Full-Time
Mechanical Engineer
Technical Team
Fairlife
201-500 employees
Lactose-free dairy and protein drinks
Compensation Overview
$115k - $125k/yr
Allendale Charter Twp, MI, USA + 2 more
More locations: Webster, NY, USA | Avondale, AZ, USA
In Person
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
 Mechanical Engineering (2) |
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- Bachelor’s degree in engineering: mechanical or chemical engineering with experience in dairy industry, or process engineering with experience in wider food industry
- 5+ years of progressive experience in utilities design, operations and construction within milk, brewing/beverage, and chemical processing
- Direct experience with design, construction, commissioning and troubleshooting of utilities is required
- Data analysis and process modeling in Microsoft Excel is required
- Demonstrated excellence in communication and presentation
- Ability to handle ambiguity and thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurial work environment
- Food safety requirements: Notify management of any repairs or adjustments that could affect product quality or safety; Perform all duties necessary to meet Company, Customer and/or Government requirements/standards; Initiate action to prevent nonconformities relating to Food Safety and the Quality of the product, processes, quality system, or safety system
- Develop predictive demand, situation analysis tools and load management tools for utility systems based on forecasted plans for existing and new plants ensuring sufficient capacity and cost-effective operation
- Define the standards to which all plant utilities will be designed, automated, constructed and operated under the locational quality and supply profiles negotiated with utilities suppliers while meeting all relevant Federal, State and Corporate laws, rules and regulations and sustainability goals
- Document and clearly communicate the basis of design of all installed equipment to the plants key stakeholders
- Provide technical support for the procurement of utilities from utility providers. A key decision maker in utilities equipment vendor selection and contract negotiation and contributor to budgeting and justification of capital projects
- Lead construction phase and collaborate with plant & project engineering teams to ensure all project work gets performed on time and within budget including leading and supporting commissioning and validation activities, review and execution of Factory Acceptance Test and Site Acceptance Test (FAT/SAT) protocols, developing and delivering training materials
- Technical oversight of new line/plant mechanical & utility design (mass/media balance, utilities process flow diagram, functional specifications, PID approval, HAZOP, FAT, DQ, OQ, PQ, training, ramp up etc.) and maintain up-to-date documentation
- Solving complex processing, mechanical and utility problems following escalation from plants to improve reliability, reduce downtime, improve load management, reduce cost of ownership etc.
- Other duties as assigned
- Advanced degrees or other professional certifications preferred but not required
- Process modeling using Aspen, SuperPro or other software will be a value addition
- P. Eng (Professional Engineer) highly preferred
Fairlife, a Coca-Cola subsidiary based in Chicago, makes lactose-free, real dairy beverages. Its products include fairlife ultra-filtered milk, Core Power High Protein Shakes, and fairlife nutrition plan shakes. A proprietary filtration process concentrates protein and reduces lactose to create protein-forward, lower-lactose drinks, distributed at scale. Its goal is to nourish consumers while caring for people, animals, and the planet, with commitments to animal welfare and responsible packaging.
Company Size
201-500
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois
Founded
2012
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 27, 2026 production had largely resumed, and retail shelves stayed stocked from inventory.
- The August 5, 2026 Coopersville groundbreaking signals sustained demand and long-term Coca-Cola investment.
- Michigan grants and tax abatements lower expansion costs while locking in milk supply from regional farms.
What critics are saying
- July 16, 2026 ransomware stole data and shut U.S. production, exposing fragile operations.
- Animal-welfare lawsuits and settlements still shadow the brand, inviting renewed retailer and regulator scrutiny.
- A second major cyber or safety incident could cripple supply, damage Coca-Cola’s trust, and end growth momentum.
What makes Fairlife unique
- Coca-Cola backed Fairlife scaled premium ultrafiltered milk into a national dairy platform.
- Coopersville’s $650 million expansion adds 245,000 square feet and two high-speed lines by 2028.
- Fairlife’s separate Canada operations kept running during July 2026, showing segmented manufacturing resilience.
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Company News
Fairlife breaks ground on $650 million facility expansion in Coopersville, Michigan. Fairlife broke ground on a $650 million Coopersville expansion, adding 245,000 sq ft, new production lines, and up to 200 jobs. Coca-Cola subsidiary adds 245,000 square feet, two high-speed production lines, and nearly 200 new jobs to boost ultra-filtered milk and protein shake output. Reporting details the official groundbreaking ceremony led by state leaders and company executives for Fairlife's massive $650 million expansion project at its Coopersville, Michigan facility. The investment represents a major milestone for Ottawa County's agribusiness sector, reinforcing West Michigan's status as a core manufacturing and dairy-processing hub. The ambitious infrastructure project adds 245,000 square feet of production space to the existing plant on West Randall Street, incorporating two advanced high-speed production lines. This significant capacity upgrade is designed to expand national output of Fairlife's signature ultra-filtered, lactose-free milk and Core Power protein shakes to meet rapidly accelerating consumer demand. Beyond physical plant enlargement, the expansion will create approximately 150 to 200 new full-time jobs, bolstering local employment and increasing raw milk procurement from regional dairy farms across Michigan. The facility already handles millions of pounds of milk daily, and the enhanced processing capacity will further solidify long-term supply contracts for local agricultural producers. The project has received robust state and local support, including an Alternative State Essential Services Assessment (ASESA) tax abatement valued at roughly $3.9 million and a $3.275 million grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). Additionally, the city of Coopersville secured a $17 million Make It in Michigan Competitiveness Fund grant to upgrade vital regional water and municipal infrastructure systems. Coming on the heels of a brief, temporary operational pause in July due to external utility circumstances - which safely resolved without impacting store shelves - the groundbreaking marks a strong return to growth. With construction anticipated to run over the next 18 months and commercial production slated for 2028, the expansion cements Fairlife's long-term commitment to Michigan's rural economy. You may be interested in. Legal Notice Related notes.
Fairlife breaks ground on $650M expansion in West Michigan: 'A win for all' Posted: Aug 5, 2026 / 03:10 PM EDT Updated: Aug 5, 2026 / 04:20 PM EDT COOPERSVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - Dairy company Fairlife broke ground Wednesday on a $650 million expansion of its Coopersville plant, which will nearly double the plant's square footage and add hundreds of jobs. Fairlife, which is owned by the Coca-Cola Company, is adding two high-speed production lines and a total of 245,000 square feet at the Coopersville site. The expansion will help Fairlife meet demand that "has never been higher," CEO Becca Kerr said ahead of Wednesday's groundbreaking ceremony. Work got underway this year and is expected to wrap up in early 2028. Once it's done, the Coopersville plant will become Fairlife's largest plant in the Midwest, a company representative told News 8. The expansion is expected to add about 200 full-time jobs. The plant already employs nearly 450 people, making it the largest employer in Coopersville besides the school, according to Mayor Brian Mooney. "Today we're talking about a groundbreaking, but this is really about a lot more than just turning dirt. Today is about strengthening an industry that has helped define West Michigan for generations," Mandy Cooper, interim president of economic development agency Lakeshore Advantage, told attendees. "Agriculture and food production have been part of this region's story for generations, and today's groundbreaking helps ensure that story is able to continue for years to come." After the expansion, Fairlife says it will bring in 4 million additional pounds of milk each day. "This is a big deal for Michigan agriculture," Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, told News 8. "It's fantastic for the farmers here in Michigan. We're going to see a lot of increased demand for dairy within the state, and that drives a whole series of economic development activities within that agriculture community." Roger Victory, a farmer and Republican state senator from Hudsonville, called the expansion "a win for all." "It's not just one entity that benefits," the senator explained. "When you have the stronger dairy industry, that means we have a stronger network of our machinery dealerships, our fertilizer supply systems. We all win. Regardless of if you're in the dairy industry, the beef industry (or) swine industry, we need a robust industry for agriculture for West Michigan." Fairlife's expansion is supported by multiple grants, including a $5 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant and a $2.3 million MDARD grant for wastewater infrastructure. "When we think about why we made this investment in Michigan, it was very intentional," Kerr said. "We know that this state has deep dairy roots. Michigan has a workforce that always shows up and delivers. And Michigan gave us a business environment that made this an easy decision." The city of Coopersville is also getting $17 million from the state to improve its water system. "The city needs (the grant) to support Fairlife," the mayor told News 8. "They wouldn't have the water supply they need if we didn't get that grant." Last month, Fairlife announced it had experienced a cyberattack, which temporarily halted production at its U.S. facilities. By late July, production had largely resumed. A Fairlife representative declined to comment Wednesday on how the cyberattack had affected the Coopersville plant.
Coca-Cola reveals subsidiary Fairlife suffered Data Breach. 2026-07-30 16:07 Coca Cola claims data was stolen from its Fairlife business after a recent ransomware attack Read the original article: Coca Cola claims data was stolen from its Fairlife business after a recent ransomware attack Information security training July 28, 2026 The Anubis cybercrime group has taken credit for the attack and is threatening to leak data. This article has been indexed from SecurityWeekRead the original article:Coca-Cola Confirms Data Breach After Fairlife Ransomware Attack July 27, 2026 Coca-Cola has confirmed data was stolen in the ransomware attack on Fairlife after the Anubis gang published allegedly stolen files, escalating the... July 28, 2026
Coca-Cola confirms hackers stole data in Fairlife attack. Representatives of Coca-Cola have confirmed that the ransomware attack on its dairy brand Fairlife involved data theft. Earlier, the Anubis hacking group claimed it had encrypted the company's infrastructure and stolen approximately 1 TB of corporate data. Since the deadline set in the hackers' ultimatum has expired, the dump has already been published on the ransomware group's website. The attack on Coca-Cola's dairy subsidiary Fairlife became known in mid-July 2026, when the company filed a relevant notice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As a result of the incident, Coca-Cola had to temporarily halt production at all four Fairlife facilities in the United States. The attack reportedly affected systems related to production, but Coca-Cola stressed that the incident did not affect product quality or safety. Shortly afterward, the Anubis ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack. The threat actors said they had encrypted Nutanix infrastructure and stolen approximately 1 TB of sensitive files from Fairlife. The hackers also stressed that it would be impossible to restore the affected systems without the decryption key. After discovering the attack, Coca-Cola representatives notified law enforcement, but did not follow the attackers' instructions or enter into negotiations with them. Initially, the company did not confirm Anubis members' claims at all and refused to discuss the possible data theft with the media. Coca-Cola representatives have now acknowledged that the attackers gained access to some of Fairlife's systems and stole data. However, the company still has not disclosed exactly what information was compromised or how many files may ultimately have fallen into the hands of the extortionists. Production at the four affected Fairlife facilities has already been almost fully restored, although recovery of certain systems and operations is still ongoing. The company said that existing inventory helped prevent serious shortages, and the attack had little impact on product availability in stores. According to the company's management, the incident has not had and is unlikely to have a material impact on Coca-Cola's financial condition or operating results. As BleepingComputer reports, the deadline Anubis gave Coca-Cola to begin ransom negotiations expired on July 27. As a result, the stolen files have already been published on the group's website.
Coca-Cola's Fairlife returns to full production after data breach disruption. The Coca-Cola Company announced that Fairlife has restarted production at all four of its U.S. facilities after recovering from a significant data security incident that disrupted operations earlier this month. Earlier this month, in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Coca-Cola said that on July 16, Fairlife detected unauthorised third-party access to a portion of its systems, including production-related systems, as part of a ransomware incident. The company launched an investigation with external cybersecurity experts, activated response and continuity measures, and notified law enforcement authorities. Coca-Cola said product quality and safety remained unaffected, but the cybersecurity incident temporarily halted production at Fairlife facilities in the United States, while operations in Canada continued without disruption. The Anubis ransomware group claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on Coca-Cola's Fairlife subsidiary, listing it as a victim on its data leak site. The group said it stole confidential company data and threatened to publish the information if ransom demands were not met. Coca-Cola has not verified the group's claims. In a seperate post, Anubis said that negotiations with Coca-Cola fell apart, following which it destroyed the decryption keys, and leaked the entire stolen database. The group further stated that the data leak caused Coca-Cola losses amounting to millions. In a recent update, Coca-Cola said Fairlife has restored the majority of production at its four U.S. facilities, while product availability in retail stores has remained largely unaffected due to existing inventory. The company added that product quality and safety standards were not impacted. "Based on the information currently available, the company believes the incident has not had, and is not reasonably likely to have, a material impact on the company's financial condition or results of operations," Coca-Cola added.