Plant Engineer

TruRoots-posted 13 days ago
Full-time • Mid Level
Onsite • Chico, CA
51-100 employees
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TruRoots Company is a leading natural and organic food manufacturer rooted in sustainable practices—from farm to fridge—under brands such as TruRoots™, R.W. Knudsen™, and Santa Cruz Organic™. Our Chico, CA facility is recognized for product quality, environmental stewardship, waste reduction, water conservation, renewable electricity, and adherence to a Zero Waste to landfill strategy. The Plant Engineer is a key technical leader at the Chico facility responsible for improving production systems, developing packaging and process solutions, executing capital projects, and supporting continuous manufacturing reliability. This role integrates packaging engineering and process engineering capabilities to optimize equipment performance, reduce waste, elevate product quality, and drive efficiency across production operations. The Plant Engineer partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, R&D, Supply Chain, and Marketing to support commercial launches, industrialize new technologies, and maintain a high-performing and sustainable manufacturing environment.

  • Design, optimize, and validate packaging systems (primary, secondary, tertiary) for manufacturability, durability, food safety, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.
  • Lead plant trials, commissioning runs, and industrialization activities for new packaging formats, materials, and product introductions.
  • Develop process control strategies to reduce defects, variation, and spoilage while maintaining quality and regulatory compliance.
  • Conduct and review packaging performance tests (distribution, climate, drop testing, compatibility, shelf stability).
  • Recommend material choices, technologies, and vendor solutions that support product integrity, sustainability, and cost optimization.
  • Lead initiatives to eliminate loss, reduce downtime, and increase throughput across production lines.
  • Analyze line performance data; implement corrective actions using Lean, Kaizen, TPM, or other Continuous Improvement methodologies.
  • Collaborate with plant leadership, operators, and maintenance to prevent recurring equipment issues.
  • Provide technical training to operating teams to ensure safe and consistent equipment use and problem resolution.
  • Lead all phases of capital projects: front-end engineering, feasibility, scope development, project justification, vendor selection, FAT, commissioning, qualification/verification (CQV), and hand-off to Operations.
  • Establish engineering standards and procedures for safety, code compliance, documentation, and manufacturing readiness.
  • Prepare cost estimates, track project performance, and deliver outcomes aligned with financial, schedule, and technical targets.
  • Manage vendors, contractors, and engineering service providers, ensuring conformance with design requirements, GMP, and food safety standards.
  • Act as the technical liaison between Operations, R&D, Quality, and Supply Chain to scale new products, materials, ingredients, and manufacturing processes.
  • Support ongoing innovation initiatives such as alternative materials, improved automation, sustainability projects, or efficiency enhancements.
  • Organize and maintain technical documentation for the site, including CAD drawings, line layouts, P&ID’s, schematics, packaging specifications, SOPs, and validation reports.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Packaging, Industrial, Chemical, or related field).
  • Minimum 3–5 years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment; food, beverage, or CPG strongly preferred.
  • Proficiency with CAD systems (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Artios, or equivalent) and packaging/engineering specification development.
  • Understanding of packaging materials, validation protocols, and distribution testing.
  • Demonstrated experience improving manufacturing processes, reducing downtime, and supporting automation or controls (PLC/instrumentation experience preferred).
  • Proven project management capability; able to lead capital implementations and cross-functional initiatives.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with operations, quality, maintenance, suppliers, and leadership teams.
  • Must understand and follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety standards, and BRC guidelines.
  • Working knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or Continuous Improvement methodologies is preferred.
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