Are you a process engineer with a passion for continuous improvement? Kellanova, a leading global snacking powerhouse, is seeking a skilled and motivated Process Engineer to join their dynamic team in Springs, South Africa. This role is perfect for professionals who are dedicated to optimizing manufacturing processes, reducing waste, and ensuring the highest standards in safety, quality, and food safety.
The Role: Process Engineer
The Process Engineer will be responsible for identifying and eliminating losses and waste in the manufacturing process. They will focus on reducing process variability and improving Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE). The position involves the application of Kellanova’s methodologies to optimize the production process while maintaining rigorous safety and quality standards.
The role requires active participation in operational trials, projects, and start-up management. Additionally, the Process Engineer will play a pivotal role in management of change, ensuring that critical processes and procedures are updated in collaboration with environmental health, safety (EHS), and quality food safety (QFS) teams.
Key Responsibilities
Environmental, Health, and Safety
A key responsibility of the Process Engineer is to foster a strong Health and Safety culture within the plant. The engineer will lead by example, promoting safe practices through GEMBA, Safety 7 Tours, and Leader-led observation programs. By doing so, the engineer will not only ensure that all safety protocols and legislated requirements are followed but also actively address potential risks and hazards. They will also assist in root cause analysis of any incidents, contributing to risk mitigation strategies.
Quality and Food Safety
Maintaining the highest standards of Quality and Food Safety is a core part of this position. The Process Engineer will lead efforts to reduce process variability and improve finished product quality. This will involve working closely with R&D to enhance recipes and processes, and collaborating with suppliers to reduce material variability. Regular participation in daily food reviews will help monitor and improve product quality.
Additionally, the Process Engineer will address any food safety or quality concerns, including adverse events and non-conformance incidents, ensuring continuous product excellence.
People Management and Communication
Effective communication is vital in the Process Engineer role. The engineer will collaborate across various departments, ensuring clear and consistent communication. They will actively engage in daily direction-setting meetings, toolbox talks, and shift team meetings to drive operational performance. The engineer will also support the capability development of the team, acting as a coach for relief operators, helping them acquire troubleshooting skills and understand loss elimination techniques.
Kellanova Work Systems (KWS)
Kellanova utilizes KWS (Kellanova Work Systems) to drive continuous improvement and process optimization. The Process Engineer will play an active role in the KWS Centre of Excellence teams, specifically focusing on Autonomous Maintenance (AM) and Continuous Improvement Process Optimization (CIPO). This includes implementing SmartFactory applications, training operators, and troubleshooting issues in the Process area. The engineer will also benchmark best practices across other Kellanova facilities to ensure the highest operational efficiency.
Manufacturing and Operational Efficiency
A major aspect of the Process Engineer role is to take ownership of the OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) improvement and loss elimination journey within the process area. The engineer will collaborate with various departments, such as shift production managers and maintenance technicians, to drive improvements in equipment performance and reduce operational failures.
The Process Engineer will also be responsible for updating the capacity plan for the process area, ensuring it reflects actual performance and forecasts future capacity needs. By identifying throughput opportunities, the engineer will contribute to increasing production rates and optimizing manufacturing operations.
Skills and Experience Required
To succeed in this role, candidates must meet the following educational and experience requirements:
- Grade 12 or equivalent.
- A National Diploma or Degree in Chemical Engineering or a relevant higher-level qualification.
- At least 3-5 years of experience in process engineering, preferably in the manufacturing industry.
- Knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Minitab/Matlab, Six Sigma, LEAN manufacturing, and SAP.
Additional skills required include the ability to plan and organize, attention to detail, adaptability, and the ability to interact effectively with team members. Candidates should be capable of driving continuous improvement and inspiring others toward achieving common goals.
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If you are passionate about process optimization and have the required experience and qualifications, apply for the Process Engineer position today. After applying, your application will be reviewed by a real recruiter, so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox for updates.
To learn more about Kellanova’s hiring process and how to prepare for an interview, visit the How We Hire page on their website.
