Senior Process Engineer

Job Details: Job Location: AgCertain Operations Group, LLC - Ames, IA, Salary Range: Undisclosed, The Senior Process Engineer is responsible for providing operational leadership to ensure commercial execution. This role is accountable for the safe fulfillment of production needs in accordance to GMP policies and plant SOPs. Additionally, they are responsible for the leadership, training and development, scheduling, inventory management, process system and equipment reliability within production areas.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Operate safely and appropriately in all AgCertain situations and environments
Lead safety committee to ensure all operations comply with applicable safety regulations consistently
Gain and utilize complete understanding of glycerin, oil refining process, water recovery and reuse system in order to lead continuous improvement activities
Be a qualified trainer of employees for proper performance of production processes based on SOPs
Analyze production equipment downtown, cycle time, and process data across AgCertain manufacturing facilities to identify trends, bottlenecks, and root causes
Design, build, and maintain reporting tools that give visibility into throughput, quality, safety, and cost performance
Lead critical company initiatives that have high visibility with leadership; provide direction and structured accountability to teams on various projects
Be involved in the complete design and execution of processes and construction projects used in the manufacturing process
Act as a liaison between design, engineering, and manufacturing
Coordinate manufacturing abilities with engineering specifications, requests, and product design requirements
Have a thorough understanding of and be able to apply Occupational Safety and Good Manufacturing Practices to procedures within the plant/understand how they affect the production process
Follow all written procedures (SOPs) and work instructions that pertain to the respective area, including the production of glycerin, and reusable water, maintenance of equipment, and sanitation of equipment/production areas
Complete all required documentation accurately and in a timely manner
Assist with writing and revising controlled documents such as SOPs, work instructions, and associated forms
Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives while implementing new solutions and streamlining workflows to boost efficiency and reduce costs
Apply engineering principles to troubleshoot deficiencies, reduce waste, improve production efficiency, and improve product quality
Manage and coordinate Management of Change projects for the plant including completion and delegation of process information updates, SOP creation or updates, operator training, process control updates, equipment design updates, etc.
Support commissioning efforts through Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification, and Process Qualification stages
Develop an in-depth understanding of assigned utility system(s) to create a system overview training document, perform as built changes to drawings, create LOTO procedure(s) and create preventative maintenance and reliability strategy documents or procedures
Be an active member of the Crisis Management Team, Recall Team, and Food Safety Team with a working understanding of the food safety and quality systems (HACCP, GMP, and SQF) to ensure product quality
Participate in all company trainings
Perform additional duties as assigned

Qualifications:
A Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering field; Master of Business Administration (MBA) preferred
Minimum five (5) years industry experience within a technical role
Prior experience in a biodiesel, ethanol, food processing plant or manufacturing facility preferred
Physical abilities to include the ability to lift 50 lbs (23 Kg), able to climb several flights of stairs and not affected by heights
Proven leadership skills and experience managing a team
Possess a mechanical aptitude for operation and maintaining pumps, motors, valves, heat exchangers, heaters and other processing equipment
Must be able to operate heavy equipment (electric forklift, diesel telehandler forklift, etc.) once trained
Excellent communication, organizational, management, and computer skills
Ability to interact professionally and effectively with internal and external customers
Act with humility, honesty, integrity, and a commitment to safety
Abide by Good Manufacturing Practices in all areas of the facility