Manufacturing Packaging Engineer

COMPANY OVERVIEW

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next.​




POSITION OVERVIEW 

The Manufacturing Packaging Engineer (internally called a Sr. Systems Engineer) role provides technical leadership and serves as a system and product specialist. They are responsible to build the team’s processing technical skills through a hands-on approach. They are accountable for the operational foundational systems across systems they own and to the plant to secure basic conditions and drive out losses with the platform team. This role will be focused on the packaging lines in the Twinscrew and Sprout department at the Covington Site. The Covington Site has two physical plants supporting Big G Cereal and Snacks. The Site has 7 Platforms (Puff, Flake, Snacks, Sheeted Twinscrew, Sprout, and 2 Twinscrew DX Systems). The plant operates 4-crew structure with rotating 12-hour shifts.

The Manufacturing Packaging Engineer plays a critical role to continuously improve by optimizing system performance and product quality while driving strategic productivity and capacity solutions for the platform and ultimately the business. This level showcases a Manufacturing Packaging Engineer's knowledge and foundation to build the capability of others. This role centers on consistent manufacturing performance, problem-solving, and improvement. It involves significant floor time to understand manufacturing processes, coupled with development within the Systems Engineering JTA. The primary focus is improvement and loss elimination activities aligned with system glidepath and future state goals. This includes supporting team skill development inclusive of content development and talent assessments, and advocating for system investments, articulating their financial impact to plant leadership for annual planning. As knowledge expands, credibility as a strategic partner with Engineering, Ops and ITQ will increase. This will allow more intentional focus on other systems and to engage in business plans.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES 

Safety 

Lead food and human safety through Safety 2.0 leadership principles and standards

• Cultivate Human Safety Culture that reduces risk to our people and communities by increasing capability to proactively discuss, identify and control risk
• Cultivate Food Safety Culture that is committed to manufacturing safe food that is compliant with policy and regulatory requirements 

People Leadership and Capability Building  

• Communicate and engage effectively with teams across the full site
• Regularly engage with corporate engineering, R&D and business teams to advocate for their system current and future state
• Provide early level coaching to early tenure Systems Engineers and plant personnel (MEA, Operations Leaders, etc.)
• Support L&D assessments and content development
• At the site level partner with leadership to advocate for system investment 

Process Leadership and Ownership

Driving System Utilization (DSU):

• Responsible to lead the execution of Loss Tree and Glidepath efforts, building team skills around glidepath development
• Execute loss elimination tasks to improve system and equipment reliability through use of continuous improvement processes and problem solving
• Build learnings into training materials and coaching of the operating team members to increase capability of the broader team
• Execute and identify of HMM initiatives
• Actively improve the data and information of the system to increase the ability to model and predict opportunity areas (performance metrics, financial information, data historian, maintenance management system). 

Operations Foundational Systems:

• Accountable for the operational foundation systems across the platform to secure basic conditions and drive out losses (Clean-Inspect-Lubricate CIL, Centerlines CL and Theory of Operation TOO)

Vertical Start-Up (VSU): Execute project support (planning, start-up).

Know your Operation, Data and Technology

• Advanced expertise in the 4M's through a physical presence on the manufacturing floor (machine, materials, methods, human) to build capability in others understanding of interdependency of inputs
• Actively showcase system mastery via application and understanding of Operations Foundational Systems
• Secure material balance and unit operation expertise on the system(s) to ensure optimal production rates, parameters, and formulas
• Engage with R&D partners on impacts of formulations, HMM efforts, etc. to optimize 4M interface
• Develop through connections and learning from operators, technicians and peers through rigorous application and understanding of foundational systems
• Clearly articulate financial impact to the plant based on business and plant decisions in support of annual financial, capital and capacity planning

Back-Up Support

• This position will provide backup support as needed, ensuring business continuity and operational efficiency
  • Technical partners on platform team (SE, QE, Maintenance)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering or related degree with applicable experience or extensive relevant work experience
• 5+ years of related experience
• Food science or process/packaging science experience
• Theory/functionality of manufacturing systems and unit operations
• Advanced data and statistical analysis capabilities · Consumer Products or Process Industry experience
• Statistical analysis and analytical methods
• Advanced Mechanical aptitude, specifically on the technology that the Engineer is connected to in their role
• Examples of Loss Tree and Glide path ownership and improvement plan execution
• Sound financial acumen at the Plant level to define and drive cost saving efforts  
• General Engineering Principles and Continuous Improvement knowledge
• Demonstrated leadership and working in a highly collaborative environment
• Success in driving results through process and teamwork
• Proven success reducing losses and improving performance in a manufacturing setting
• Demonstrated technical capability and knowledge of unit operations and manufacturing machinery
• Skilled at communicating between work groups, cross-functional resources, and other members of the plant and corporate teams
• Working knowledge of manufacturing data analysis systems (examples: SAP, Maximo, Manufacturing Analytics, MQIS) and proven success with decision making for results

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's degree (Technical/Science/Engineering preferred)
• 6+ years of related experience

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• International relocation or international remote working arrangements (outside of the US) will not be considered. 
• Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.




SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is:

$95,300 - $143,200 Annual



At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range. ​

​

Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.




ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet a minimum 18-year age qualification.




EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER (EOE)​

General Mills is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or familial status, status regarding public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission.




REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST

If you need to request an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please fill out our online accommodation request form by following this link: Accommodation Request.