Quality Engineer - Operational Excellence

Saturn Petcare Inc•Terre Haute, IN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Saturn Petcare is a state-of-the-art pet food manufacturing facility committed to delivering safe, high-quality products in compliance with regulatory and customer requirements. The Quality Engineer – Operational Excellence plays a critical role in driving continuous improvement initiatives across the site. This position operates within a cross-functional team focused on process optimization, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and data-driven decision-making. This role ensures that all improvement activities are executed in alignment with food safety, SQF, FDA, and low-acid canned food (LACF) regulatory requirements, while improving process capability, reducing waste, and enhancing operational performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Microbiology, Chemistry, or related field.
3–7+ years of experience in food manufacturing (pet food strongly preferred).
Demonstrated experience in process improvement, RCA, and CAPA systems.
Working knowledge of: SQF, HACCP, FSMA, FDA LACF requirements (21 CFR 113).
Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence methodologies (certification preferred).
Strong data analysis capability (Excel, Minitab, SPC tools).
Experience with SAP and document management systems.
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
Ability to translate data into actionable insights and practical solutions.
Effective cross-functional collaboration and communication to various levels of the organization.
Project management and prioritization skills.
Ability to operate in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while maintaining compliance.
Proficient in MS Office applications, Minitab (or equivalent statistical software), SAP and a DMS program.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedural manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization.
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and ability to apply concepts such as: fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Nice To Haves

ASQ Quality Engineer Certification preferred
Experience in wet pet food and/or low-acid canned food (LACF) preferred.
Ability to interpret thermal processing data and process capability preferred.
German language speaking skills is another advantage.

Responsibilities

Lead and support cross-functional improvement projects targeting process efficiency, scrap reduction, and product quality.
Facilitate and execute root cause analysis (RCA) using structured methodologies (e.g., 5-Why, Fishbone, Fault Tree).
Develop, implement, and verify Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) to ensure sustainable resolution of issues.
Analyze production and quality data to identify trends, variability, and improvement opportunities.
Partner with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Quality to ensure process improvements are practical, validated, and sustained.
Ensure all changes and improvements comply with: SQF Code requirements, FSMA Preventive Controls, FDA LACF (21 CFR 113) regulations.
Support process validation and verification activities, including thermal process capability and critical control points.
Drive standardization through work instructions, SOPs, and best practices.
Participate in and support internal audits, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
Lead or support non-conformance investigations.
Utilize statistical tools to evaluate process performance and capability.
Collaborate with R&D and Engineering on new product and process introductions, ensuring food safety and quality risks are addressed.