Global Project Engineer

Ensign-Bickford Industries•Saint Charles, MO

About The Position

AFB International is seeking an experienced Global Project Engineer to lead significant capital investments across its facilities, initially focused on major projects at its manufacturing site in Aurora, Missouri. The role leads capital projects—typically valued from $1 million to more than $5 million—through the full lifecycle, from feasibility and design through procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, and closeout. Projects aim to improve safety, capacity, reliability, productivity, quality, and overall operational performance while minimizing disruption to production. The engineer partners with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Finance, Supply Chain, Corporate Engineering, plant leadership, consultants, contractors, and suppliers. The position provides functional leadership to project teams and directs external project resources; it may also mentor project engineers and site personnel. Direct reports are not required. The role may be based at the corporate office in St. Charles, Missouri, or at the Aurora, Missouri plant site. Travel between facilities and to vendor or contractor locations is expected, and occasional off-hours support may be needed for critical project activities, commissioning, or startup. The work spans office, manufacturing, construction, and active project environments. It involves walking through manufacturing and construction areas, climbing stairs or ladders, working around moving equipment, dust, noise, and temperature variations, and wearing required personal protective equipment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline from an accredited university.
At least five years of engineering and capital project experience in an industrial manufacturing or process environment.
Demonstrated experience leading projects through design, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, and closeout.
Strong knowledge of project scope development, estimating, scheduling, budgeting, procurement, construction, change control, and project closeout.
Experience managing multiple projects and priorities while maintaining accurate documentation and status reporting.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, layouts, P&IDs, specifications, equipment documentation, and contractor submittals.
Strong communication, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders at all levels.
Ability to walk through manufacturing and construction areas, climb stairs or ladders, work around moving equipment, dust, noise, and temperature variations, and wear required personal protective equipment.
Travel between AFB facilities and to vendor or contractor locations is expected; occasional off-hours support may be required during critical project activities, commissioning, or startup.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing capital projects valued at $1 million or more.
Experience in food manufacturing, process manufacturing, or a similar regulated industrial environment.
Working knowledge of industrial construction, equipment installation, process systems, manufacturing operations, and startup activities.
Professional Engineer license, PMP certification, or an advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Lead multiple complex capital projects across planning, feasibility, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, and closeout.
Develop project scopes, estimates, schedules, budgets, business cases, execution plans, and Capital Appropriation Requests.
Establish project governance, risk registers, action tracking, change-control processes, reporting, and decision-making practices.
Coordinate priorities, stakeholders, resources, and external partners across multiple projects; provide updates, identify risks and needed decisions, and maintain accurate records.
Develop design criteria, technical specifications, bid packages, and procurement documents.
Review drawings, layouts, P&IDs, electrical documents, equipment specifications, and contractor submittals.
Coordinate consultants, contractors, equipment suppliers, bidding, contract negotiations, construction, field issues, and project changes.
Apply engineering judgment to resolve technical and construction-related challenges.
Direct commissioning, startup, training, performance verification, operational readiness, and project turnover.
Work with site teams to integrate new equipment and systems safely into operations.
Complete punch lists, as-built documentation, manuals, warranties, spare-parts information, final cost reporting, and lessons learned.
Ensure projects comply with AFB standards, applicable codes, OSHA and EHS requirements, food safety expectations, permitting requirements, and site procedures.
Identify project risks early and coordinate mitigation plans with stakeholders; promote safety, accountability, quality, and operational excellence.
Use data, root-cause analysis, and engineering expertise to identify improvement opportunities and develop recommendations balancing safety, quality, productivity, reliability, timing, and cost.
Communicate technical information to technical and nontechnical audiences and lead cross-functional teams by influencing stakeholders.
Direct the work of consultants, contractors, vendors, suppliers, and other project resources; potentially mentor project engineers and site personnel.