Technology & Engineering Lead

FrieslandCampina; Town of Darlington (WI); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership role

Capital projects

Safety culture

Cross-functional collaboration

Competitive compensation

Job summary

FrieslandCampina Darlington is seeking a Technology & Engineering Lead to provide technical leadership at our dairy manufacturing site. You will oversee engineering activities, drive process optimization, and lead capital projects to ensure safe, reliable, and high-quality operations.

You will partner closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Corporate Engineering to deliver continuous improvement, support innovation, and enhance overall plant performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 7+ years of experience in dairy processing or complex food manufacturing.
• Strong expertise in whey and cheese processing technologies.
• Proven experience leading capital projects from concept through execution.
• Solid background in Continuous Improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma).
• Deep understanding of GMPs, food safety, and regulatory requirements (OSHA, EPA, USDA).
• Proven people leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and inspire teams.
• A proactive, collaborative mindset and strong problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Leading the full lifecycle of capital projects, from concept to implementation.
• Providing technical support and troubleshooting expertise to Operations.
• Driving continuous improvement, reliability initiatives, and OEE enhancement.
• Maintaining engineering documentation and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards.
• Promoting a strong safety culture and ensuring adherence to GMP and corporate policies.
• Leading, developing, and performance-managing the site engineering team.
• Collaborating cross-functionally to resolve recurring issues and implement sustainable solutions.

Skills

Leadership

People leadership

Continuous Improvement

Lean Six Sigma

GMP Compliance

Regulatory Knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical/Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

We are seeking a Technology & Engineering Lead to provide technical and engineering leadership at our Darlington manufacturing site. In this role, you will oversee all engineering activities, drive process optimization, and lead capital projects to ensure safe, reliable, and high-quality operations. You will partner closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Corporate Engineering to deliver continuous improvement, support innovation, and enhance overall plant performance.

What We Offer

• A key leadership role within a fast-paced, technology-driven manufacturing environment
• Opportunity to lead high-impact capital projects and influence long-term technical strategy
• A strong culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Professional growth through cross-functional collaboration and exposure to global standards
• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• A workplace that values respect, ownership, teamwork, and excellence

As Technology & Engineering Lead, you will be responsible for defining how technology, automation, and engineering design are used to improve production efficiency and competitiveness. You will ensure all whey and cheese processes are optimized, stable, and capable through strong engineering fundamentals and data-driven decision-making.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the full lifecycle of capital projects, from concept to implementation
• Providing technical support and troubleshooting expertise to Operations
• Driving continuous improvement, reliability initiatives, and OEE enhancement
• Maintaining engineering documentation and ensuring compliance with safety and regulatory standards
• Promoting a strong safety culture and ensuring adherence to GMP and corporate policies
• Leading, developing, and performance-managing the site engineering team
• Collaborating cross-functionally to resolve recurring issues and implement sustainable solutions

What We Ask

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 7+ years of experience in dairy processing or complex food manufacturing
• Strong expertise in whey and cheese processing technologies
• Proven experience leading capital projects from concept through execution
• Solid background in Continuous Improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma)
• Deep understanding of GMPs, food safety, and regulatory requirements (OSHA, EPA, USDA)
• Proven people leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and inspire teams
• A proactive, collaborative mindset and strong problem-solving skills

For thousands of people every day, we are more than just a dairy company. To our farmers, our employees， the communities we serve， the businesses we work with, and the people to whom we bring happiness，FrieslandCampina means something more. For them, it's not just about what we do, but who we are.

We value talented people from any background who want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. We encourage all of our employees to make decisions that benefit our entire company. At FrieslandCampina we own our own career and act accordingly. We trust you to make a difference in your job and influence the bigger picture. Working at FrieslandCampina means you are contributing to a better world.