Plant Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job brief

In the Kalamazoo Area – Seeking a Plant Engineer to perform the tasks that a food and beverage process engineer executes including all manufacturing processes plus new equipment and facility construction project management. The candidate must be able to work in a dynamic and rapidly growing beverage manufacturing and consumer brand company.

Plant Engineer responsibilities include:

· Utilizing pumps, valves, pipes, machinery, PLCs, and utilities to ensure products are produced at the highest level of safety, efficiency, and quality.

· Overseeing the installation, startup, and training of staff in the use and maintenance of pumps, valves, pipes, machinery, PLCs, and utilities.

· Designing improvements to material handling, blending, processing, and packaging systems to improve safety, efficiency, and quality.

· Designing automation, safety, and quality into new systems and existing systems.

· Efficient management of equipment and facility Capital Projects.

· Identify opportunities for implementation of new technologies and systems to improve safety, efficiency, and quality of manufactured products.

· Reports to the Director of Technical Services.

Plant Engineer Job Duties

The Plant Engineer will be responsible for actively participating in and overall management of the design, construction, installation, startup, training, ongoing improvement, and project management of capital projects that include equipment, systems, and construction.

Responsibilities

· Plan, organize, direct and run system improvements and new system design and installation,

· Increase production asset capacity and flexibility while minimizing unnecessary costs and maintaining current quality standards.

· Effectively allocate internal and external resources effectively and fully utilize assets to produce optimal results.

· Monitor operations and processes and trigger corrective designs for improvement.

· Analyze data to find places of waste and lost opportunities for efficient and timely product output.

· Oversee and implement improvements and changes to plant systems.

· Stay up to date with the latest technologies and concepts.

Requirements and skills

· Proven work experience as a Plant Engineer in a manufacturing environment.

· Proven engineering experience in chemical, pharmaceutical, aseptic, hot fill, and/or water bottling industry a plus.

· Proficient knowledge and experience with:

• • heat exchange systems and equipment utilization and calculation;
  • utility utilization including high-voltage, low-voltage, steam generation, water, compressed air, carbon-based fuel sources, and refrigerant gasses;
  • functionality and application of PD pumps, centrifugal pumps, homogenizers, strainers, liquefiers, high shear mixers;
  • design, construction, and programming of CIP systems and automatic monitoring and controls;
  • design, construction, and programming of valve clusters and automatic monitoring and controls;
  • water treatment technologies including R/O, microfiltration, resins, iron removal, aeration, odor and flavor removal.

· Proficient with PLC logic including troubleshooting, maintaining, programming, and networking.

· Understanding of the safe use and function of caustics, acids, quats, hypochlorite, and soaps.

· Basic knowledge of microbiology and food/beverage chemistry.

· Be knowledgeable of safety, quality, cost, productivity, and the stewardship processes including but not limited to SQF, FSSC, 5S, TQM, organic, Kosher, KPIs and metrics.

· Ability to communicate effectively with multiple skill and experience levels.

· Strong and effective decision-making and communicating to multiple skill and experience levels in a union environment.

· Experience with renewable energy a plus.

· BS degree in one or more of the following: Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Industrial Engineering or related field.

· Minimum of 5-years of professional experience.

Compensation

· Salary - commensurate with experience and growth potential

· Benefits - equal to the company’s managerial and executive level

· Relocation - negotiable