The Sr. Controls Engineer (supports several manufacturing plants) position will coordinate the design, installation and start-up of process control, network, electrical, plant construction or process equipment projects for Feed Manufacturing Operations and other business units.

Position is responsible for development of the project scope and driving process improvements with the Region Director of Manufacturing, International Business Teams and Plant Managers as well as project and process design, capital and expense estimates, contractor selection, equipment specifications and purchases, implementation timeline and coordinate implementation plans for the projects. This position will provide recommended methods and standard operating practices to provide safe and effective control, optimize processes and meet product specifications with a major focus on PLC equipment and processes. 

Location: Virtual (preference for Arden Hills, MN)

Travel Required: Position involves domestic and limited international travel. 50-75% targeted, including weekends as needed

Required Education & Skills:

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in engineering with concentration in Mechanical, Agricultural, Food, Industrial, Feed Process Engineering or related degree and 10+ years related work experience.
• Technical processing expertise for Operations in Animal Feed, Food or related industries
• Solid working knowledge of mechanical or agricultural engineering and processing plants and equipment,
• Successful experience in the development and refinement of process equipment projects and managing construction projects
• Individual is highly organized, proficient, and knowledgeable in most current grain or food processing systems
• Proven track record of Project Management and driving Process Improvements. Ability to manage multiple projects and cost initiatives.
• Intermediate knowledge of MS Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, as well as Adobe/Bluebeam, AutoCAD and SKM.

Competencies-Skills (Required):  

• Highly effective communications is required and ability to modify communications approach to reach operators, supervisors, and Plant Managers. Strong interpersonal skills are required to sell and implement improvement projects.
• 2 years commissioning, reliability and/or maintenance experience preferred
• Ability to collaborate closely with operators on the plant and processing floor to understand equipment variables and equipment operations.
• Ability to understand root cause of problems and develop solutions is critical to success. Fact based reasoning and recommendations are essential to optimizing process variables and systems. Visualize process and building revisions and improvements.
• Ability to work closely with operators on the plant and processing floor to understand equipment variables and equipment operations.
• This position will involve 50% to 75% travel and will involve exposure to all shifts to allow training and operations improvements to be refined and fully implemented. Project installations can be up to 3 weeks in duration, including weekends. Significant time required in manufacturing facilities which have typical levels of dust and noise.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Plant design background.
• In-depth knowledge of food/animal feed processing plant and technology.
• Allen-Bradley PLC (ControlLogix, CompactLogix, MicroLogix) and HMI (FactoryTalk View ME/SE) coding and implementation experience.
• Allen Bradley VFD and SMC Soft Start control and configuration.
• Basic CISCO switch configuration and troubleshooting
• Process Control and Electrical documentation creation and management.

The annual salary range for this role is $123,920.00- $185,880.00

In most cases candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges.

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Neither Land O’Lakes, nor its search firms, will ever contact you and ask for confidential information over the phone or in email. If you receive a call or email like this, please do not provide the information being requested. 

Land O'Lakes does not use Automated Decision-Making Technology, as defined by California law, to substantially replace human decision-making or make significant decisions about applications for employment or contracting opportunities.