Assistant Engineer, Operations, GDI

The Coca-Cola Company•Atlanta, GA

20h•Onsite

About The Position

Our NA Innovation Center sits at the heart of The Coca-Cola Company’s next chapter of growth. We are committed to transforming and evolving our organization and ambitions — bringing our people closer to the consumer, continuously raising the bar, and embracing digitalization to enable sustainable growth. We are looking for a highly driven individual contributor who thrives on ownership and impact, and who fuels the innovation pipeline with bold ideas that translate into real-world results. This role is not about maintaining the status quo; it is about challenging assumptions, unlocking opportunity, and personally driving valuable breakthrough innovation. You will apply deep operations expertise to lead ideas from concept to execution, contributing to a strong and diverse portfolio of meaningful innovation — accelerating growth and helping shape the future of the organization. Position Summary: The Assistant Engineer, Operations plays a critical role in supporting the day‑to‑day functioning of the pilot plants and TEC labs, ensuring all operations meet KORE standards as well as applicable quality, safety, and environmental regulations. This position contributes directly to the company’s innovation pipeline by helping translate ideas into executable processes and maintaining the operational excellence required to produce high‑quality pilot‑scale beverages. In this role, the Assistant Engineer oversees beverage production processes, ensuring parameters remain within specification and collaborating closely with Product Developers to resolve issues and maintain strict adherence to food safety protocols, including HACCP, GMP, sanitation, and hygiene requirements. This position is also responsible for covering all the maintenance and calibration program activities to ensure the accuracy of parameters and ensure correct function of processes equipment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Biochemistry, Engineering, or related field, or a Technical Degree with broad food‑industry experience.
+3 yrs of experience in production processes and equipment operation.
Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
Advanced knowledge on maintenance programs and equipment calibration.
Proficient with digital tools and database development for data capture and extraction.
Proficient – Mechanical equipment (boilers, motors, conveyors).
Working knowledge of electrical systems, refrigeration units, PLCs, and VFD programming.
Flexible, continuous‑improvement mindset with strong attention to detail.
Quick learner with strong troubleshooting abilities.

Responsibilities

Production of finished beverages: Operate pilot plant equipment, including setup, operation, and maintenance requirements.
Monitor and adjust processing parameters to ensure all production runs meet required specifications.
Coordinate with Product Developers to confirm production plans, clarify conditions, and communicate any non‑conformities.
Follow Management System procedures to verify material and product status, ensuring only quality‑compliant products are released.
Maintain strict adherence to all food safety and safety standards, including HACCP, GMP, and Lo/To protocols.
Cleaning of the main Pilot Plant, blend areas, Pack‑rooms & surroundings (e.g., floor, shelves, benches) using approved materials such as foaming agents, caustics, brushes, etc.
Cleaning of equipment (tanks, homogenizers, UHT processors, etc.) via CIP and COP using specific chemicals, accordingly with food safety program.
Use CIP units independently and supervise Product Developers, Technicians, and Interns during cleaning or production runs.
Complete all Food Safety program documentation and maintain required QSE system records.
Maintenance & Calibration: Preventive maintenance of assigned equipment, repair, and initiation of an ongoing maintenance program.
Provide guidance, expertise, and training in selected pilot plant equipment.
Develop in-depth knowledge of specific equipment to ensure optimal operation.
Ensure strict adherence to pilot plant internal processes, standard operating procedures for equipment use, GMP, GOP, and industrial safety regulations, and actively promote compliance among all personnel working in the pilot plant.
Conduct safety checks before operation of equipment and ensure all operators are wearing required PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in accordance with company industrial safety policies.
Responsible for sustaining 5S methodology in assigned areas to maintain efficiency and safety.
Report any potential equipment safety hazards immediately and participate in root‑cause analysis to prevent recurrence.