Project Engineer

Project Engineer

Casa Grande, AZ ( • Manufacturing

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

From yourPASSIONto ours

Lactalis U.S Yogurt, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Project Engineer based in Casa Grande.

As a Project Engineer, the role will carry out responsibilities such as but not limited to providing engineering support, implementation/commissioning services and facilities support for manufacturing processes and equipment. The role includes equipment specification, process design, equipment/skid layouts and process development/improvements in support of projects. Additionally, the Project Engineer will collaborate with Corporate Engineering, Finance, Leadership, Maintenance, Planning, Processing, Production, Quality, & Safety to align duties with the company's goals and values.

From yourEXPERTISEto ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Define the business requirements: capacity needs over time, capacity available, R&D requirements in terms of raw materials, processes and possibilities for the future expansion. Ensure that the business needs are well validated by a cross-section of the business.

• Translate the business needs into process/packaging equipment requirements: Ensure that the design captures the best practices available in the industry. Constantly seek improvement through benchmarking, expert’s advice and transfer of best practices. Use the company network to gain access to the experts. Guarantee that the design is in compliance with the site master plan and with the company’s product strategic plan.

• Organize and carry out all necessary trials and tests to ensure project success with production, suppliers and R&D.

• Prepare the supplier selection bid package, request for quotation, work with corporate purchasing to manage the supplier selection process.

• Follow the internal capital approval request procedures regarding approval, purchase orders, and review variances actual vs. budget throughout the project, forecast and report cash flow and variance. Manage any changes using documented change orders.

• Ensure good quality planning, risk analysis, budget, resource identification, and layout studies are complete and accurate.

• Use all best methodologies of project management: Frequent Project meetings with minutes and action lists; Communication within the company about project content and progress. Involve plant resources from the early phases as future customers in quality, safety, production and maintenance. Show a customer service oriented mindset in executing projects.

• Ensure that the following milestones are respected throughout the project: provisional acceptance, I/O check-out, equipment site acceptance test, electrical test, water test, commissioning, final acceptance.

• Follow the execution of the project and ensure the coordination between projects, suppliers, manufacturing, and the business. Safety and Quality are the key priorities. Scope, Deliverables, Timeline and Budget are always to be respected.

• Measure project progress at start-up using a punch-list to ensure maximum supplier accountability.

• Leads proactive problem solving efforts for manufacturing processes. Troubleshoots and resolves process equipment issues, diagnoses technical problems and determines short-term and long-term solutions.

• Conducts plant floor walk-throughs and/or participates on teams that focus on continuous improvement within the manufacturing area. Expected to participate in decisions that arise from engineering projects and/or manufacturing, teams

• Strictly comply to current PMO and FDA regulations as well as all OSHA regulations in force.

• Must be able to work flexible hours, including weekend, holidays, or late shifts, during installation periods.

Requirements

From yourSTORYto ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Education

• A bachelor's degree is required.

• A major in Engineering or equivalent field is required.

Experience

• 5+ years project management experience is required.

Certifications and specific knowledge

• Knowledge of Dairy is preferred.

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite – Including Microsoft Project is preferred.

• Knowledge of AutoCAD is preferred.

Competencies

• Project Management - Capacity to share knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently. Ability to lead a cross-functional team through a defined methodology using well-defined tools to reach the objective on time, on budget and on target

• Client Oriented/Stakeholder Management - Dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of clients (internal or external) and stakeholders in a manner that provides satisfaction and fosters their loyalty to increase Company profit.

• Agility - Ability to be adaptable as a matter of regular practice, to proactively make adjustments to improve results, to realign actions, recalibrate priorities, and change work practices without causing confusion to those around him/her. Ability to develop intellectual acuity.

• Computer and Office - Demonstrated knowledge of computer based communication applications (e.g. web based

• applications, personal computer) and ability to use computer applications as well as other technologies, e.g. videoconferences

• Applications/Software's - Knowledge and master of software's necessary on a job (global or specific for a job) and ability to use it in an appropriate professional situation

• Emotional Intelligence - Be able to identify, use, understand, and manage emotions in positive ways, communicate effectively and empathize with others, overcome challenges, and defuse conflict.

• Analytical Thinking - Analyze rigorously data and situations, to identify and analyze causes/effects and to select only appropriate information use to make effective decisions

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.