Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Alphia • Bern, KS

1d

About The Position

Alphia is a leading manufacturer of pet food – extruded (dry kibble ) and baked (treats) . Alphia has 7 plants across the United States . JOB PURPOSE: The Senior Manufacturing Engineer leads strategic initiatives to improve plant performance through process optimization, cost reduction, and capital implementation. This role serves as the subject matter expert for primary technical platforms (Eg: Dryers), evaluates current manufacturing systems, identifies opportunities to increase efficiency and throughput, and works with other technical functions and OEMs to design scalable solutions across the production network. Success in this role requires strong technical capability, project management expertise, and the ability to drive cross-functional improvements that enhance safety, quality, service, and total delivered cost. This position is also responsible for developing and executing strategic and tactical capital engineering projects across multiple manufacturing sites.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical , Industrial, Chemical or Manufacturing Engineering
• 8 + years of experience in manufacturing engineering, continuous improvement , or related roles within a manufacturing environment (CPG or food manufacturing a plus)
• Knowledge and experience with Project Management, Early Management, and Lean principles .
• Demonstrated success leading capital or process improvement projects from concept through execution
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, line capabilities, and design for manufacturing principles . Capable of becoming SME for key processes.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and make data-driven decisions.
• E xperience extracting and structuring data from MES/plant performance systems (e.g., Redzone, Ignition, data historians) and building analytical insights and reports using tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Excel
• Experience translating production and operational data into financial impact by calculating cost drivers, validating savings, and supporting business case development
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel up to 4 0 % to other Alphia plants or vendors within the US, with potential irregularity depending on specific projects or engineering activities.
• Willingness to work off-shifts and weekends at times depending on specific projects

Responsibilities

• Process Optimization and Performance Improvement Identify constraints, waste, and improvement opportunities through data /statistical analysis or direct observation L ead targeted initiatives to improve throughput, yield, labor utilization , and equipment reliability Identify , evaluate, and introduce new processes/technologies, automation solutions, and equipment upgrades to enhance capability and efficiency Develops harmonization strategies and execution plans to standardize technical platforms. Develops skills to serve as SME for key technical platforms, providing technical support to other corporate functions and factory operations.
• Cost Optimization Evaluate capacity utilization , equipment loading, and product flows to optimize asset performance and eliminate bottlenecks Identify opportunities to redeploy assets, consolidate production lines, and rationalize SKU or workflow complexity Collaborate with Finance to quantify savings, build business cases, validate financial impact , and ensure benefits are sustained in the P&L
• Capital Project Leadership Lead the end-to-end execution of capital and process improvement projects from concept through startup, including scoping, planning, budgeting, procurement, construction, and commissioning Develop and manage detailed project schedules, budgets, and resource plans Coordinate internal stakeholders, contractors, and equipment suppliers to ensure alignment and accountability Identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies Ensure compliance with all safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory standards Support development of capital plans and business case justifications Lead project reporting and communication with leadership and site teams Conduct post-project reviews and ensure knowledge transfer and documentation Technical support to factory and corporate maintenance functions. Development and review of technical and operational standards.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Technical Expertise Provide engineering support to operations, maintenance, safety, and quality teams Participate in problem solving and root cause analysis for production issues Communicate project status, risk, and results to leadership, earning alignment and support from key internal stakeholders

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees