Process Engineer

Description

Open Gates Group is a family of food companies located near Kalona, Iowa, united by a mission to support our employees, strengthen local communities, and champion sustainable farming. What began as a small creamery has grown into a network of 11 food-focused businesses that work together to source, produce, sell, and transport high-quality Midwestern products to more than 3,500 stores nationwide. Our Organic Milk comes from grass-fed cows raised on small, family-owned farms that are committed to sustainability. We keep things simple and natural—low-temp pasteurization (never ultra-pasteurized), non-homogenized, with a rich cream top you can taste. Many of our farms are also “Verified Regenerative” through Land to Market, meaning their grazing practices improve the health of the land.  

We’re currently looking for a hands-on Process Engineer to help us continue delivering exceptional products while improving our production operations from the ground up.

Summary

The Process Engineer is a highly hands-on role focused on understanding, monitoring, and improving our food manufacturing processes. This person will be deeply involved in day-to-day operations, working closely with cross-functional teams to identify inefficiencies, troubleshoot issues, and enhance product quality. We're looking for someone who is process-driven, curious, and thrives in a production environment—someone who doesn’t just want to design from a distance but is actively involved on the floor, where the work is happening.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Learn and document manufacturing processes thoroughly—from raw material handling to finished product.
• Actively observe and participate in production processes to identify improvement opportunities.
• Analyze process variables and conduct root cause and cause-and-effect analysis to improve consistency and quality.
• Collaborate with production, QA, maintenance, and other departments to gather data and develop/refine SOPs.
• Support continuous improvement efforts focused on efficiency, quality, and safety.
• Review and validate production processes to ensure compliance with specifications and quality standards.
• Lead process trials, monitor key metrics and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Assist with training production staff on updated procedures or process changes.
• Ensure documentation is clear, accurate, and aligned with GMP and quality system requirements.
• Drive a culture of safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, or related) or equivalent experience preferred.
• 4+ years of experience in a food manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of production operations, process troubleshooting, and continuous improvement principles.
• Excellent analytical and observational skills—able to spot issues and solve them at the source.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally and communicate clearly with diverse teams.
• Familiarity with quality systems such as GMP, ISO, or HACCP preferred.
• A self-starter with a proactive mindset and a passion for process excellence.
• Highly proactive, with the ability to work independently under pressure and respond quickly to shifting priorities.
• Passion and alignment with our mission, vision, values & operating principles.