Cheese Process Engineer (Capital Projects)

About the position

Within our corporate headquarters in Denver – Leprino is seeking a Cheese Process Engineer I - Capital Projects (possibility for Engineer II or Senior-level varies based on individual experience) on our Capital Projects team to push the boundaries of innovation, increase efficiency, and optimize our production processes. By leveraging your expertise in process engineering and capital projects, you will help us achieve even higher levels of excellence and drive our organization to new heights. At Leprino, starting compensation for Cheese Engineer I typically ranges between $84,000 and $101,000. This position has an annual target bonus of 5%. The corporate Capital Projects Engineering team is responsible for our larger, cross functional capital projects throughout our ten manufacturing facilities. On this team you will work on both new construction and expansions to our production facilities globally. This team also develops all of Leprino’s construction standards for constructing our process environments.

Responsibilities

• Work on projects installing and commissioning equipment such as cheese vats, curd processing equipment, pasteurizers, heat exchangers, homogenizers, brining tanks, packaging lines, and many others.
• Support capital projects from planning to completion, ensuring projects align with safety, efficiency, and quality goals.
• Depending on your level; lead (or lead parts of) capital projects from conception to completion, including budgeting and scheduling.
• Regularly work with food processing and packaging equipment vendors both domestically and internationally on new innovation and R&D.
• Coordinate with outside contractors and vendors to ensure project deadlines are met and equipment is installed and commissioned on schedule.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and implement process improvements for cheese production and packaging.
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges in equipment functionality, process design, and production scalability.
• Travel to manufacturing sites to support project execution, equipment testing, and start-up activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field such as Food or Dairy Science.
• Previous engineering experience in food, beverage, pharmaceutical or related industries.
• Experience with mass balance process flows and calculations, P&ID development, tank/storage handling, fluid diversion, mixing of fluid medias, CIP processes, pumps, and valves.
• Experience managing capital projects, typically within the $2M-$6M range as an Engineer I.
• Ability to travel up to 60% annually for project work.
• The ability to work a weekly 3/2 (office/home) hybrid schedule.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience on the cheese-make process including proficiency with third party food manufacturing/processing equipment such as Tetra Pak, Alfa Laval, GEA, SPX, etc.
• Previous experience as a corporate or plant project engineer in the dairy (cheese, nutrition, yogurt, milk, etc.) industry.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and bonuses
• Life, medical/dental/vision coverage
• Voluntary benefits
• Employee assistance programs
• Wellness incentives
• Tuition assistance
• Vacation
• Ten paid holidays
• Sick time
• Paid parental leave
• Annual merit increases
• LFC Profit-Sharing & 401(k) plan