Director – Sanitary Fabrication Engineering

The Director – Sanitary Fabrication Engineering is responsible for leading the design, engineering, and execution of sanitary fabrication projects, ensuring adherence to hygienic standards across industries such as food and beverage, biopharmaceutical, dairy, and cosmetics. This role involves overseeing the engineering of stainless-steel process systems, piping, vessels, and skids while maintaining compliance with 3-A Sanitary Standards, ASME BPE, GMP, and customer specifications.

This position combines strategic leadership with deep technical expertise to deliver clean, safe, and regulatory-compliant process solutions that meet the highest industry standards.

Key Focus Areas:

1. Sanitary Design & Engineering Oversight

2. Compliance with Hygienic Standards (3-A, ASME BPE, GMP)

3. Fabrication Process Optimization and Integration

4. Cross-Functional Leadership and Team Development

5. Client and Regulatory Stakeholder Collaboration

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sanitary Engineering Leadership

• Lead the design and review of hygienic process systems including tanks, piping, CIP/SIP systems, and valve assemblies.

• Ensure engineering practices follow sanitary design principles to avoid contamination and enable cleanability.

• Approve drawings, weld procedures, equipment specifications, and fabrication standards.

2. Regulatory and Standards Compliance

• Maintain strict adherence to 3-A Sanitary Standards, ASME BPE, FDA, USDA, and other relevant codes.

• Ensure documentation, testing, and inspections meet hygienic and safety compliance criteria.

• Drive internal audits and support third-party inspections and certifications.

3. Fabrication Process Oversight

• Guide the fabrication of sanitary equipment, including welding techniques, orbital welding, passivation, and polishing.

• Collaborate with production teams to ensure cleanroom compatibility, weld integrity, and surface finish requirements.

• Implement process improvements for cost-efficiency, reliability, and consistency.

4. Team and Project Leadership

• Direct and develop a team of sanitary engineers, fabrication specialists, and QA personnel.

• Coordinate across departments to deliver on-time, in-spec equipment builds.

• Mentor staff on sanitary design principles, fabrication best practices, and regulatory expectations.

5. Customer and Technical Engagement

• Interface with clients on sanitary system design, cleanability, and fabrication expectations.

• Participate in project kickoff meetings, FATs (Factory Acceptance Tests), and technical audits.

• Translate customer feedback into design and process improvements.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Process, or Sanitary Engineering (Master’s preferred).

• 10+ years in sanitary process equipment design and fabrication, with at least 5 in a leadership role.

• Strong knowledge of 3-A, ASME BPE, FDA GMP, and hygienic process engineering.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with dairy, pharmaceutical, beverage, or biotech sanitary fabrication.

• Proficiency in CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD Plant 3D).

• Familiarity with fabrication shop practices, welding certifications, and QA systems.

• Strong project management and interpersonal skills.