Process Engineer

About Us:

Finlays Solutions operates manufacturing sites worldwide (USA, UK, Kenya). The primary role will be within the USA; however, there may be international co-operation with the head office as well as other Finlays’ sites around the world to help develop a consistent approach to Engineering Standards.

Job Summary:

The Process Engineer will play a critical role in driving operational excellence at the Minden, NV, manufacturing site. This position is responsible for evaluating, optimizing, and transforming key production processes to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and cost performance, with a strong focus on liquid processes such as blending, filtration, Clean-in-Place and HTST Processes. In addition to leading process control and improvement initiatives, the role manages capital projects that enhance process capability, automation, and workplace safety. This includes early-stage technology development, scaling new processes, and upgrading existing systems to support Finlays’ long-term growth strategy.

The Process Engineer will be responsible for commissioning, validation, and startup of new equipment and processes, ensuring seamless integration into operations. Success in this role requires strong Chemical and Process Engineering expertise, practical problem-solving skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

As Finlays expands production capacity to meet increasing customer demand, this role will be instrumental in developing highly automated, lean, and sustainable manufacturing systems. While primarily based at the Minden site, the position may support additional Finlays Solutions facilities across the U.S. and contribute to the development of process and food safety standards for JFA and beyond.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Process Optimization & Technical Leadership

• Evaluate and improve key manufacturing processes—including blending, CIP, Thermal Treatment and packaging—using sound engineering principles and data-driven analysis.

• Assess current and emerging technologies to identify opportunities for process enhancement, automation, and cost reduction.

• Develop and maintain P&IDs for existing and evolving processes.

Project & Capital Management

• Lead projects from concept through capital proposal, approval, installation, and implementation.

• Build robust business cases in partnership with Finance and cross-functional stakeholders, including cost-benefit analyses and ROI justification.

• Ensure all engineering solutions meet the highest standards of process safety, occupational safety, and sanitary design.

• Manage internal and external resources to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Process Safety & Compliance

• Lead all Process Safety activities for the Site, including PHR, LOPA and HCA analysis for all process safety critical equipment.

• Collaborate closely with the Global Process Safety Team to develop a Process Safety roadmap to evaluate and enhance process safety systems and standards.

• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory requirements across all process improvements.

Commissioning, Validation & Startup

• Lead commissioning, qualification, and startup of new equipment and processes.

• Conduct rigorous process and equipment trials, documenting results and ensuring readiness for full-scale operation.

Continuous Improvement & Performance Monitoring

• Establish and maintain systems for ongoing process performance evaluation, reporting, and optimization.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives aligned with World Class Manufacturing principles.

• Manage change control processes, ensuring traceability, documentation, and verification of expected vs. actual benefits.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Technical Support

• Partner with Commercialization, R&D and NPD teams to translate concepts into scalable, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing solutions.

• Partner with the sustainability team to support the Finlays Global Sustainability Roadmap

• Provide engineering expertise to internal teams and external business partners.

• Review new and existing packaging formats to ensure compliance with food safety and quality standards.

• Build a strong knowledge base and network to serve as a subject matter expert.