Staff Engineer - Dairy Process Engineering and Capital Project Standards

Agropur Cooperative; Eden Prairie (MN); On-site; USD 124,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with company contributions

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Agropur Cooperative in Eden Prairie, MN is seeking an experienced Process Engineer to lead major capital projects from concept through startup. You will develop design criteria and oversee equipment strategies while guiding vendors and design teams.

The role requires 15+ years in food and beverage process engineering with expertise in 3-A sanitary design and dairy processing. Collaboration with Operations, Quality, and Engineering is essential for standards and lifecycle optimization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
• 15+ years in food & beverage process engineering and capital projects.
• Proficiency in 3-A sanitary design principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead process engineering activities for major capital projects from concept through startup.
• Develop and challenge process design basis, mass balances, utility requirements, and equipment strategies.
• Provide technical leadership during FEL, business case development, scope definition, and project planning.
• Support equipment selection, vendor assessments, RFQ development, bid evaluations, and negotiations.
• Lead design reviews and ensure adherence to company standards.

Skills

Process engineering

Capital projects

3-A sanitary design

Dairy processing

Engineering standards

Vendor evaluation

Leadership

Influence without authority

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Job description

Job Type: Regular

People are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability in order to generate value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of the team means committing to an environment where everyone’s impact truly matters. We believe that teamwork—collaborating and sharing perspectives— is essential to achieving the best results. An environment where collaboration is encouraged and valued.

Salary

Salary range 007: $124,200 - $155,300 (Salary will be determined based on skills, education, training & experience related to the position.)

Location and Travel

Remote Travel Requirement: 50%

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short and Long-term Disability Insurance 401(k) with 7% company contributions 3 weeks Paid Time Off Paid holidays and 2 floating holidays Paid parental leave Advancement Opportunities

How you will contribute to collective success

• Lead process engineering activities supporting major capital projects from concept through startup.
• Develop and challenge process design basis, mass balances, utility requirements, process narratives, and equipment strategies.
• Provide technical leadership during FEL, business case development, scope definition, and project execution planning.
• Support equipment selection, technology evaluations, vendor assessments, RFQ development, bid evaluations, and technical negotiations.
• Lead or participate in design, constructability, and operability reviews; support development of RFQs, SOWs, FATs/SATs, installation qualifications, and process design deliverables.
• Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for sanitary process systems, piping systems, process equipment, and process utility integration.
• Create and maintain design criteria, installation standards, engineering practices, standard details, and design review checklists.
• Lead technical reviews of PFDs, PIDs, equipment layouts, piping designs, utility systems, and engineering specifications.
• Ensure OEMs, engineering firms, and contractors adhere to company standards and sound engineering principles.
• Challenge design assumptions and identify risks related to operability, sanitation, maintainability, reliability, constructability, and lifecycle cost.
• Serve as an independent technical reviewer for major process-capital investments.
• Support commissioning, startup, troubleshooting, and lessons-learned activities as-needed.
• Drive standardization and best-practice adoption across the manufacturing network.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
• 15+ years of food and beverage process engineering and capital project experience.
• Must be proficient in 3-A sanitary design principles.
• Significant dairy processing experience.
• Demonstrated expertise with sanitary piping systems, pumps, valves, vessels, heat exchangers, CIP systems, dryers, membranes, filtration systems, pasteurization technologies (UHT, HTST, etc.), and process utilities.
• Experience installing, commissioning, and supporting process systems in operating manufacturing facilities.
• Proven experience developing engineering standards, specifications, and design guidance documents.
• Own the governance, periodic review, and continuous improvement of enterprise process engineering standards.
• Lead the development and deployment of standard process design criteria and technical specifications across the manufacturing network.
• Establish preferred equipment, sanitary design, and installation practices to improve consistency and lifecycle performance.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Engineering teams to ensure standards remain practical, effective, and aligned with business objectives.
• Experience reviewing and governing work performed by OEMs, EPC firms, consulting engineers, and contractors.
• Strong engineering judgment and ability to influence without direct authority.

Company Culture and Diversity

Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and origins. We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to providing a respectful and inclusive experience for all employees and applicants. We will work with candidates who request accommodation. Please note that an adequate knowledge of French is required for positions in Quebec. Agropur is an E-Verify Employer (US Operations).