HVAC Engineer

Are you looking to catapult your career by driving high-impact transformation with household brands? Do you crave an entrepreneurial, fast paced, and engaging growth assignment working with incredible people from across the globe?

At Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, we are excited to start a new chapter of accelerated growth as part of Froneri - a global pure-play ice cream leader. Come help us transform DGIC into the #1 ice cream brand! With nearly 100 years of winning experience in the U.S, a robust portfolio of powerhouse brands that consumers know and love such as Häagen-Dazs, Drumstick, Dreyer's & Edy's, and the backing and coaching of European-based ice cream experts, we know we have the winning recipe.

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, the Bay Area's hub for up-and-coming food trends, our teams across our offices and factories are raising the bar on all things ice cream. We are investing in significant capital expansions to grow our Operations and Supply chain and are transforming how we work at every level to become agile, accelerate growth and elevate our quality. With a renewed focus on frozen treats, our tight-knit team of ambitious innovators are fully immersed in the business and encouraged to flex and make decisions quickly. We are committed to pursuing every great idea and delivering the best ice cream experience for our consumers, when and where they want it.

Unleash your potential at Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and discover what a sweet career we have in store for you.

Purpose of the job:

The HVAC Engineer is responsible for the design, performance, and reliability of HVAC and environmental control systems supporting ice cream production, hardening, packaging, cold storage, factory buildings, and support areas. This role ensures precise temperature and humidity control, regulatory compliance, and uninterrupted production in a cold-chain manufacturing environment.

Role and Activity

• Engineer, maintain, and optimize HVAC systems serving:
  • Mix rooms
  • Processing and freezing areas
  • Hardening tunnels
  • Cold storage and freezer warehouses
  • Packaging and ingredient rooms
  • Offices and Buildings
• Ensure proper temperature, humidity, air pressure, and airflow segregation between food-grade and non-food areas
• Support food safety and quality programs (GMP, SQF/BRC, FDA, USDA where applicable)
• Lead HVAC-related capital projects, retrofits, and expansions
• Partner with Maintenance, QA, Utilities, and Production teams to minimize downtime
• Develop PM programs and reliability strategies for HVAC assets
• Troubleshoot system failures affecting production or product quality
• Manage contractors, OEMs, and service providers
• Drive energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives in cold environments
• Represent The Froneri Way of working through the behaviors and characteristics in our Operating Model and Core Values
• Experienced with Ammonia-Glycol and Freon based cooling systems
• Other duties as assigned

Measurable Outcomes

• Reliability and Uptime
• Maintenance and Asset Health
• Energy and cost management

Levels of Responsibility

• Equipment Reliability
• Energy cost

Behaviors And Core Values: Must consistently showcase the desired behaviors that represent our Core Values.

We Take Ownership

• Stay committed to responsibilities from start to finish
• Make sound decisions and get into the right level of detail
• Apply resources to initiatives that add growth, improve efficiencies, or reduce waste

We Do What Is Right

• Choose transparency over convenience, even if it means difficult conversations
• Set clear roles and responsibilities, enabling everyone to exercise appropriate initiative and judgment
• Speak up when you see something that does not align to our values and policies

We Seek to Improve

• Strive to continuously improve and innovate to exceed expectations
• Value feedback from others and encourage open dialogue to understand how we can improve
• Learn from both successes and failures

We Are Better Together

• Ensure decisions are based on what's best for the whole business
• Practice inclusion by seeking diverse perspectives
• Treat everyone with fairness and respect

Work Environment:

In this position, the employee will regularly work with and around others; in a wet and/or humid environment; in areas of high noise level; and around mechanical, electrical, and pressurized equipment. The work is fast paced.

• Cold Temperatures: Parts of the facility, such as storage and production areas, may be kept at low temperatures.
  • Requires use of cold-protective PPE.
  • May involve standing, lifting, and walking in refrigerated zones for extended periods.
• Fast-Paced: Workers often operate under strict timelines to meet production quotas.
  • High-speed manufacturing floor with frequent movement, line assignment changes, and tight production timelines.
• Standing for Long Hours: Many roles require prolonged standing and repetitive tasks.
  • Repetitive hand and arm movements required.
  • Must be able to stand for hours with frequent bending, reaching, and lifting.
• Food Safety Regulations: Employees must follow hygiene and safety guidelines, including wearing protective gear (gloves, hairnets, etc.).
• Team-Oriented: Workers collaborate to ensure smooth production and packaging.

The position involves frequent exposure to nuts and other potential allergens.

The pay scale for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The pay range for prospective employees in this role is between $80,000 and $90,000, with opportunities for overtime, shift differential, cold premium pay and annual bonuses (variable depending on company performance).

We offer a comprehensive group benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, paid time off, paid holidays, paid parental leave, 401K plan with employer match and annual contribution available.

Visa sponsorship not available. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States now and in the future. The company does not provide visa sponsorship or any immigration support (including STEM OPT training plan and H-1B lottery registration) for this position.

Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc. provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants, regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.