Quality Engineer II - Geneva, IL

COMPANY OVERVIEW We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next. POSITION OVERVIEW The Quality Engineer II is the technical leader related to the product, championing food safety, quality, and regulatory requirements throughout the system or platform you are assigned to, driving problem-solving and improvements in food safety, quality, and related losses. You have the unique opportunity to impact the innovation, technology, and quality function by leveraging your knowledge and skills to provide deep technical expertise, become a leader of global connections, and be recognized as a valued partner for their plant, sourcing, and business teams. In this role, you will use data and systems, apply continuous improvement techniques, and serve as a coach and technical leader on the floor and within the business teams you partner with for their systems, demonstrating and embracing engaging leadership behaviors. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES Safety (5%) Lead food and human Safety through Safety 2.0 leadership principles and standards. Cultivate a human safety culture that reduces risk to our people and communities by increasing capability to discuss, identify, and control critical risk. Cultivate a food safety culture that is committed to manufacturing safe food that is compliant with policy and regulatory requirements. People Leadership (25%) Invest in personal development & growth in quality engineering and beyond. Partner with cross-functional teams to continuously reduce risk, improve processes and quality, and sustainably reduce FSQ-related losses, instilling a strong food safety and quality culture in their assigned systems or platform. Engage internally and externally with subject matter experts. Train, develop content, and coach Quality Associates, Quality Engineers, and plant personnel in areas of expertise. Enable alignment and strategies with cross-functional partners in own systems or platform. Potential to manage quality technician teams. Process Leadership and Ownership (35%) Food safety, quality & regulatory programs leadership. Provide FSQ leadership and direction through technical depth in the areas of regulatory compliance, sanitation, food safety risk mitigation, quality improvement, and loss reduction in own systems or platform. Organize action plans with Operations, R&D, Engineering, and FSQ teams to ensure product specifications and execution of FSQ policies & standards are appropriate and meet system capability and key consumer requirements in their systems or platform. Lead the FSRA program in your own systems/platform by conducting food safety & sanitation inspections, providing leadership in RMP (Risk Management Plans) initiatives and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) as part of the verification program. Lead continuous improvement in the site’s GFSI certification for your dedicated system/line. Assess risk and make decisions related to food safety and quality for ingredients and finished products that pertain to their systems or platform. Spend time on the production floor, connect with employees, interact with the product transformation, feeling the real-time impact of their work in the finished product. Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory technical leadership & subject matter expertise. Provide support for food safety and quality program management and training in own systems or platform. Deliver training in the areas of food science, applied statistics, regulatory requirements, sanitation, and quality measurement systems. Review plans for new and changing systems and ensure effective product safety and sanitary design. Provide leadership and technical support for R&D, Cost Savings, reformulations, and new product start-ups. Maintain plant food safety programs (FSRA, HACCP, etc.) and annual GFSI and GMI policy requirements. Responsible for management of raw material vendors and performance. Provide national accounts customer-facing support for food safety and quality audits and improvement. Provide sanitation and pest control leadership (equipment sanitation validation & run length validations, creation of SSOPs, pest control and chemical vendor relationships, and budget). Provide technical leadership in the identification and implementation of product and process quality improvement opportunities and productivity gains. Provide and lead risk assessment analysis and manage issues with non-conforming products and ingredients to ensure proper control, minimize losses, and root cause analysis to eliminate future occurrences in their systems or platform that pertain to their systems or platform. Problem Solving leadership Provide FSQ leadership and direction through technical depth in the areas of SPC, system capability, fishbone analysis & problem solving. Lead problem-solving events with cross-functional partners and use data to appropriately manage nonconformances and issues, prevent re-occurrence, improve product quality, reduce and eliminate risks & related losses, and run to target in own systems or platform. Daily Direction Setting and Operations Foundational Systems Engage in identification of loss opportunities (food safety, quality, overuse, etc.) to drive performance and influence loss reduction through corrective and preventative actions using foundation systems. Actively participate in daily direction setting and the creation and execution of the platform improvement plan. Know your Operation, Data and Technology (25%) Lead digitization initiatives, leveraging advanced technologies such as automation, data analytics, and digitalization to enhance quality processes, improve product performance, and ensure compliance with industry standards in their system or platform. Collect, analyze, and interpret in-process and analytical data using quality engineering principles to make quality evaluations, recommend actions for improvement, and ultimately inform data-driven decisions. Use FSQ and Supply Chain Systems (WiMS, MES, ERP, etc.) as well as basic and advanced, where applicable, Analytics and Tools (e.g., MA, Historian, Seeq, Sight Machine) to sustainably address food safety and quality issues as part of day-to-day activities and rigorous problem solving. Leverage in-process measurement capabilities (e.g., NIR, Vision systems) to sustainably address solutions as per root cause analysis and problem-solving events led. Back-Up Coverage (5%) This position will also provide backup support as needed, ensuring business continuity and operational efficiency. Technical partners on platform team (SE, QE) MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Food Processing, Food Science, or other related fields 2+ years of food safety, quality, or related manufacturing experience with proven success reducing risks, related losses, and improving performance (food safety & quality) in a manufacturing setting Demonstrated ability to work well on a team, build effective relationships, and influence others across all levels of the organization Skilled in managing cross-platform projects and comfortable with ambiguity Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and adjust priorities Ability to develop mutual respect with operators, engineers, etc. to execute programs and achieve goals Strategic mindset and ability to develop long-term impactful strategies, using strong analytical skills to problem-solve effectively Ability to lead peer group and affect change/department direction via influence management Ability to work both independently and in team settings, including work on project teams that involve other functions, SMES, divisions, or organizations PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS ASQ Certified Quality Engineer with FSQ, External Supply Chain or External Quality Management experience Knowledge of statistics and related systems (e.g., Minitab), data reporting platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, etc.), MES Platforms (e.g., MQIS), and product protection/ Quality Engineering principles Advanced Analytics and Tools (e.g., Seeq, Sight Machine) Recognizes and articulates the operation of in-process measurement/detection capabilities (e.g., NIR, Vision systems) Strong understanding of product quality, sensory, and food safety Demonstrated mechanical aptitude, ability to apply engineering principles, and ability to troubleshoot Demonstrated ability to navigate complex organizations Ability to lead constructive, positive change within a plant environment while being able to influence up to leadership teams or with floor operators ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS International relocation or international remote working arrangements (outside of the US) will not be considered. Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas. SALARY RANGE The salary range for this position is: $71,300 - $107,000 Annual. At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range. Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance. ELIGIBILITY Applicants must meet a minimum 18-year age qualification. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER (EOE) General Mills is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or familial status, status regarding public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST Please fill out our online accommodation request form by following this link: Accommodation Request. #J-18808-Ljbffr General Mills