The Operational Technology Lead is responsible for overseeing plant automation, process control systems, and digital integration initiatives. This position plays a key role in maximizing production efficiency, maintaining product quality, and supporting 24/7 continuous operations.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Automation & Process Control

• Manage automation systems supporting whey processing operations including filtration (UF/RO/MF), evaporation, drying, crystallization, and CIP systems
• Maintain and optimize PLC, SCADA, and HMI systems to ensure process consistency and product quality
• Ensure proper control of critical parameters such as temperature, flow, pressure, and solids content

System Reliability & Performance

• Maximize uptime for continuous production environments through preventive and predictive maintenance
• Lead troubleshooting of control systems, instrumentation issues, and process disruptions
• Support rapid recovery from system failures to minimize downtime and production losses

Food Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with FSMA, FDA, USDA, GMP, and HACCP standards
• Maintain process data integrity for traceability, audits, and reporting
• Partner with Quality teams to align automation systems with sanitation and product specifications

OT Cybersecurity & Systems Integration

• Implement OT cybersecurity practices and ensure separation between IT and OT systems
• Lead vulnerability assessments and align with frameworks such as ISA/IEC 62443 or NIST
• Integrate plant automation with enterprise systems such as MES, ERP, and LIMS

Continuous Improvement & Digital Transformation

• Drive initiatives to improve yield, efficiency, and resource utilization
• Leverage data analytics and historians for real-time performance monitoring
• Lead Industry 4.0 efforts including predictive maintenance, advanced process control, and IIoT deployments

Qualifications & Experience

• Associate’s degree in Engineering, Automation, Computer Science, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in industrial automation or OT roles, preferably in food or dairy processing
• Strong experience with PLC programming, SCADA/HMI systems, and industrial communication protocols
• Background in continuous production environments and process control systems
• Experience with instrumentation, CIP systems, and process automation technologies

This role reports directly to the Plant Manager and serves as a key liaison between Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality teams.

You will collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment between plant operations and digital technology initiatives while supporting training and development of operators and stakeholders.

Our team culture is guided by core values:

• We Act With Respect – fostering integrity and professionalism
• We Aim Higher – driving continuous improvement and ownership
• We Succeed Together – collaborating to achieve shared goals

This is a full-time, salaried position in a dynamic manufacturing environment that requires strong leadership, technical expertise, and a commitment to safety, quality, and innovation