Project Engineer/Senior Project Engineer

Description

The title of Project Engineer or Senior Project Engineer will be determined based on the candidate's relevant experience and qualifications.

 Reports to:  Engineering Manager 

 Back up position:  Engineering Manager, VP of Operations 

 Exempt/non-exempt:  Exempt 

 I - Job Purpose and Summary: 

 The Project Engineer is responsible for supporting, developing, and delivering capital and engineering projects within a food manufacturing environment. Depending on level of experience, the role may include supporting defined project work under guidance or independently leading complex capital projects from concept through completion. The position works closely with operations, engineering, maintenance, finance, procurement, and external suppliers to improve processes, equipment reliability, safety, compliance, and business performance.  

 II - Key Accountabilities:  

HSE: Promote a safe work environment at all times through the adherence to all PGP’s Health & Safety and Environmental policies and procedures as well as to all relevant OSHA regulations in order to achieve ZERO workplace incidents and injuries. 

LEADERSHIP: Strong leadership and decision-making skills. Able to manage multiple project teams of indirect deports and engage with departments across PGP.  

PROJECT DELIVERY: Deliver projects on time and budget in accordance with PGP’s CAPEX Budget meeting the project set deliverables. Support or lead engineering projects from concept through completion, with level of responsibility based on experience. Project Engineers may support defined workstreams and smaller projects under guidance, while Senior Project Engineers are expected to independently lead multiple projects, manage cross-functional teams, and deliver projects on time and within budget.   

DESIGN: Designing projects in accordance with regulations alongside site and project requirements. Consideration of operational requirements and future needs of the business.   

BUDGET MANAGEMENT: Able to manage project budgets independently ensuring cost accurately tracked and spend in adherence with agreed CAPEX values.     

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE & EXPERTISE: Provide technical guidance as required to the PGP site operations team.  

TROUBLESHOOTING & ANALYSIS: Able to analyze project options and benefits to provide a detailed and thorough business case. Provide suggestions to site teams with proposed solutions showing clear reasoning. Troubleshooting implemented projects to resolve issues.  

STANDARDS: Ensuring projects are delivered in accordance with quality and health and safety standards alongside meeting state and federal regulations (maintain product and company reputation). 

BUSINESS CASE & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT: Prepare CAPEX submissions with a clear business case and project justification. Able to stakeholder manage CAPEX approvers and provide necessary reasoning behind projects justification.  

INDEPENDENT:  Independent individual who is self-motivated. Dependent on experience level, can manage projects with guidance/minimal supervision. Able to take on project ideas and lead and deliver projects independently.  

III - Internal and External Contacts:  

Internal:   

Projects may lead to involvement across all PGP internal departments, but primary internal contacts are:

- Operations site teams primarily in Evansville, IN but also in Woodland, CA. 

- Finance team

- OPS procurement employees.  

 External:

- Suppliers of equipment and manufacturers for both new and current equipment. 

- ABFI/ABF Contacts 

Requirements

 IV - Job Requirements (Required and Preferred): 

Education:  College graduate with relevant professional qualifications which would include a bachelor’s degree in mechanical, chemical, or process engineering or other related science/food science subjects. 

Related Experience:   

Project Engineer: Relevant engineering, maintenance, or project experience in a manufacturing environment.  

1–3 years of relevant experience preferably in food manufacturing and within an engineering project function.  

Senior Project Engineer:  Relevant engineering, maintenance, or project experience in a manufacturing environment.  

5+ years of engineering and/or project management experience, preferably in food manufacturing and with multi-site exposure.

Competencies: 

Project Engineer:    

• Proven ability to work collaboratively within a project team.  
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to facilitate project development, justification, and implementation.  
• Demonstrated degree of sound judgement, resourcefulness and initiative. Shown ability to think independently and provide improvement suggestions.  
• Resilience and ability to work within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.  
• Shown ability to think clearly and logically. Demonstration of ability to make informed decisions and escalated as needed to relevant parties.   

Senior Project Engineer:  

• Well-developed people's skills with the ability to engage and promote individual involvement. Proven ability to work collaboratively within a project team.  
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to facilitate project development, justification, and implementation.  
• Demonstrated degree of sound judgement, resourcefulness, initiative, and innovation in handling complex technical assignments with minimal supervision. 
• Resilience and ability to work within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.  
• Detailed and logical thinker who can analyze and evaluate information to develop alternative solutions. Demonstration of ability to make informed decisions based on analysis completed.  

Technical Skills:

Project Engineer:  

• Support smaller projects or defined workstreams 
• Ability to track cost and support budget updates. 
• Shown ability to learn new technical skills and desire to develop skills further.  
• Basic project management skills having managed some small projects or worked within a larger project team.  
• Exposure to business case analysis and contract vendor management process.  

Senior Project Engineer:   

• Industry knowledge of food manufacturing equipment and processes. Pertinent work experience within food manufacturing environments and sanitary standards required for food processors.  
• Competent in Engineering design, preferably within a food environment. 
• Evidence demonstrating strong project management skills with the ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously.   
• Contract and bid management skills. 
• Provides technical guidance and mentors others.  

Certifications, Licenses, Registrations:

Project Engineer:   

• Proficient with Microsoft Office tools. 
• Preferably able to understand PID and process flow drawings.  
• Ideally able to work with CAD software.  

Senior Project Engineer:   

• Proficient with Microsoft Office tools. 
• Able to decipher, create and understand PID and process flow drawings.  
• Ideally able to work with CAD software. 

Language(s):  English required, Spanish beneficial. 

Other Qualifications: 

Project Engineer:  Preferably IOSH qualified but not required.

Senior Project Engineer: Preferably IOSH or NEBOSH qualified but not required.

V – Work/Employment Conditions and Other Requirements:  

Work Environment: This job operates in a professional office environment approximately 60% of the time. A balance of the time will involve working on the plant floor in scoping, evaluating, and managing engineering projects and/or providing technical support to operations. Buildings and grounds are part of the working environment including roofs, silos, warehouses, and outdoor areas.  

Physical and Sensory Demands:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift or move objects weighing up to 20 pounds.  

Position Type and Working Schedule:  This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday with flexible start/finish hours. During project execution, this position may require over hours and weekend work. 

Travel Requirements: The average/expected percentage of travel is 10% for training, trade shows, equipment factory acceptance trials, and visits to the other PGP location. 

VI - Other Duties:  Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.