Principal Food Safety Engineer - Process Authority Team

PepsiCo • Valhalla, NY

407d • $102,800 - $172,100

About The Position

The Principal Food Safety Engineer will lead efforts within the Food Safety Center of Excellence at PepsiCo, focusing on ensuring that processing conditions meet commercial sterility standards for Low and High Acid Aseptic Foods and Beverages. This role emphasizes compliance with food safety and quality requirements while fostering innovation through a risk-based approach. The engineer will collaborate with various teams to support product development and commercialization, ensuring microbiological control and adherence to regulatory standards.

Requirements

• BS/MS/PhD in Food or Chemical Engineering, Food Science & Technology, Microbiology, or related field.
• 3-5 years of thermal processing experience in Aseptic Operations with a PhD.
• 5-7 years of experience with an MS degree.
• 8-9 years of experience with a BS degree.
• Subject Matter Expertise (SME) in Aseptic processing, canning, hot fill processes, Thermal Processing, and Microbiology.
• Ability to drive agendas and meet business timelines effectively.

Nice To Haves

• PhD in Food or Chemical Engineering, Food Science & Technology, or Microbiology is highly desirable.
• Experience in long-term strategic planning to support business vision.

Responsibilities

• Develop and understand the concepts of thermal processing and bacterial kinetics for food and beverage products.
• Identify process control associated with key manufacturing platforms.
• Implement robust procedures for the design, development, and approval of thermal and non-thermal processes to ensure microbiological control.
• Maintain the TPA reference library of process parameters for PepsiCo Food Safety and Quality standards.
• Support the validation of new equipment, processes, products, and packaging in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Drive innovation and support product stability and issue resolution as a subject matter expert.
• Support the Commercialization, Qualification, and Verification (CQV) of new products, processes, and packages.
• Validate existing processes to ensure microbiological product integrity.
• Review and issue scheduled processes for low acid aseptic products and manage FDA filings.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action and Preventive Action for Thermal Process gaps.
• Build people capability through aseptic university training programs.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, and Disability insurance.
• Health and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Insurance options including Accident, Group Legal, and Life insurance.
• Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.
• Paid time off including parental leave, vacation, sick leave, and bereavement.
• Performance-based bonus target payout of 12% of annual salary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree