Senior Manager, R&D Process Engineering

Job Description

Schwan’s Company, a . affiliate of the global lifestyle company, CJ CheilJedang Corporation, is a leading . manufacturer and marketer of quality foods offered through retail-grocery and food-service channels. Our many popular brands include Red Baron, Tony’s, Big Daddy’s, Villa Prima and Freschetta pizza; Mrs. Smith’s and Edwards desserts; and Pagoda and Bibigo Asian-style snacks. Schwan’s is a place for people with an appetite for more. To learn about joining a team where you can belong, contribute, and thrive, visit

We are seeking a Senior Manager, Process Engineering for our team in Salina, KS. This high visibility role will be the driving force in identification, development, improvement, and testing of complex, new and break through food processing techniques. This role leads a team of engineers and reports to our Sr Director, Process Engineering. This position will define and implement short and long-range process strategies to enable first, best, and different products and processing techniques. This role will provide cross functional mentoring and coaching to team members and will be a role model Subject Matter Expert across multiple areas.

What you get from us:

• Opportunities for career growth with one of THE fastest growing food companies in the US.
• A culture focused on building trust, challenging assumptions, and continuous transformation.
• Support from team members who are experts in their functions.
• Competitive compensation including strong incentives and a flexible time off program.

Responsibilities:

• Champions development of complex, new and breakthrough Process technology to enable new product introduction, process efficiency improvements and cost reduction projects that support existing and future business plans.
• Develops manufacturing options including evaluation of both internal and external plants and defines the process design strategy and operating conditions that delivers on key product attributes, cost, and all manufacturing KPIs.
• Develops and presents new food process equipment technology roadmap strategy to technical leaders supporting the existing and future business strategies.
• Role models development of all technical documentation, including line visualization, process flow diagram, process specifications, process gap analysis, design basis, and manufacturing process control plans.
• Champions and drives cross functional one table one team mindset across assignments with functions in R&D, Manufacturing and Business Units
• Provides technical leadership on projects and ensures they remain on schedule and within developed budget.
• Provides leadership and technical guidance to staff for the development of new technology or applications and enhancement of existing technologies
• As part of the strategic vendor program, leads development of strategic vendor partnerships, leads joint development of key technologies with our global vendors
• Apply advanced statistics, experimental designs (DOE) and six sigma in problem solving
• Manages, trains, and develops direct reports, including Process Engineers, Senior Process Engineers, and Principal Process Engineers.
• Develops, communicates, implements, and manages department budget, department goals, and policies and programs to improve staff or department efficiencies, speed of response, and focus of staff activities and department operations according to business units and department strategies.
• Up to 30% travel

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Master’s degree preferred
• 10+ years of related experience, ideally 3+ years of directly leading people
• Working knowledge of Process Development Engineering; Product development process, and stage gate process; Project Management; Technical knowledge in various process platforms including bakery lines and other food manufacturing techniques
• Ability to direct and coach a team to apply advanced statistics, experimental designs and six sigma in problem solving
• Ability to develop process specs and Process flow diagrams for complex processes with compressive technical data
• Ability to develop demand curves for team and establish leveled resource utilization.
• Ability to develop and work with budgets
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs and Minitab, SolidWorks, AutoCAD
• Strong communication (both written and verbal) and presentation skills; Ability to communicate technical information

The employing subsidiaries of Schwan’s Company are Equal Employment Opportunity Employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, age, race, color, religion, gender, vet status, national origin or other protected class.