Process Engineer - Essentia

LGI Homes•Ankeny, IA

About The Position

The Process Engineer will support the design, optimization, and continuous improvement of production processes within a food and beverage manufacturing environment, with a strong focus on animal protein processing (e.g., beef, pork, poultry, collagen, gelatin, stocks, broths, protein isolates). This role works cross‑functionally with operations, quality, maintenance, R&D, and corporate engineering to increase throughput, reduce waste, improve product quality, reduce energy usage, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Requirements

Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
2-5 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, ideally within animal proteins, rendering, meat processing, collagen/gelatin extraction, broth/stock production, or protein concentrates.
Strong understanding of unit operations: thermal processing, evaporation, drying, filtration, separation, pumping, CIP and sanitation.
Working knowledge of FDA/USDA regulations and food safety systems.
Proficiency in data analysis tools (Excel, Power BI, Minitab, or similar)
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
Ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence without authority.
Excellent communication—both technical and operational.
Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on safety and quality.
Hands‑on, plant‑floor‑focused approach.
Ability to travel and work at company facilities for extended hours as needed.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Nice To Haves

Experience with enzymatic processes, membrane filtration (UF/RO/NF), or spray drying.
Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
Experience working in high-volume protein processing environments.
Familiarity with AutoCAD, Aspen, or other process modeling tools.
Strong project management experience.

Responsibilities

Process Design and Optimization Analyze, develop, and optimize unit operations such as cooking, enzymatic hydrolysis, separation, evaporation, drying, filtration, membrane processing, and thermal treatment.
Conduct time, yield, and mass‑balance studies to identify inefficiencies and implement solutions.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
Support capacity expansion projects by providing process calculations, equipment specifications, and line balancing.
Create, edit, and update Process Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) in alignment with engineering and operational requirements.
Identify and implement process improvements that reduce energy consumption, improve thermal efficiency, and lower utility costs.
Technical Leadership Provide input and expertise for animal protein processing technologies, including raw material handling, thermal processing, sanitary design, and by‑product utilization.
Collaborate with R&D to scale new products—from bench to pilot to full commercial scale.
Troubleshoot process deviations and performance bottlenecks.
Data Performance and Analysis Utilize statistical tools to track process KPIs such as yields, moisture, solids content, viscosity, and other key process metrics.
Interpret manufacturing data to make recommendations for efficiency improvement or quality enhancement.
Support implementation and refinement of MES/SCADA systems for process monitoring.
Quality, Food, and Safety Compliance Ensure all processes comply with HACCP, USDA, FDA, and SQF/BRC requirements.
Maintain documentation including process flow diagrams (PFDs), SOPs, and control plans.
Work with QA to resolve customer complaints, deviations, and audit findings.
Project and Equipment Support Assist with equipment evaluation, FAT/SAT testing, commissioning, and startup.
Manage small‑to‑medium capital projects, including scope, budget, timeline, and contractor coordination.