Process Engineer

Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream • Laurel, MD

10d

About The Position

The Process Engineer combines project management and process engineering to execute new-product trials and factory launches, support startup and commissioning of new production lines, and manage other factory projects. For major initiatives, the engineer may serve as end-to-end project manager, operational startup lead, or technical lead. The role works with multiple factory departments and interfaces with corporate and other factory teams. It requires developing knowledge of ice cream production processes and equipment to support process improvements and successful product execution.

The engineer coordinates project scope, resources, schedules, risks, meetings, costs, status communications, and handovers. They ensure equipment can produce to customer specifications and quality and food-safety requirements, support health and safety, and help resolve operational issues. They plan and execute commissioning and ramp-up, organize factory trials for new materials, recipe changes, and product launches, and follow up on open items through successful execution. They also develop and share process knowledge, maintain equipment and process records for traceability, and support training and continuous improvement.

The work takes place in a fast-paced manufacturing facility, including wet or humid, noisy, refrigerated, and high-speed production areas. The position involves working around mechanical, electrical, and pressurized equipment, following food-safety and hygiene rules, and wearing protective equipment. Exposure to nuts and other potential allergens is frequent. The role may involve prolonged standing, walking in refrigerated areas, bending, reaching, lifting, and repetitive hand and arm movements.

The pay range is $74,000–$80,000, with opportunities for overtime, shift differential, cold premium pay, and annual bonuses that vary with company performance. The company offers a group benefits package. Visa sponsorship and immigration support are not available; applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States now and in the future.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Good verbal and written communication skills; ability to read, write, and follow instructions and correspondence.
• Ability to learn technical terminology.
• Ability to perform arithmetic using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, calculate rates, ratios, and percentages, and draw and interpret graphs.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot equipment failures.
• Ability to work well with others.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to make independent decisions and plan and prioritize work.
• Good customer-service interaction, patience as a teacher, ability to learn quickly, and a good work ethic.
• Passion for engineering and eagerness to learn new skills.
• Aptitude for automated mechanical processes, with troubleshooting and diagnostic skills.
• Interpersonal communication, math, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and comply with food-safety, hygiene, and safety requirements.
• Ability to work around mechanical, electrical, and pressurized equipment and in wet or humid, noisy, and cold environments.
• Ability to wear cold-protective PPE and other protective gear, with frequent exposure to nuts and other potential allergens.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform frequent walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and repetitive hand and arm movements.

Responsibilities

• Work with the project manager to define and communicate project scope, objectives, and expectations.
• Identify project resource requirements and escalate resource constraints.
• Build and manage project schedules, define critical paths, track activities and deadlines, report status, and escalate critical issues.
• Proactively manage roadblocks and develop risk-management plans.
• Coordinate and facilitate project kickoff, project team, risk assessment, lessons-learned, and other meetings.
• Ensure equipment and machines can produce products that meet customer specifications, quality requirements, and food-safety standards.
• Ensure health and safety requirements are met and support a positive safety culture.
• Manage, monitor, and control project costs against budgets.
• Communicate regularly with the project team through meetings, memos, briefings, and other channels.
• Support operational issues and factory projects as required.
• Develop, learn, and share knowledge of ice cream making and other processing areas to build troubleshooting and continuous-improvement skills.
• Stay informed about production plans and changes; proactively identify issues and take appropriate action.
• Represent the Froneri culture, Operating Model, and Core Values through day-to-day behaviors.
• Lead and participate in commissioning new production lines.
• Maintain complete maintenance and process records for equipment to enable traceability.
• Ensure effective handover from project teams to operations.
• Create commissioning and ramp-up plans and coordinate with departments and teams to deliver them.
• Drive production processes and line performance so equipment meets standards for efficiency, capacity, quality, and other measures at handover.
• Attend Product Portfolio Meetings and inform factory teams about recipe changes and new products.
• Organize factory trials for new materials, recipe changes, and product launches, including scheduling, trial planning, execution, and post-trial communications.
• Follow up on trial-related open items to ensure successful final execution of new materials, recipe changes, and new products.
• Meet daily, weekly, and monthly project targets and deliver successful equipment startups, handovers, trials, and sellable product launches.
• Put training and development plans in place that produce measurable business benefits and support factory teams.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• 401(k) plan with employer match and annual contribution
• Opportunities for overtime, shift differential, cold premium pay, and annual bonuses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time