Process and Project Management Engineer - Food
Listed on 2026-03-12
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Engineering
Manufacturing Engineer, Process Engineer, Quality Engineering
Process and Project Management Engineer
New Orleans, LA
MUST HAVE- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, or related Engineering discipline
- 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing
- Proven experience leading capital projects up to $5MM
- Demonstrated success applying Lean methodologies in a plant environment
- Strong project management and cross-functional leadership skills
- Knowledge of food safety regulations (FDA, USDA, FSMA) and sanitary design principles
- Advanced Excel and data analysis skills with KPI-driven decision making
A growing food manufacturing operation in New Orleans is seeking a Process and Project Management Engineer to lead process optimization, capital execution, and operational transformation initiatives. This role is ideal for an engineer who thrives in fast-paced environments and is passionate about building structure, reliability, and performance within a plant setting.
You will play a critical role in improving throughput, reducing waste, modernizing equipment, and strengthening daily management systems while helping build a culture centered on accountability and continuous improvement.
What You’ll Do Process Engineering & Continuous Improvement- Analyze and optimize manufacturing processes for cooked foods, sauces, and seasoning blends
- Lead Lean initiatives including 5S, SMED, waste elimination, and process simplification
- Conduct structured root-cause analysis to eliminate repeat failures
- Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, and technical documentation
- Implement and support structured daily management systems (tier meetings, KPI boards, accountability routines)
- Leverage data, KPIs, and process trends to drive measurable improvements
- Lead capital projects up to $5MM total installed cost from concept through commissioning
- Develop scope, design plans, budgets, ROI justifications, and cash flow forecasts
- Manage contractors, integrators, and engineering firms
- Oversee equipment layouts, utilities, process flows, and new technology integration
- Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget
- Provide engineering support for batching, blending, thermal processing, packaging, and sanitation systems
- Recommend automation, controls, instrumentation, and monitoring enhancements
- Ensure compliance with regulatory and food safety standards
- Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, R&D, Maintenance, and Finance
- Support trials, commissioning, and technology transfers
- Train frontline teams on new processes and standards
- Operate with an ownership mindset and strong financial discipline
- Translate engineering decisions into clear business impact
- Build strong cross-functional partnerships
- Demonstrate accountability, reliability, and professional discipline
- Thrive in a fast-changing, transformation-focused facility
- Experience with thermal processing, RTE cooked systems, batching, or blending
- Six Sigma Green Belt or higher
- Experience in high-change or turnaround environments
- Experience with MES, WMS, or digital plant-performance systems
- Background in structured operating systems (DMS, SQCDP, MOS, tier accountability systems)
This is an opportunity to join a facility undergoing meaningful transformation and modernization. If you are a results-driven engineer who combines technical strength with financial and operational discipline, this role offers the platform to make a lasting impact in a dynamic food manufacturing environment.
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