Process Engineer

GEA Group • Oakdale, CA

3d • $85,000 - $120,000

About The Position

GEA Group is seeking a Process Engineer in Oakdale, Minnesota, to support sales, engineering, commissioning, and optimization of process systems in the Liquid, Fermentation, and Filling engineering team. The role focuses on liquid and fluid processing for the beverage, food, and dairy industries. The engineer designs and improves equipment configurations, process flows, and systems, ensuring they meet or exceed GEA standards and customer objectives, as well as applicable quality, safety, and environmental requirements.

The position contributes throughout project life cycles, from initial customer meetings and pre-award sales support through cost estimation, proposals, engineering, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization. The engineer develops process diagrams and balances, equipment specifications, utility requirements, operational descriptions, and commissioning plans; supports design reviews and changes; and coordinates with project teams, customers, suppliers, and GEA technology centers. The role also includes site evaluations, pilot trials, customer training, plant audits, and travel of approximately up to 50%, including internationally.

The typical starting base-pay range is $85,000–$120,000 per year. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship. GEA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes qualified applicants with disabilities.

Requirements

• At least 2 years of related industry experience; the posting states a range of 2–10+ years.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Excellent time management skills and a demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and prioritize tasks.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Willingness to travel approximately up to 50%, including international travel.
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Food Technology, or a similar related field preferred.
• Processing experience in the food, dairy, or beverage industry preferred.
• Liquid processing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Participate in project phases from initial customer meetings and pre-award sales support through cost estimation, proposal generation, engineering, commissioning, and optimization.
• Manage specific technical areas of projects, ensuring design standards are followed and designs meet customer specifications within time, 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, Process Flow Diagrams, Process and Instrumentation Diagrams, and heat and mass balances.
• Develop process equipment specifications and specify or design utility consumptions.
• Contribute to plot plant general arrangement and elevation view drawings.
• Evaluate and approve design changes, specifications, and drawing releases.
• Develop process and functional descriptions of operation.
• Lead and facilitate software factory acceptance testing and confirm operation against the process and functional descriptions.
• Plan and implement test procedures and commissioning plans.
• Troubleshoot equipment and system performance concerns and provide customer technical support.
• Complete plant audits.
• Ensure compliance with government regulations, safety and environmental requirements, industry standards, and sanitary requirements.
• Support safety evaluations, including 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 documents and specifications.
• Develop relationships with technical stakeholders concerning 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.
• Work with customers in support of sales managers and build and maintain customer relationships.
• Support on-site commissioning and train customer personnel on GEA process systems.
• Provide ongoing troubleshooting support, train customer personnel, and report process improvement initiatives.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage beginning on the first day.
• 12 paid holidays, including a flexible floating holiday, and 136 hours of paid time off.
• 7% employer 401(k) match.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Wellness incentive program.
• Confidential Employee Assistance Program.
• Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts.
• May be eligible for a discretionary bonus and/or equity awards, subject to eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level