Plant Engineer

TITLE: Plant Engineer

REPORTS TO: Maintenance & Engineering Manager

LOCATION: Tulare, CA

Looking for a job that can grow into a lifelong career?

At Lactalis USA, we believe in promoting from within and giving our employees meaningful opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Whether you're just starting out or bringing years of experience, we'll provide the tools and support you need to succeed.

Lactalis is the world leader in dairy-a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Every day, we're proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together every day.

In the US, we offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani Italian cheeses and ricotta, President specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone's cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond cheddar, and Parmalat milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi's, Stonyfield Organic, Brown Cow, Oui, Yoplait, Go-Gurt, :ratio, Green Mountain Creamery, and Mountain High, along with sour cream and a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun, Gopi, and Arz.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values-Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We're building a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone's unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us make an impact.

From your PASSION to ours

As a Plant Engineer, the role will carry out responsibilities such as but not limited for ensuring the optimal performance, reliability, and compliance of all processing and packaging systems at the facility. This role supports plant operations by leading capital projects, improving equipment reliability, and driving continuous improvement initiatives. The Plant Engineer collaborates closely with maintenance, production, quality, and safety teams to support safe and efficient manufacturing.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Support daily plant operations by troubleshooting equipment issues and implementing corrective actions.
• Lead capital improvement and engineering projects from concept to implementation, ensuring cost, timeline, and performance objectives are met.
• Identify and execute opportunities to increase equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and improve process efficiency.
• Assist in developing and maintaining preventative and predictive maintenance programs.
• Partner with the maintenance team to analyze chronic equipment issues and develop long-term solutions.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory and safety standards (e.g., FDA, OSHA, USDA, GMP).
• Develop equipment and process specifications, including sourcing vendors and managing installations or upgrades.
• Maintain accurate documentation, including equipment manuals, drawings, SOPs, and project records.
• Support plant utilities, including refrigeration, boilers, water systems, compressed air, and electrical systems.
• Promote a culture of safety, food quality, and continuous improvement.

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Education

• Bachelor's degree is preferred.
• A major in Engineering is preferred.

Experience

• 3+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment; dairy, food, or beverage industry preferred.

Certifications and specific knowledge

• Strong understanding of industrial equipment, utility systems, and plant operations.
• Experience with CAD software, CMMS systems, and project management tools.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, and food safety standards

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally- recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities.