Senior Project Engineer

Leprino Foods Company•Fort Morgan, CO

11d•$111,000 - $127,000•Onsite

About The Position

Within our 350-person manufacturing facility in Fort Morgan, Leprino is seeking a Senior Plant Project Engineer to help design, build, and improve the systems that support our cheese and dairy ingredients operations. This role combines hands-on project leadership with engineering expertise, providing the opportunity to lead capital investments, improve plant performance, and deliver projects that enhance safety, reliability, and operational efficiency! At Leprino, starting compensation for this role typically ranges between $111,000 and $127,000. This position has an annual target bonus of 12%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, chemical, electrical, industrial engineering, or a related technical field; or equivalent experience in food manufacturing.
Five or more years of experience leading capital projects in a manufacturing plant, including developing scopes, budgets, and timelines.
Experience owning capital projects up to approximately $6 million in value, from concept through commissioning.
Hands-on experience coordinating contractors, construction crews, or fabricators during equipment installation or system upgrades.
Working knowledge of plant utility or automated systems such as PLCs, HMIs, steam, refrigeration, or compressed air.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, and basic AutoCAD (layouts, P&IDs, or equipment drawings).

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in an engineering or technical field.
Prior experience in dairy, cheese, beverage, or other sanitary food processing environments.
Advanced CAD capabilities and familiarity with sanitary design principles.
Experience supporting or coordinating capital projects within a food production facility, including utilities such as ammonia refrigeration, boilers/steam, compressed air, and CIP systems.

Responsibilities

Lead plant capital projects from concept through startup, including design, equipment selection, construction, installation, and commissioning.
Develop complete Authorization for Expenditure (AFE) packages with accurate project scopes, cost estimates, budgets, and timelines.
Write and review specifications, layouts, technical drawings, and installation plans while ensuring the work complies with applicable regulatory and engineering standards.
Coordinate project activities with production and maintenance schedules to minimize operational disruption.
Partner with plant maintenance, operations, controls, and corporate Technical Services to ensure project designs support reliability, sanitation, safety, and long-term performance.
Supervise contractors, consultants, and construction teams, inspecting completed work for quality, accuracy, and compliance.
Prepare and update mechanical, electrical, and process documentation—including AutoCAD drawings, P&IDs, and equipment files—for all assigned projects.
Evaluate opportunities to improve utilities, process efficiency, repair/maintenance access, and equipment reliability through thoughtful engineering design.
Provide technical support to the plant by assisting with troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and recommendations for systems or equipment upgrades.
Maintain project documentation, reports, and communication with clarity and consistency to ensure all stakeholders remain aligned.