Senior Project Engineer

Ensign-Bickford Industries, Inc.•Aurora, MO

About The Position

AFB International – Where We Make Pet Food Taste Great! Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Develop and maintain detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, resource allocations, identify critical path activities, and proactively address potential bottlenecks or risks to deliver on the capital plan Lead the plant capital planning process with a strategic thought approach, including the identification, prioritization, and execution of capital projects to drive plant improvements and long-term growth Oversees large-scale, complex capital projects, potentially exceeding multi-million-dollar budgets Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including production, quality assurance, maintenance, and EHS to ensure seamless project integration and successful outcomes Develop and maintain good working relationships with external contractors and suppliers to acquire high-quality services and materials for plant projects Monitor project progress, track key performance indicators, and prepare regular status reports for stakeholders Responsible for all aspects of project management including scoping, approval, budgeting, specification, execution, qualification and operational handover as appropriate Evaluate existing manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for improvement in terms of efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness Lead engineering efforts in support of the root cause identification of non-conformances. Take ownership of implementing corrective and preventive action Provide on-site manufacturing support, engaging well with operators and management to implement permanent counter measures Provide mentorship to other engineers. May participate in the evaluation of other team members and in the identification of development needs. May provide day-to-day work direction to other engineers or technicians Maintain a working knowledge of new technologies which may improve operations and develop recommendations accordingly Maintain a working knowledge of safety policies and regulations to ensure duties of self and others are performed in a safe manner

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering from a four-year ABET accredited college or university
7+ years of significant, relevant work experience
Knowledge of safety practices applicable to a production environment and ability to follow designated safety procedures.
Ability to maintain accurate records relating to jobs as they are planned, performed and completed.
Skill to use electronic means for recording data.
Proven track record of managing and delivering complex projects on time and within budget.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex engineering challenges.
Excellent interpersonal communication skills to interact effectively with peers, co-workers, supervisors, and vendors as required.
Ability to lead and mentor junior engineers and production staff.
Capability to think strategically and align projects with long-term business goals.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to read drawings and interpret line diagrams, equipment layout drawings, and electrical prints.
Proficient skill level in MS Office Applications such as Word and Excel

Nice To Haves

Knowledge and understanding of plc ladder logic programming and interpreting line diagrams and electrical schematics is beneficial.
Knowledge of food product manufacturing equipment including but not limited to meat grinders, extrusion machines, spray dryers, and dry blend equipment is highly desired.
Previous experience with food safety programs, including HACCP and cGMPs is beneficial.
The ability to convey technical requirements using AutoCAD or similar software to generate drawings, process flow diagrams as well as process and instrumentation drawings.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, resource allocations, identify critical path activities, and proactively address potential bottlenecks or risks to deliver on the capital plan
Lead the plant capital planning process with a strategic thought approach, including the identification, prioritization, and execution of capital projects to drive plant improvements and long-term growth
Oversees large-scale, complex capital projects, potentially exceeding multi-million-dollar budgets
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including production, quality assurance, maintenance, and EHS to ensure seamless project integration and successful outcomes
Develop and maintain good working relationships with external contractors and suppliers to acquire high-quality services and materials for plant projects
Monitor project progress, track key performance indicators, and prepare regular status reports for stakeholders
Responsible for all aspects of project management including scoping, approval, budgeting, specification, execution, qualification and operational handover as appropriate
Evaluate existing manufacturing processes and identify opportunities for improvement in terms of efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness
Lead engineering efforts in support of the root cause identification of non-conformances. Take ownership of implementing corrective and preventive action
Provide on-site manufacturing support, engaging well with operators and management to implement permanent counter measures
Provide mentorship to other engineers. May participate in the evaluation of other team members and in the identification of development needs. May provide day-to-day work direction to other engineers or technicians
Maintain a working knowledge of new technologies which may improve operations and develop recommendations accordingly
Maintain a working knowledge of safety policies and regulations to ensure duties of self and others are performed in a safe manner