Sr Project Engineer

Kraft Heinz • Champaign, IL

11d • Onsite

About The Position

The Sr Project Engineer will lead multiple approved capital projects simultaneously, including large and complex manufacturing projects. This role involves developing and managing project scope, schedules, budgets, milestones, and execution plans. The engineer will drive project execution from approved design through installation, commissioning, startup, and final handoff, while monitoring project performance and resolving barriers that impact safety, quality, cost, or timing. Additionally, the role requires leading preliminary and final design engineering activities, overseeing technical specifications, equipment selection, contractor coordination, and installation planning. On-site engineering support during construction, installation, testing, and startup is also a key responsibility, ensuring assets are implemented in accordance with engineering, safety, quality, and operational standards. Collaboration with operations, maintenance, quality, safety, finance, procurement, and plant leadership is essential for project success. The role also involves developing and maintaining project estimates, forecasts, schedules, and status reporting, identifying project risks, and leading mitigation planning. Finally, the Sr Project Engineer will support trial runs, commissioning, startup readiness, and early operational stabilization, ensuring action items are completed prior to project closeout and capturing lessons learned for future projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering required
• 3+ years of engineering and capital project experience in manufacturing, industrial, or consumer packaged goods environments
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple capital projects simultaneously
• Experience in project planning, design engineering, construction support, installation, commissioning, and startup
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and project leadership skills
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams in a plant environment

Nice To Haves

• Experience in food and beverage or consumer packaged goods manufacturing
• Experience supporting large-scale capital projects in an operating plant environment
• Experience with project governance, risk management, and reporting routines
• PMP or similar project management certification preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple approved capital projects simultaneously, including large and complex manufacturing projects.
• Develop and manage project scope, schedules, budgets, milestones, and execution plans.
• Drive project execution from approved design through installation, commissioning, startup, and final handoff.
• Monitor project performance and resolve barriers that impact safety, quality, cost, or timing.
• Ensure project deliverables are completed with strong execution discipline and clear accountability.
• Lead preliminary and final design engineering activities for capital projects.
• Oversee technical specifications, equipment selection, contractor coordination, and installation planning.
• Provide on-site engineering support during construction, installation, testing, and startup.
• Ensure assets are implemented in accordance with engineering, safety, quality, and operational standards.
• Support troubleshooting and technical problem-solving during project execution.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, quality, safety, finance, procurement, and plant leadership to support project success.
• Lead cross-functional communication, stakeholder alignment, and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Establish and maintain project governance routines, status reporting, and escalation processes.
• Coordinate project dependencies to ensure efficient implementation and readiness for startup.
• Develop and maintain project estimates, forecasts, schedules, and status reporting.
• Identify project risks and lead mitigation planning to protect project delivery.
• Track project costs, timelines, and implementation progress against approved plans.
• Ensure project documentation, reporting, and closeout activities are complete and accurate.
• Support trial runs, commissioning, startup readiness, and early operational stabilization.
• Ensure action items and final action items are completed prior to project closeout.
• Partner with plant teams to transition assets into operation successfully.
• Capture lessons learned and applied them to future project execution.

Benefits

• Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
• Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
• Employee Assistance Program, Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
• 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability
• Performance-based bonus

What This Job Offers

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