Principal Process Engineer I

Are you passionate about solving complex manufacturing and product development challenges while commercializing new products?

Join our team as a Principal Process Engineer in Richmond, VA, where you'll lead process development and scale-up initiatives that enable the successful launch and continuous improvement of our smokeable product portfolio.

In this role, you'll apply deep technical expertise across pilot and commercial manufacturing environments, partner with cross-functional teams, and drive solutions that enhance product quality, process capability, and operational performance.

What will you do:

• Lead cross-functional product and manufacturing initiatives spanning Product Design, Tobacco Processing, Leaf Blending, Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing Operations to enable commercialization of new smokeable products and implement product or process changes across the portfolio.
• Serve as a technical lead for complex programs, influencing decisions across matrixed teams and providing data-driven recommendations to senior leaders regarding process capability, product performance, risk mitigation, and commercialization readiness.
• Establish and maintain deep technical expertise in the relationship between tobacco processing parameters, material properties, product design attributes, and consumer-relevant performance characteristics to ensure products consistently meet quality, regulatory, and manufacturing requirements.
• Define critical process parameters, critical quality attributes, and process control strategies that enable robust product performance across development, scale-up, and commercial manufacturing environments.
• Lead process development, scale-up, and technology transfer activities from pilot environments to commercial manufacturing, utilizing statistical analysis, process modeling, and experimental design to rationalize trade-offs, minimize risk and accelerate commercialization timelines.
• Develop manufacturing readiness strategies and verification plans that ensure product specifications, process capability targets, and operational requirements are achieved during commercial implementation. Translate product and process knowledge to recommend process optimization and continuous improvement
• Utilize product and process knowledge to lead the resolution of manufacturing non-conformances
• Develop and execute plans based on general objectives to gather insights, scale-up, and implement new processes, equipment, and systems from concept to commercialization
• Ensure project plans and execution are in adherence with applicable policies and procedures including requirements for capital funding/asset management, Safety, Health, & Environmental management, and regulatory & quality management principles
• Coach and provide guidance and assistance to other process engineers to build the process engineering capabilities of self and others to accelerate progress against Altria’s Vision

What you will bring:

• BS in an Engineering domain and a minimum of 5-10 years of relevant experience (Chemical or Mechanical Engineering preferred)
• Strong background in application and execution of process and general engineering design principles. Direct experience in project management for planning, designing, executing, and developing new or existing processes from these principles required.
• Deep understanding of process synthesis from analysis of mass & energy balances, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, process controls, and their application to the selection and specification of equipment & systems for unit operations
• Strong cause-effect analytical and troubleshooting abilities
• Proficient in design of experiments to evaluate and document processes
• Working knowledge of Quality by Design, including Good Manufacturing Practices or related quality requirements & control principles to ensure product quality
• Primarily day-shift, however the incumbent will need to be flexible to provide support to other shifts as needed
• This position may involve 10%-15% travel and extended time in manufacturing, pilot, and lab environments that require the use of PPE.