CI Process Engineer
Alphia · Hazleton, PA
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Process
- Travel
- 50%
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 7+ years
- Certification
- Black Belt preferred
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 24 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level process role at Alphia (food & beverage) in Hazleton, PA.
- They ask for
- 7+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience) · Black Belt preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Root cause, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Extrusion
- Day to day
- about 50% travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Process Engineer roles in the US: typical posted base $93k–$133k.
Median of the low and high ends of 233 live postings that list pay, out of 641 process engineer openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Pennsylvania plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 16 other live process postings in Pennsylvania.
- Experience asked
- Typical (7+ years)
Similar roles usually ask 7+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 47%
- ✓ Lean 35%
- ✓ Six Sigma 29%
- ✓ Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 29%
- New product launch 29%
- Team leadership 24%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Black Belt, Extrusion, Painting / coating, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Process team at Alphia
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- The posting says about 50% travel. Between which sites?
- The posting mentions a Black Belt. Does the company sponsor certification?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from AlphiaAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Requirements
(To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The
requirements
listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required).
- ✓Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in industrial, Manufacturing, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent experience) with 5–7 years of hands-on manufacturing experience, preferably in pet food, food processing, or high-speed CPG operations.
- ✓Travel: Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% to support East Region plant facilities and assist in ongoing CI team projects.
- ✓Continuous Improvement: Proven expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma tools (Green/Black Belt preferred), root-cause analysis, and systematic waste elimination.
- ✓Financial Acumen: Strong capability to connect engineering changes to financial metrics (P&L, capital planning, conversion cost reduction).
- ✓Technical Skills: Advanced Excel and data analysis capabilities; familiarity with extrusion, thermal processing, or bulk material handling is a strong plus.
- ✓Leadership & Communication: Track record of driving cross-functional alignment and leading site-level change without direct authority.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: (The physical demands described here are representatives of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function. The phrases “occasionally,” “regularly,” and “frequently” correspond to the following definitions: “occasionally” means up to 25% of working time, “regularly” means between 26 and 75% of working time, and “frequently” means 76% and more of working time.)
- ✓The employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel, to manipulate keys on a keyboard and view data on a computer screen. The employee is occasionally required to stand, climb stairs, walk, and reach with arms and hands. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Some travel and overnight stays required.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: (The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions).
- ✓Occasional extended work hours may be required. Moderate noise (examples: business office with computers and printers, light traffic, plant background noise). The job is performed under a generally hazard free environment.
The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principal functions of the occupation described and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work
requirements
that may be inherent in the occupation.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Job purpose
The Continuous Improvement Process Engineer drives measurable cost reduction, capacity improvement, and operational performance across pet food manufacturing operations. Utilizing Lean/Six Sigma methodologies and financial acumen, this role partners directly with plant operations to transform process inefficiencies into realized P&L savings, increased capacity, and improved yields. The position is responsible for developing and executing a pipeline of high-value continuous improvement opportunities, from initial opportunity identification and financial justification through implementation, validation, and sustained results - focusing heavily on extrusion, drying, packaging, and raw material utilization.
Opportunity Identification & Analysis
- •Analyze manufacturing operations, conversion costs ($/lb, $/ton, labor hr/lb), and plant metrics to identify waste and process bottlenecks.
- •Evaluate focus areas including raw material giveaway, extrusion yields, dryer losses, bag/film packaging waste, utility consumption (steam, gas, power), and maintenance downtime.
- •Quantify potential savings into clear value buckets: Realized P&L Savings, Cost Avoidance, Capacity Expansion, Yield/Material Savings, and Labor Efficiency.
Pipeline Management & Project Development
- •Build and maintain a plant-wide Continuous Improvement Idea Library and submission process, establishing recognition (KUDOS) initiatives to foster an engaged continuous improvement culture.
- •Benchmark operational metrics across manufacturing lines and facilities to standardize best practices.
- •Translate prioritized opportunities into actionable capital expenditure requests (CERs), ROI business cases, timelines, and execution roadmaps.
Execution & Continuous Improvement Culture
- •Partner directly with plant managers, operators, and maintenance teams to execute improvement projects through influence, structured problem-solving, and root-cause analysis (8 Wastes of Lean).
- •Optimize core processing parameters, including extruder yield, dryer settings, coating application rates, and line throughput.
- •Conduct post-implementation tracking to verify financial savings on the P&L, ensure regulatory/food safety compliance, and establish sustainable standard work practices.