Senior Process Engineer | Darlington, WI

Are you passionate about optimizing complex manufacturing processes and driving operational excellence? Join FrieslandCampina as a Senior Process Engineer and become a key technical leader supporting our Darlington facility. In this role, you will leverage data, engineering expertise, and continuous improvement methodologies to enhance safety, quality, efficiency, reliability, and production performance across our ingredients and cheese operations.

You will work cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Automation teams while serving as the Technology & Engineering representative on the Plant Management Team. If you thrive on solving complex technical challenges, leading process improvements, and making a measurable impact in a world-class manufacturing environment, we want to hear from you.

What You'll Do

As a Senior Process Engineer, you will act as a trusted technical expert and strategic partner to the manufacturing organization. You will be responsible for identifying opportunities to improve plant performance, leading troubleshooting efforts, supporting capital projects, and ensuring manufacturing processes operate safely, efficiently, and reliably. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead process optimization initiatives that improve yield, throughput, product quality, reliability, and cost performance.
• Analyze process data and leverage engineering principles to identify bottlenecks, reduce variability, and drive sustainable improvements.
• Serve as the senior technical resource for process-related troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Support the introduction of new products, recipes, equipment, and manufacturing technologies into production.
• Provide process engineering expertise for capital projects, equipment upgrades, commissioning, and validation activities.
• Develop and maintain process standards, operating parameters, technical documentation, and work instructions.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, GMP, quality, environmental, and safety requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on OEE, waste reduction, energy optimization, and operational effectiveness.
• Represent the Technology & Engineering function on the Darlington Plant Management Team, helping shape plant priorities and business decisions. 

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Food Process Engineering, Dairy Technology, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of engineering experience within dairy, food, ingredients, or other complex manufacturing environments.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, process optimization, and operational excellence.
• Proven success leading process improvement initiatives and solving complex technical challenges.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis, OEE improvement, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of GMP, food safety, quality management systems, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Experience with whey ingredients processing, membrane filtration, and spray drying technologies is highly desirable.

The Senior Process Engineer is part of the Technology & Engineering organization and reports directly to the Technology & Engineering Manager. You will work closely with Process Engineering, Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Operational Technology (OT), and plant leadership teams to drive technical excellence and operational performance. 

This role serves as a critical bridge between engineering and plant operations, ensuring technical expertise is incorporated into strategic decision-making and day-to-day manufacturing performance. While the position has no direct reports, it plays an influential leadership role through technical coaching, stakeholder collaboration, and participation on the Darlington Plant Management Team. 

At FrieslandCampina, we live our values every day:

• We Act With Respect – fostering inclusion, integrity, and collaboration.
• We Aim Higher – continuously improving ourselves and our business.
• We Succeed Together – achieving results through teamwork and shared success.