Full-Time
Engineering Technician
Processing
Fairlife
201-500 employees
Lactose-free dairy and protein drinks
Compensation Overview
$100k - $120k/yr
Allendale Charter Twp, MI, USA
In Person
 Mechanical Engineering (1) |
|---|
- Engineering education or equivalent hands-on experience, with 5+ years applying engineering principles in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
- Proven ability to lead complex technical problem-solving using data, structured tools, and root cause analysis.
- Demonstrated success designing, implementing, and sustaining equipment and process improvements.
- Strong hands-on technical knowledge of manufacturing and processing equipment, including PLCs, instrumentation, motors, pumps, valves, and mechanical systems.
- Experience leading or significantly contributing to controls and automation efforts (e.g., PLC programming, RSLogix 5000, VFDs, historians, sensors/instrumentation).
- Ability to read and interpret mechanical, P&ID, and electrical schematics to support design, troubleshooting, and improvement work.
- Capability to lead technical initiatives, mentor others, and drive continuous improvement across engineering and maintenance disciplines.
- Experience in food and beverage manufacturing (dairy preferred) with working knowledge of FDA/PMO requirements or the ability to quickly learn and apply them in a fast-paced environment.
- Provide technical solutions and expertise in engineering and maintenance for milk receiving, separators, membrane filtration, and CIP systems. Serve as a top resource and technical expert for plant processing equipment.
- Partner with equipment and maintenance technicians to grow the overall technical knowledge and performance of equipment.
- Support production with advanced equipment troubleshooting.
- Engineer solutions to improve overall equipment reliability.
- Determine root cause of reliabilities failures and implement measures to prevent future events.
- Analyze machine efficiency and reliability data to identify opportunities for improving performance.
- Train maintenance and equipment technicians to grow overall technical capabilities.
- Preform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
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
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- The $650 million Coopersville project expands capacity with two new high-speed production lines.
- Fairlife plans 30% more production capacity across facilities over three to five years.
- Growing demand for high-protein, lower-sugar dairy supports premium pricing and product expansion.
What critics are saying
- Animal-welfare litigation and a $21 million settlement continue to damage Fairlife's trust premium.
- The Michigan expansion depends on timely construction and 2028 line startup execution.
- Copycat protein-dairy products and trade-down pressure can erode Fairlife's pricing advantage.
What makes Fairlife unique
- Fairlife sells ultra-filtered milk, protein shakes, and nutrition products under Coca-Cola ownership.
- Michigan approved $275,000 for its Coopersville expansion and 150 added jobs.
- The Coopersville plant uses patented ultrafiltration and sources milk from 30 Michigan farms.
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Company News
Coca-Cola spends $650M to expand Fairlife production. The beverage giant is adding to a Michigan manufacturing plant as the dairy brand sees "significant growth." Published March 25, 2026 Dive brief: * Coca-Cola is investing up to $650 million to update and expand production at its Fairlife facility in Michigan, according to a Tuesday news release. * The investment at its Cooperstown manufacturing plant will add 245,000 square feet of production space and create 150 additional jobs, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation said in a statement. * Fairlife, which produces ultra-filtered, lactose-free milk, protein and nutrition shakes, has been located at the Cooperstown facility since 2012. It employs more than 400 people. Facility updates will help production keep up with consumer demand as the brand sees "significant growth," the press release said. Dive insight: Since it was acquired in 2020, Fairlife has been a point of growth for Coca-Cola, surpassing the $1 billion sales threshold four years ago. The brand, which touts higher protein and less sugar than traditional milk, has benefited from more consumers seeking out healthier options. At Citi's Global Consumer and Retail Conference earlier this month, Coca-Cola President and CFO John Murphy said the beverage giant plans to invest in other Fairlife facilities during the next three to five years to increase production capacity by 30%. The investment in Michigan adds two additional production lines that are expected to be operational in 2028, according to a Coca-Cola press release. Construction will begin later this year. The Michigan expansion is in addition to a separate $650 million Fairlife facility in upstate New York, which is scheduled to open this year. Murphy cited Fairlife as an example of how Coca-Cola uses innovation to get closer to a broad consumer set. The brand also has a nutrition portfolio in addition to its protein shakes and milk. "You cannot... sit on the laurels of what you've accomplished to date, but it's a pretty darn good place to start from," Murphy said of Fairlife. "And as we go forward, I would see the innovation opportunity in this category to be quite strong."
Fairlife, acquired in full by Coca-Cola in 2020, depicts itself as an eco-conscious milk brand dedicated to working with local farms, conserving water, supporting renewable energy, and investing in animal welfare.
Upscale milk brand Fairlife accused of animal abuse, environmental wrongs.
Farmer-owned Cayuga Milk Ingredients announced plans in 2022 to expand into extended-shelf-life processing at its plant near Auburn, New York.
Fairlife breaks ground on $650 million facility in New York.