Process Development Engineer

Process Development Engineer

Our client, a leading food manufacturing and innovation company, is seeking a Process Development Engineer to join their team. In this highly visible engineering role, you will support the Research, Innovation, and Compliance (RIC) team by driving process development, process optimization, manufacturing innovation, and new product commercialization across multiple product categories. This position is ideal for an engineer who enjoys solving complex processing challenges, leading technical projects, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to improve manufacturing performance, efficiency, and product quality.

Location: Buffalo, NY

Pay Range: $40–$62/hour

Duration: Temporary assignment scheduled through January 1, 2027

Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8am–5pm

What's the Job?

• Lead process development and optimization initiatives supporting product innovation, renovation, and cost savings.
• Design, evaluate, troubleshoot, and improve food manufacturing processes and processing equipment.
• Plan and execute laboratory, pilot plant, and production-scale trials to validate new products and process improvements.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Operations, Packaging, and Manufacturing teams to implement process solutions.
• Provide technical expertise for process scale-up, commercialization, and continuous improvement projects.

What's Needed?

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in food manufacturing process development, process engineering, manufacturing operations, or applied engineering.
• Experience leading process optimization, product development, process improvement, or experimental design initiatives.
• Hands-on experience with manufacturing facilities, production equipment, pilot plants, or large-scale processing systems.
• Strong engineering problem-solving skills and knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in food manufacturing, dairy, non-dairy beverages, emulsions, culinary products, or consumer packaged goods (CPG).
• Hands-on experience with process scale-up, pilot plant operations, and manufacturing start-up support.
• Knowledge of Design of Experiments (DOE), process validation, and operational efficiency improvements.
• Experience evaluating, selecting, or implementing manufacturing equipment and processing technologies.

What's in It for Me?

• Competitive pay of $40-$62/hour.
• Opportunity to lead impactful process development, commercialization, and manufacturing optimization projects.
• Exposure to innovative food technologies, pilot plant operations, and large-scale manufacturing environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across Engineering, R&D, Quality, and Operations.
• Gain valuable experience within a leading food manufacturing and innovation organization.