Process Engineering Manager

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

 

The Process Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the process engineering team in support of the following at Kerry's Rochester, Minnesota site: safety, quality, production, cost, and maintenance goals.  The process engineering manager also works closely with process technology and research and development on new product introductions and process optimization and with corporate engineering on capital projects exceeding $500k.

Key responsibilities

1. Leads the Rochester process engineering team to identify opportunities to improve equipment overall equipment effectiveness (availability – unplanned downtime, performance – fermentation kinetics, quality – solids target). The leader will create a continuous improvement focus through use of the scientific method to reduce process variability and lean manufacturing principles to eliminate the 8 forms of waste.

 

2. Apply deep knowledge in aseptic processing to identify and reduce sources of contamination and improve the reliability of processing steps.  Partner with Engineering to design and implement improved process equipment as needed for new processes.

 

3. Development of appropriate capital plans to deliver business growth and cost efficiency ensuring alignment with the overall capital strategy for the business.

 

4. Conducts techno-economic analysis with technical feasibility studies  including heat and energy balances and recommends the most cost-effective approach for development projects.  Provides engineering support to R&D/process science activities during pilot and production trials.      

 

5. Lead capital projects typically under $500k using traditional project management from project initiation/scope, requirements capture, design, cost estimation, equipment procurement, and installation with subcontractor management to meet scope, schedule, and cost.  Responsible in assuring compliance with safety, environment, quality, and food safety.  Assures that projects have detailed project specifications, process flow diagrams (PFD’s), piping and instrumentation drawings (P&ID’s), site and floor plans, elevation drawings, utilities matrices, and other project documentation, as applicable. Process engineering team typically supports corporate engineering who leads projects greater than $500k.

 

6. Process engineering team will lead the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that detail operations of new equipment and revises SOP’s to reflect changes to operations.

 

7. Leads elimination of systemic unplanned downtime events using continuous improvement tools and the 1 Kerry Plant System 8 step problem solving process to drive to root cause and eliminate future occurrences through corrective actions.  Maintains the plant’s process failure mode and effects analysis that manages the plants highest risks in terms of severity, detection, and probability calculating a risk priority number to prioritize risk reduction actions. 

8.       Promotes projects to reduce water, electricity, carbon burning fuels, and waste to meet Kerry’s sustainability targets.

 

9.       Regularly explores new technology and equipment and subsequently develops projects to drive process improvement.  Fosters a culture of process innovation with key partners in R&D, Quality, Operations and Finance. Key technologies include fermentation, sterilization, centrifugation, evaporation, spray drying, and packaging.

Qualifications and skills

Minimum BS in Engineering with at least 7 years of engineering experience preferably in the food, chemical, or pharmaceutical industry.  

EXPERIENCE:         Must have expert knowledge of manufacturing systems including fermentation, sterilization, spray drying, evaporation and associated sub systems such as refrigeration, wet scrubbers, high voltage power, electric motors/drives, standby power, fluid dynamics with pump/piping/filtration, programmable logic controller (PLCs), supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA) and demonstrated aptitude to quickly learn new processes. 

Compensation Data

The pay range for this position is $91,404 - $154,009 in Annual Salary.  Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role.  Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.  The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity.  In addition, this position is also eligible to earn a performance-based incentive compensation.  Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement.  This job posting is anticipated to expire on June 12th, 2026.

 

We may use artificial intelligence tools to support the review and assessment of applications and assist with scheduling interviews. We do not use AI to make decisions during the interview process. All candidate assessments and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment and leadership teams.