Dairy Process Engineer

Experience: 12–15 years

Function: Manufacturing / Process Engineering

Industry: Dairy / Food Processing

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Dairy Process Engineer with 12–15 years of hands-on experience in dairy manufacturing and process engineering. The role will be responsible for driving process optimization, debottlenecking, capacity expansion, manufacturing performance improvement, hygienic process design, and operational excellence across dairy processing operations.

The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in strained yoghurt processing, CIP systems, utilities, plant commissioning, shutdowns, and startup activities, with a proven track record of delivering measurable improvements in plant productivity, efficiency, quality, and reliability.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead process debottlenecking and capacity expansion initiatives to improve plant throughput, equipment utilization, and production capacity.
- Optimize strained yoghurt processing, including process parameters, equipment performance, yield, product consistency, and overall process efficiency.
- Drive CIP optimization and hygienic process improvements to enhance cleaning effectiveness, reduce cleaning time and water/chemical consumption, and ensure food safety and hygiene standards.
- Identify and implement manufacturing performance improvement opportunities across production processes, including yield improvement, waste reduction, downtime reduction, and OEE enhancement.
- Evaluate and optimize plant utilities, including steam, chilled water, refrigeration, compressed air, water, and other process utilities, with a focus on energy efficiency and cost reduction.




- Lead or support factory shutdown planning and execution, including scope definition, resource planning, maintenance coordination, process isolation, and safe restart.
- Provide technical support for plant commissioning, equipment commissioning, process trials, and startup activities.
- Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, EHS, and other cross-functional teams to resolve process and operational challenges.
- Develop and review process specifications, process flow diagrams, operating parameters, SOPs, and technical documentation.
- Conduct root-cause analysis of process issues and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
- Support the introduction of new technologies, equipment, and process improvements to enhance plant capability and operational efficiency.
- Ensure process improvements comply with food safety, hygiene, quality, EHS, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Key Skills & Competencies

- Strong expertise in dairy processing and manufacturing operations.
- In-depth knowledge of strained yoghurt processing and optimization.
- Expertise in CIP systems, hygienic design, and sanitary processing.
- Strong understanding of process engineering principles, mass balance, heat transfer, fluid flow, and process utilities.
- Proven experience in plant debottlenecking and capacity enhancement projects.




- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach to process improvement.
- Experience in plant shutdowns, commissioning, startup, and production ramp-up.
- Solid project management and cross-functional stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to translate manufacturing challenges into practical, commercially viable engineering solutions.
- Strong understanding of food manufacturing safety, quality, and hygiene requirements.

Education

- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Relevant experience in the dairy/food processing industry is essential.

Experience Profile

- 12–15 years of relevant experience in dairy processing, process engineering, manufacturing excellence, or plant engineering.
- Experience in a dairy manufacturing environment, preferably with exposure to yoghurt and fermented dairy products.
- Demonstrated experience delivering capacity expansion, process optimization, utility reduction, CIP improvement, and manufacturing performance improvement projects.

Key Success Measures

- Increased production capacity and throughput
- Improved OEE and manufacturing performance
- Reduced process losses, waste, and downtime
- Improved yoghurt yield and product/process consistency
- Reduced CIP cycle time and consumption of water, chemicals, and energy
- Improved utility efficiency and operating cost
- Successful execution of shutdowns, commissioning, and startup activities
- Sustained compliance with food safety, hygiene, quality, and EHS requirements

📌 Dairy Process Engineer (Kiewa)
🏢 Ubique Systems
📍 Kiewa