The Senior Mechanical Engineer leads the design, specification, and implementation of mechanical systems and hygienic equipment in food and beverage manufacturing. This role is responsible for managing complex capital projects, optimizing process and utility systems, and ensuring all mechanical designs meet regulatory, safety, and performance standards. The engineer acts as a subject matter expert on sanitary mechanical design and collaborates cross-functionally to drive plant efficiency, reliability, and food safety.
Lead the design and optimization of sanitary mechanical systems, including tanks, pumps, piping, conveyors, and packaging lines.
Oversee capital projects involving equipment selection, mechanical layout, and utility integration (steam, chilled water, compressed air, HVAC).
Ensure all equipment designs comply with USDA, FDA, FSMA, and 3-A Sanitary Standards and support hygienic production environments.
Serve as a technical leader during equipment procurement, installation, FAT/SAT, commissioning, and validation.
Develop and enforce mechanical engineering standards, SOPs, and design templates across multiple sites.
Troubleshoot chronic mechanical issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.
Collaborate with Production, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, and Automation to align engineering with plant priorities.
Mentor junior engineers and technicians, sharing expertise in sanitary design and mechanical best practices.
Contribute to sustainability goals through energy-efficient mechanical system designs and utility optimization.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering required; Master’s degree or PE license preferred.
Certifications in 3-A Sanitary Design, Six Sigma, or project management (PMP) are beneficial.
Experience:
7+ years of mechanical engineering experience in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or regulated manufacturing.
Demonstrated success leading multi-disciplinary projects involving hygienic equipment and utilities.
Technical Skills:
Deep knowledge of sanitary mechanical design, food-grade materials, CIP/SIP systems, and packaging line equipment.
Proficient in CAD (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD), P&IDs, utility flow diagrams, and mechanical layout development.
Strong understanding of process and utility systems (e.g., boilers, chillers, HVAC, compressed air).
Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, OSHA, and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) principles.
Leadership & Soft Skills:
Proven project leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Strong communicator with the ability to influence decisions across operations, quality, and engineering.
Strategic thinker with hands-on problem-solving capabilities.
Commitment to safety, continuous improvement, and regulatory compliance.