Project Engineer

Since 1987, the team at Cafe Valley has produced mini-iced cupcakes, muffins, bundt cakes, ring cakes, loaf cakes, danishes, turnovers, croissants, and our signature Cafe Bites for our customers throughout the United States and across the world. Demand for our products have grown to the extent that our state-of-the-art, Phoenix, AZ production facility built in 2011 was joined by our Marion, IN production facility in 2014. Through innovative bakery techniques and unique recipes, we continue to delight one bite at a time.

The Project Engineer manages a team during the entire life cycle of an engineering or technical project. The project can be capital based or a major expense initiative. Their duties include the scoping of the project, ensuring appropriate technical details are being considered and used in the design of the project, oversees the planning and implementation of the project, ensures proper sanitation guidelines are followed, and ensure the project is completed safely in accordance with all required engineering guidelines and ordinances, and is completed on time and in budget. The Engineer also ensures they communicate with all appropriate team members as to the status of the project on a regular basis.

In addition, due to their technical competence, the Project Engineer will provide support, as needed, to the Bakeries to enhance existing equipment reliability, adherence to set production standards and service response times when called upon. They will also provide technical advice and support when dealing with government and regulatory bodies as required.

Salary range is $115,000-$130,000 with a 15% bonus potential. ResponsibilitiesEngineering

• Is directly responsible for all elements of project management from the Basis of Design (BOD) to commissioning and handover and ensures that all project objectives are met on schedule, safely and within budgetary limits. Project management duties include:
• Scheduling, budgeting, coordinating project objectives within budgetary limits and reporting status
• Vendor and equipment investigation, selection, price negotiation, coordination, and procurement efforts related to the projects
• CEA (Capital Expenditure Requests) development and submission, including the development of presentations and cost justifications to facilitate funding approvals
• Preparation and review of scope documents, job specifications and drawings
• Supervising contractors in the execution of projects and in the commissioning and hand-over to Operations
• Facilitates project reviews and stakeholder meetings and provides the necessary reports on the project’s progress and budget status on a frequent basis
• Utilizes a systematic approach to project management promoting the use of Continuous Improvement
• Provides support to both local Bakery Operations and Maintenance teams to ensure the completion of small projects and any major expense initiatives that require his/her expertise
• Manages, along with the VP of Engineering, the annual and multi-year CAPEX plan including the plans development and regular reporting to Leadership as to the Plan’s overall status on spending, status, and commitments
• Supervises all Engineering resources in the execution of Project Management activities and provides mentoring and training as needed
• Interacts with all departments within the business to share best practices, upgrade common work practices, and provide feedback on vendor and equipment performance and input for Continuous Improvement

Maintenance

• As a subject matter expert generate Engineering solutions to repetitive failures and other problems that affect Bakery Operations
• Assist in management of equipment suppliers as it relates to equipment causing inefficiencies, regulatory, safety and quality issues (as requested by the Operations team)
• Ensure all equipment in operation in the Bakeries are in compliance with all regulatory, sanitation, safety, and environmental requirements by local and federal regulatory authorities.
• Supervises Engineering resources in the execution of reliability improvement as needed

Performance standards:
Being honest and ethical.
Being detailed and thorough in completing work tasks.
Being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Persistence in the face of obstacles.
Perform to Company and Professional Engineering standards.Required SkillsSkills, Experience and Qualifications:

• Experience of 5 years in Plant Project Engineering and Project Management in a Food Processing Environment.
• Knowledge of Asset care and maintenance management. Has some knowledge of software driven maintenance and engineering systems.
• Experience leading Engineering teams both at the corporate and Operational levels.
• Ability to move between strategic thinking and planning and project execution.
• Ability to manage projects from the simple to the complex and from feasibility to successful implementation
• Knowledge of current Employee Health and Safety rules and regulations as well as the necessary FSQA and Environmental Compliance regulations related to manufacturing in the food industry

Education, Technical Qualifications, and Competencies Required:

• Outstanding interpersonal skills and Leadership traits. The ability to influence people across all departments
• Must be results driven, independent, focused and the ability to handle many projects at once
• Must have a high level of integrity and strong ethics. Must always to do the right thing.
• B.Sc. in Engineering from an accredited school
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) is preferred but not essential.