Process Engineer

GEA•Oakdale, MN

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Process Engineer supports sales, engineering, commissioning, and optimization of GEA Process systems in the Sanitary Powder and Thermal Separations (PTS) Department. The role designs and improves equipment configurations, process flows, and systems, ensuring that developed processes meet or exceed GEA standards and customer objectives. The engineer is responsible for meeting company and client standards for quality, safety, and environmental compliance. The position offers a hybrid working schedule of up to two remote days per week and requires travel of approximately 25%, up to 40%, depending on project needs. The engineer participates throughout project execution, from hand-off and engineering through commissioning and optimization, and may support pre-award sales activities, including customer meetings, cost estimation, and proposal generation. Responsibilities span process design, technical documentation, equipment selection, testing, commissioning, troubleshooting, customer support, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. The position also includes mentoring other Process Engineers.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Food Technology, or a similar related field.
4–6 years of experience.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively both on a team and independently.
Self-motivation, initiative, decisiveness, and commercial or business acumen.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Excellent time management skills and a proven ability to meet deadlines and prioritize tasks.
Ability to function in a fast-paced and sometimes stressful environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
Willingness to travel approximately 25% of the time, up to 40%.

Nice To Haves

Experience with evaporator design and/or operation.
Processing experience in the food, dairy, or beverage industry.
Experience with evaporation, spray drying, and powder handling.

Responsibilities

Participate in project phases from execution hand-off through engineering, commissioning, and optimization.
Occasionally support the Technical Offer Management Department with initial customer meetings, pre-award sales support, cost estimation, and proposal generation.
Own assigned technical areas of projects, adhering to design standards and optimizing designs to meet customer specifications, schedule, budget, and contract constraints.
Collaborate with project teams to achieve milestones and goals.
Identify and justify scope changes affecting process design throughout the project life cycle.
Provide technical solutions that meet customer expectations and requirements.
Maintain accurate records of meetings, discussions, correspondence, and technical documents.
Develop Block Flow Diagrams (BFDs), Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), and heat and mass balances.
Develop process equipment specifications and specify or design utility consumption.
Contribute to general arrangement, plant layout, and elevation drawings.
Evaluate and approve design changes, specifications, and drawing releases.
Develop process and functional descriptions of operation.
Lead and facilitate software factory acceptance testing (FAT).
Confirm operation according to process and functional descriptions (FDS).
Plan and implement test procedures and commissioning plans.
Troubleshoot equipment and system performance issues and provide technical support to resolve customer concerns.
Complete plant audits.
Ensure compliance with government regulations, safety and environmental requirements, and industry standards, including sanitary requirements.
Support safety evaluations, such as HAZOP meetings.
Collaborate with team members, technology centers, and GEA European Centers of Competence on technology improvements and project execution.
Coordinate with other disciplines to minimize deficiencies, errors, and omissions in technical project documents and specifications.
Develop relationships with key technical stakeholders regarding process design and operation.
Provide pre-sale and post-sale support, including site evaluations, pilot trials, presentations, and training.
Technically evaluate third-party supplier proposals and equipment selections.
Support sales managers in working with customers and building and maintaining relationships.
Lead or support on-site commissioning activities and train customer personnel on GEA process systems during commissioning.
Provide ongoing troubleshooting support, train customer personnel, and report process improvement initiatives.
Act as a mentor to other Process Engineers.
Travel to support project activities, approximately 25% and up to 40% depending on project needs.