Regional Smart Manufacturing Senior Engineer
📍 Location: Hammond, IN – Eddyville, IA or Blair, NE
💼 Type: Full-Time
✈️ Travel: Up to 40%
💰 Salary: $120,000 – $140,000 + Bonus
🚚 Relocation Assistance: Available
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available
Overview
A global food manufacturing organization is seeking a Regional Smart Manufacturing Senior Engineer to lead and deliver projects focused on automation, process optimization, manufacturing technology, and smart manufacturing initiatives across multiple production facilities.
This role will drive projects from concept through design, pilot testing, implementation, commissioning, value realization, and project closeout while providing technical leadership in manufacturing innovation and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Lead Smart Manufacturing and automation projects across multiple facilities.
Evaluate and implement new manufacturing technologies to improve efficiency, quality, and cost performance.
Manage projects through design, plant trials, startup, commissioning, and sustainment.
Utilize scientific methods, experimental design, and data analysis to evaluate opportunities and solutions.
Drive process optimization, raw material utilization improvements, and manufacturing performance enhancements.
Develop project charters, protocols, reports, and value-tracking metrics.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and implement best practices.
Support innovation efforts and identify intellectual property opportunities.
Manage multiple projects simultaneously while ensuring successful execution and delivery.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related technical field.
Minimum 4+ years of relevant engineering experience.
Experience with:
Project Management
Experimental Design
Data Analysis & Interpretation
Manufacturing Process Improvement
Technical Documentation
Ability to travel up to 40%.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in:
Plant Operations
Process Engineering
Project Engineering
Process Controls & Automation
Manufacturing Technology
Production Excellence
Strong project portfolio management experience.
Automation and technology development expertise.
Experience within starches, sweeteners, texturizers, food ingredients, or related manufacturing environments.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing engineer with strong project management and automation experience who can lead technology-driven improvement initiatives across multiple production facilities.
They will have:
5–7+ years of manufacturing or process engineering experience.
Strong automation and smart manufacturing knowledge.
Experience implementing new technologies in plant environments.
Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills.
Ability to manage multiple capital or process improvement projects simultaneously.
Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership capabilities.
Candidate Snapshot
Requirement
Details
Experience
5–7+ Years
Seniority
Associate
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Industry
Food Manufacturing / Process Manufacturing
Travel
Up to 40%
Relocation
Available
Bonus
Yes
Why This Opportunity?
Lead high-impact Smart Manufacturing initiatives.
Work with emerging automation and manufacturing technologies.
Drive innovation across multiple production facilities.
Strong compensation, bonus potential, and relocation support.
Opportunity to influence operational excellence and manufacturing transformation on a regional scale.