Senior Project Engineer

We are hiring a Senior Project Engineer to support highly complex capital projects across a large, multi-site food manufacturing network. This is a remote-based position, ideally suited for candidates with the ability to travel regularly to production facilities.

This role is responsible for leading large-scale capital initiatives focused on plant grounds, infrastructure, and building systems. Projects span multiple manufacturing locations and include core utility and facility systems such as industrial refrigeration systems (including ammonia), boilers, HVAC, compressors, and other related mechanical, electrical, and process equipment. The Senior Project Engineer serves as both a technical expert and project leader, managing projects from early concept through execution and commissioning.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of fully executable capital projects and provide end-to-end project management from concept, design, and approval through installation, startup, and commissioning.
• Serve as a technical resource and project leader for highly complex infrastructure, building, and utility-focused engineering projects across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Align internal cross-functional teams and external partners to support annual and long-range capital investment plans.
• Provide hands-on project management services for assigned engineering initiatives, ensuring scope, schedule, cost, and safety objectives are met.
• Develop overall project design, including equipment and system specifications, project budgets, schedules, and capital justification documentation.
• Prepare capital requests and manage cash-flow forecasting throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate and manage external engineering firms, contractors, and vendors while partnering with internal operations, maintenance, and supply chain teams.
• Lead bid preparation, bid solicitation, and contractor selection to secure competitive pricing and appropriate technical solutions.
• Identify and manage capital and related expenses while optimizing layouts, equipment selection, system performance, and timelines.
• Provide feasibility input and engineering perspectives for infrastructure growth, productivity improvements, and long-term facility planning.

Preferred Skillset:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering (ABET-accredited program preferred).
• Minimum of 5 years of project management leadership experience supporting complex capital projects within multi-unit manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Strong experience managing facility, infrastructure, and utility-based projects, including refrigeration, boilers, HVAC, compressed air, and related systems.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 35-50% to manufacturing sites as project needs require.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships across all organizational levels and with external partners.
• Strong knowledge of engineering design, construction, installation standards, and project execution best practices.
• Advanced understanding of processing, packaging, and facility systems, along with working knowledge of food manufacturing engineering, quality, and R&D functions.
• Solid understanding of environmental, human, and food safety (EHS) systems and expectations.
• Working knowledge of regulatory requirements and agency interfaces, including USDA, FDA, OSHA, EPA, and applicable state and local authorities, for both manufacturing processes and building compliance.