The Role:

Meati Foods is a fast-growing food company with fermentation and food manufacturing at the core of our business. This highly impactful role will lead and support the execution of the company’s food manufacturing strategy with equipment engineering, process optimization, capital project support, and project management. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to be the technical lead and subject matter expert for capacity expansion and other cross-functional projects requiring creative solutions to support the rapid growth of the company. The successful candidate will lead a small team of engineers and collaborate with internal and external partners to identify and implement food engineering solutions and provide guidance throughout project development and implementation to meet business objectives, program goals, and technical requirements.

Responsibilities:

Process Engineering:

• Apply engineering principles to food manufacturing processes and equipment selection.
• Specify and design food production equipment, instrumentation & controls and provides training to operators on new and existing processes and equipment.
• Develop cost justifications, scope, schedule, and budget estimates for new process systems and process upgrades.
• Lead food manufacturing startup and commissioning activities, including onsite field engineering at new production facilities, new system validation and checkout, and the development of standard operating procedures.

Project Support:

• Compare solutions and cost for best value and provide recommendations to project teams.
• Interface with Project Managers and/or contractors, vendors, and maintenance to ensure installation and completion of capital projects.
• Review, mark up, and approve drawings and other technical documentation for process systems.
• Develop Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) planning and executes successful FAT.
• Provide field installation supervision, leads commissioning, and field troubleshooting during startup phase.
• Identify and resolve technical problems.
• Communicate project status throughout the organization.
• Develop and execute IQ, OQ, PQ with project team during installation, commissioning, qualification, and verification project phases.
• Add value by influencing through innovation and continuous improvement.
• Identify, develop, and implement process improvement projects to increase productivity, reliability, sustainability, and cost reduction.
• Support a High-Performance Organization (HPO) environment by utilizing a total team approach to process improvements.

People Leadership:

• Lead and develop a small team of process engineers with varying levels of experience and expertise.
• Provide coaching and mentorship to support the development of technical and non-technical skills.
• Encourage a highly engaged, diverse and inclusive work culture that embodies Meati's values.

Qualifications:

• BS in engineering or life sciences
• 8+ years’ experience in food manufacturing industry
• In-depth knowledge of food process and packaging systems, sanitary equipment, and facility design for food manufacturing
• 5 years of construction oversight and commissioning experience
• 5 years’ experience leading teams
• 2 years’ experience with managerial responsibilities which Include performance reviews.
• Self-motivated, results driven and action oriented.
• Ability to make independent and sound decisions.
• Ability to conduct assessments and audits and evaluate to measure progress.
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
• Ability to lead a team-based approach to decision making.
• Ability to work in a result oriented, fast-paced, challenging environment.
• Strong leadership with the ability to get results through mentoring others.
• Effective coaching, facilitation, presentation, and team building skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite applications
• Ability to give and receive constructive feedback.
• Ability to lead a team-based approach to decision making.
• Ability to work in a result oriented, fast-paced, challenging environment.
• Must be open to 20% - 25% travel.

Nice-to-Have (but not required)

• Experience with major CPGs and/or a combination of startup and large CPG experience
• Expertise with multi-step food processing procedures
• Experience with quick to launch/fast to market projects.
• Understanding of PLC programming and process control fundamentals.
• Experience with AutoCAD or Visio
• Lean Six Sigma Certified (Green Belt)
• Statistical Process Control

Compensation:

The base salary range for this role Is $119,625 - $157,688 annually, which is just one aspect of our total compensation package. In addition to the salary, this position is eligible for a potential annual bonus and equity! Actual compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.