Sr. Beverage Process Engineer

THE ROLE:

• This position will report to the: Plant Director
• Travel Requirement: 15%
• Location : Bakersfield CA
• FLSA Status: Exempt
• Employment Category: Full Time - Regular
• Pay Range: $110000-$130000 D.O.E Annual Bonus Opportunity

Generous Brands is dedicated to inspiring people to thrive through the power of vibrant nutrition through its leading brands Bolthouse Farms Health-Ade and Evolution Fresh. Generous Brands partners with SAMBAZON to manufacture distribute and sell SAMBAZON branded beverages.

Bolthouse Farms is a pre-eminent provider of chilled juice smoothies shakes and protein drinks . Health-Ade is the fastest growing kombucha brand dedicated to creating bubbly beverages that boost gut health. Evolution Fresh is a premier cold-pressed juice brand with national availability. And SAMBAZON beverages bottle the superfruit power of açaí in juice and natural energy cans.

The company operates its North American business from facilities in Southern California and the Greater Chicago Area. To learn more please visit .

WHAT YOULL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IN THIS ROLE

The Senior Process Engineer is a hands-on manufacturing engineering role and senior technical leader responsible for improving the stability repeatability throughput yield quality and cost performance of Bakersfield processing systems. The role works directly with Operations Maintenance Quality/Food Safety Engineering Continuous Improvement and OEM/vendor resources to identify chronic process losses determine root causes set technical direction and implement sustainable corrective actions.

A critical responsibility is translating process needs into effective automation and control solutions. The Senior Process Engineer will work in close partnership with a Controls Engineer or Automation Specialist to develop functional requirements troubleshoot control-related process issues support and validate PLC/HMI sequence recipe setpoint interlock instrumentation and alarm changes and confirm that improvements deliver the intended process result. This position provides the process expertise required to make controls changes effective and sustainable and is not intended to replace the controls/automation function.

WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR

Provide daily floor-level technical support for beverage processing systems with emphasis on thermal aseptic blending transfer homogenization evaporation/concentration storage and CIP operations.

Serve as the senior technical process owner for assigned systems independently prioritizing high-value opportunities establishing technical direction and driving cross-functional actions through verified completion.

Troubleshoot complex process problems by evaluating product flow temperatures pressures flow rates levels valve states pump performance instrumentation control sequences and interactions between unit operations.

Lead root-cause analysis of recurring downtime process instability slow cycles startup losses product losses and chronic faults; drive corrective actions through implementation verification documentation and sustained performance checks.

Analyze OEE and downtime losses process cycle times throughput constraints yield giveaway product recovery changeovers sanitation/CIP time startup/shutdown losses utility consumption and operating variability to establish improvement priorities.

Establish and maintain process centerlines critical operating parameters recipes setpoints control limits startup/shutdown standards troubleshooting guides and other operating standards for key systems.

Develop process flow diagrams control narratives functional descriptions operating philosophies test protocols and technical requirements for process and automation changes.

Work jointly with a Controls Engineer or Automation Specialist to review logic and sequence behavior; troubleshoot PLC/HMI and instrumentation-related issues; define required programming changes; support offline/online testing; and validate changes in production.

Optimize recipes control loops setpoints alarm limits interlocks permissives timing valve sequences and equipment coordination while maintaining appropriate change control food-safety review and documentation.

Own or support commissioning startup qualification and performance verification of process modifications and new equipment including punch lists test protocols and clear acceptance criteria.

Develop and maintain accurate SOPs process specifications centerlines troubleshooting trees change records and technical training materials.

Partner with Quality/Food Safety and the appropriate process authority to ensure changes affecting critical food-safety parameters are formally reviewed validated approved and documented before implementation.

Support sanitary design and optimization of hygienic piping pumps valves tanks instrumentation heat exchangers aseptic systems and CIP systems; identify conditions contributing to fouling poor cleanability contamination risk or excessive cleaning time.

Use process historian data trends alarms operator observations maintenance findings statistical methods and structured problem solving to identify sources of variation and verify that improvements remain stable across shifts products and operating conditions.

Provide technical input to capital projects when process changes or equipment upgrades are required including scope development design review vendor evaluation FAT/SAT support startup and performance validation.

Provide technical coaching and mentorship to engineers technicians operators and maintenance personnel to strengthen plant troubleshooting capability and establish repeatable engineering standards and best practices.

Support planned shutdowns major process interventions production trials startups and urgent troubleshooting as business needs require.

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Strong working knowledge of sanitary liquid processing including sanitary piping pumps valves tanks heat exchangers instrumentation CIP thermal processing and automated process systems.

Demonstrated ability to solve recurring manufacturing process problems and convert data and analysis into sustained operational improvements.

Ability to read and interpret P&IDs process flow diagrams process trends electrical/control drawings HMI screens I/O information and PLC logic sufficiently to diagnose process-control interactions.

Ability to partner effectively with Controls/Automation personnel to translate process requirements into PLC/HMI sequence recipe setpoint instrumentation interlock permissive and control-logic changes.

Working knowledge of thermal processing fundamentals including heat transfer holding time/temperature relationships regeneration flash/vacuum cooling homogenization aseptic tanks sterile boundaries and product recovery.

Experience troubleshooting automated pre-sterilization production intermediate cleaning CIP startup shutdown diversion/reject and aseptic sequence conditions.

Ability to use process historians trend data downtime/OEE information and structured root-cause analysis tools to identify prioritize and verify improvement opportunities.

Strong cross-functional leadership communication organization facilitation and technical documentation skills with the ability to influence execution without relying solely on formal authority.

Ability to manage multiple changing priorities respond effectively to urgent production issues and maintain disciplined follow-through on corrective actions.

Commitment to plant safety lockout/tagout PPE management-of-change practices engineering standards and protection of critical food-safety and quality controls.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Food Engineering Process Engineering or a related technical field.

Minimum 7 years of process/manufacturing engineering experience in food beverage dairy liquid nutrition pharmaceutical or another highly automated sanitary liquid-processing environment.

Demonstrated experience working directly with Controls/Automation personnel on automated process systems and control-related process improvements.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to create clear technical documentation operating standards and engineering deliverables.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

10 years of relevant process/manufacturing engineering experience in highly automated sanitary liquid processing.

Hands-on experience with Tetra Pak Tetra Therm Aseptic VTIS systems or comparable direct/indirect UHT and aseptic thermal processing systems.

Experience with low-acid and/or high-acid beverage processing pasteurization UHT/aseptic systems evaporation/concentration and sanitary liquid processing.

Experience with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley Siemens or comparable PLC/HMI platforms; ability to read and troubleshoot control logic is strongly preferred and hands-on programming capability is a plus.

Experience with equipment commissioning FAT/SAT production startup AutoCAD historian/SCADA tools statistical analysis process simulation or project-management tools.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS:

Regular work in both office and manufacturing environments including extended periods of standing and walking on the plant floor.

Ability to climb stairs/ladders as required and work around moving equipment and in hot cold humid wet and noisy manufacturing areas while using required PPE.

Ability to lift or handle items up to 50 pounds when necessary.

Exposure to normal food and beverage manufacturing hazards; must comply with all applicable plant safety sanitation and PPE requirements.

HOURS & WORKDAYS:

Full-time position with work schedule aligned to plant and business needs.

Must be available to support planned shutdowns startups production trials major process interventions and urgent production issues outside normal business hours including overtime or weekends when required.

WHAT WE OFFER plus more !

Our rich benefits packages are designed to support the health and well-being of both our eligible team members and families.

• Medical Dental & Vision
• Group Life and AD&D
• Voluntary Life and AD&D
• Group Short & Long-Term Disability
• 401(k)
• Paid Time Off
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
  • Gym Membership Discounts

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a culturally diverse organization. We strive for inclusiveness and a workplace where mutual respect is paramount. We encourage applications from a diverse pool of candidates and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color ethnicity religion sex age national origin disability sexual orientation gender identity and expression or veteran status. We will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities as needed to assist them in performing essential job functions.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If you are interested in applying for employment with Generous Brands and need special assistance to apply for a posted position or if you believe you do not meet any of the required qualifications of a posted position due to a protected disability and would like to explore the possibility of an accommodation please contact our Talent Acquisition team at .

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES: Confidential does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Generous Brands is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

Required Experience:

Senior IC