, heat transfer calcs, and equipment specs.
• Develop P&IDs, PFDs, and project documentation.
• Lead commissioning, startup, and performance verification at sites.
• Collaborate with sales, automation, and field teams.
• Support regulatory documentation and testing; troubleshoot issues.
• Train operators and maintenance personnel.

Skills

Process design

P&ID creation

Mass balance

Regulatory standards

Project management

Troubleshooting

Education

BS in Chemical Engineering

BS in Mechanical Engineering

BS in Bio-Systems/Electrical Eng

Job description

Sr. Process Engineer (Cheese & Liquid Systems)

Location: Central Wisconsin with Remote available for the right candidate (US-based), 20-30% travel to client sites + potential international 1-2x/year

Comp: $140-160K base + full benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K w/ match, HSA/FSA, PTO, 10 holidays)

Reports To: Process Engineering Manager

Overview

Our client is a well-established sanitary process equipment and systems company serving the dairy and food industries. They design, fabricate, and commission turnkey processing systems for cheese, beverage, and liquid applications. This Sr. Process Engineer role spans the full project lifecycle: conceptual design through commissioning and startup. Heavy collaboration with sales, automation, project management, mechanical design, and field teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Audit customers' existing process lines; develop conceptual designs for cheese and liquid processing systems per customer requirements
• Prepare mass/energy balances, heat transfer calculations (production and CIP), and equipment specifications (pumps, valves, HXs, piping)
• Develop complete P&IDs, PFDs, process descriptions, and technical documentation for project execution
• Support proposal development with technical input and equipment sizing
• Lead commissioning, startup, and performance verification at customer sites
• Collaborate with project engineers, automation, installation teams, and contractors
• Support regulatory documentation and testing (HTST, system design specs, product quality safeguards)
• Troubleshoot process/equipment issues; perform root cause analysis
• Train operators, maintenance techs, and customer teams

Requirements

• BS in Chemical, Mechanical, Bio-Systems, or Electrical Engineering
• 5+ years in the sanitary dairy process industry (non-negotiable)
• Working knowledge of liquid process system design: mass/heat transfer calcs, piping flow/pressure, pump/valve/line sizing
• Familiarity with 3-A, ASME, FDA, USDA standards
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

Ideal Candidate Profile

Someone currently in a process engineering role at a dairy equipment OEM, system integrator, dairy co-op, or cheese plant who wants design-heavy, customer-facing project work with variety and travel. Must understand cheese and liquid dairy processing, not just general food or pharma.