Process Engineer, Tech Ops

Job Description

Job Description

Company Summary:

For over 60 years, MeriCal has been at the forefront of innovation in the dietary supplement industry, delivering custom manufacturing and packaging solutions with passion and precision. With state-of-the-art facilities in Southern California and Ogden, UT, we transform ideas into high-quality products—from research and development to the finished products. Our team, with over 30 years of combined experience, is dedicated to crafting exceptional gummies, probiotics, tablets, capsules, chewables, and powders using clinically backed ingredients. At MeriCal, we don’t just meet expectations—we exceed them, every time. Join us and be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team shaping the future of nutrition!

The Opportunity:

The Process Engineer, Technical Ops is responsible for optimizing and troubleshooting manufacturing processes for tablet, capsule, and powder dietary supplement products. This role owns the technical performance of dry-fill, compression, encapsulation, blending, granulation, and powder-fill processes — driving process robustness, yield improvement, and consistent product quality from pilot scale through full commercial production. The Process Engineer works closely with Manufacturing, Quality, R&D, and Maintenance to solve equipment and process-related issues and to design processes that are efficient, repeatable, and compliant.

What You’ll Do:

• Own and optimize manufacturing processes for tablets (compression, coating), capsules (encapsulation), and powders (blending, granulation, fill/finish).
• Lead process development and scale-up activities from pilot batches through commercial-scale production runs, establishing and validating critical process parameters (CPPs).
• Investigate and resolve in-process manufacturing issues, including blending inconsistencies, tablet weight/hardness/friability variation, capsule fill weight variation, granulation defects, powder flowability/segregation issues, and coating defects.
• Partner with Manufacturing and Maintenance to troubleshoot equipment-related process issues (tablet presses, encapsulators, blenders, granulators, fluid bed processors, powder fillers) and minimize downsize.
• Conduct root cause analysis for process deviations, out-of-specification results, and recurring production issues; implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Identify and lead process optimization and cost-savings initiatives, including cycle time reduction, yield improvement, and waste reduction.
• Develop, review, and maintain process documentation, including batch manufacturing records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), process flow diagrams, and equipment setup/changeover instructions.
• Support equipment qualification (IQ/QQ/PQ) and process validation activities for new and existing equipment/processes.
• Evaluate and recommend equipment upgrades, tooling changes, or process technology improvements to support capacity, quality, or efficiency goals.
• Collaborate with Formulation Scientist during technology transfer to ensure new formulations are process-compatible and scalable on existing equipment.
• Support change controls, deviations, and non-conference report (NCR) investigations related to process or equipment issues.
• Provide hands-on technical support and training to production operators and technicians on process parameters and troubleshooting.
• Analyze process data (e.g., SPC/trending) to proactively identify variability and drive continuous improvement using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Engineering, Materials Science, Food Science, or a related scientific field.
• 3+ yeas of process engineering experience in solid dose manufacturing (tablets, capsules and/or powders) within dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, or nutraceuticals.
• Hand's-on experience with solid dose processing equipment: tablet presses, encapsulators, high-shear/fluid bed granulators, blenders (V-blender bin blender), and powder-filling equipment.