Principal Process Engineer

Job description

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 103,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Job Description

Description

Primary Function

• A degreed engineer with 3-7 years’ experience, working with a Sr. Engineering mentor, applying engineering knowledge, mathematics and statistics, and ingenuity to complete assignments related to process/manufacturing systems.
• This position is involved in the analysis, design, and improvement of manufacturing process systems for the bulk liquid processing, aseptic processing, retort processing operations, and powders processing within the North American region of Abbott Nutrition (AN).

Major Responsibilities:

Project Management:

• Plans and coordinates activities related to process equipment engineering improvements for liquid processing and heat treatment activities within AN supply chain. Establishes workable and trackable schedules. Works with staff, outside firms and/or consultants to agree on plans and timetables for a specific project. Identifies pinch points or conflicts. Sets performance metrics.
• Manages multiple, often concurrent, projects and meets deadlines.

• Works with Sr. Engineer and PM’s on  project controls and reporting for cost, scope and schedule.
• Assist in development of execution strategy, including procurement. Balances multiple demands within assignment, e.g., executes contingency plans to recover from schedule slippage and financial overruns.
• Assist in the formation of economic analysis and feasibility studies. Responsible for achieving financial targets in support of business objectives.

Technical/Design

• Gathers manufacturing performance data and performs analysis. Reports findings. Prepares and communicates recommendations and respective action plans to drive cost containment and cost reduction efforts. Executes the recommendations.
• Benchmarks internally and externally. Uses internal and external benchmarking as a tool to drive improvement in areas (KPIs, OEEs, Capacity, etc)

• Provides limited technical assistance to operations and leadership on high priority issues.  Technical assistance will increase as skills are developed.   
• Possesses theoretical knowledge, educational background with specifying, selecting, manufacturing acceptance, installation, startup, commission and validation of fully automated liquid and powder food manufacturing equipment and manufacturing lines.  
• Possesses theoretical knowledge, educational background and to apply sound mechanical/chemical engineering principals in machine design, process flow design, process engineering, equipment manufacturing, fabrication practices and equipment design.   

Problem Solving/Innovation

• Assist in the design, install, commission and start-up as well as maintain and improve the bulk liquid processing, aseptic processing, retort processing equipment, and powder processing unit operations. 
• Responsible for the process engineering and improvements in the areas of material handling, spray drying, powder filling, CIP, ingredients preparation, retort processing, and aseptic processing. 
• Ensures compliance of process parameter and operational condition with USDA and FDA regulations.
• Responsible for improvement initiatives that define equipment data, equipment capabilities, utilization, efficiencies and obsolescence as it relates to processing 
• Works with team to develop validation execution strategies with a focus on defining intended use and measuring process capability against critical quality acceptance criteria.     
• Develop project justification and engineering proposals for capital expenditure requests.

Organization Interface

• Mentored by others and willing to share information and accept candid feedback and guidance.
• Interfaces frequently with inter-organizational and outside customer contacts. Represents the organization in providing solutions to difficult technical issues associated with specific projects.
• Prepares written communication. Conveys information effectively through formal and informal documents with team members, designers, technicians, and other technical personnel, both internal and external to Abbott, using appropriate communication protocols; obtains approval to proceed with proposed action plans.
• Establishes networks. Follows through on goals; contributes willingly and incorporates the ideas of others; shares resources, knowledge, and accountability to benefit the objectives of the business.
• Builds relationships. Initiates and cultivates open, honest relationships with colleagues, customers, contractors, and vendors by establishing rapport, developing an understanding of others’ needs, promoting common goals, and following through on commitments, e.g. offers assistance; interacts effectively with stakeholders at appropriate levels of the organization.
• Resolves underlying problems. Identifies full range of customer/client needs and proposes solutions to address them; makes alterations in products or services to better meet (recognized or unrecognized) customer need, e.g., partners with an outside vendor to provide a better deliverable.

Compliance

• Complies with all regulations and standards for quality, Environmental, Health, Safety, and Energy (EHS&E) Global Policies, Abbott Engineering Standards, and other governance areas as applicable.
• Ensures quality and effectiveness of assigned tasks.
• Has awareness of the potential consequences of changes to established processes.
• Identifies areas of risk with respect to compliance.

Additional Responsibilities may include

• Develops procedures and standards.
• Directs the efforts of others such as technicians and outside resources.
• Provides training.

Accountability/Scope

• Works under general direction. Independently determines and develops approach to solutions.
• Work is reviewed by mentor/team upon completion for adequacy in meeting objectives.
• Works with team and identifies and quantifies technical risks and their consequences relative to the success of part of a project; recommends appropriate action, e.g. reports calculations and recommendations in terms concrete enough for management to make an informed decision.
• Decisions or recommendations would typically achieve department/project objectives.
• This position interfaces with all Abbott Nutrition manufacturing facilities in North American with links to overseas manufacturing.

Qualifications

Education

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, science or closely related discipline is desired, or equivalent technical experience plus demonstrated competence, with a desired 3-7 years of significant engineering and/or operational experience. Additional post-graduate education may contribute towards the desired years of experience. A Mechanical or Chemical Engineering degree preferred.

Background Skills/Knowledge

• Familiarity with plant control software, including PLC and SCADA/Delta V systems.

• Familiarity with liquid aseptic processing in the food industry.

• Familiarity in the design, startup, and install of retort systems. 
• Familiarity with engineering project management.
• Has a technical background in health care, nutritional products, or similar industries (preferred).
• Familiarity with discrete event simulation modelling to optimize production line speed, accumulation, layout, and material flow.
• Familiarity fitting raw data to distributions for input to simulations. Background in statistical analysis and simulation output data interpretation.
• Familiarity of push/pull methodologies, queuing, warehousing strategies, and Theory of Constraints to aid in line layout optimization

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