Project Execution Engineer

About the Role

Under the direction of the Engineering Manager, the Project Execution Engineer will play a pivotal role in overseeing and executing capital projects (CapEx) within a dynamic multinational food industry environment within a department of multidisciplinary Engineering that supports all the Manufacturing Operations sites for the Barry Callebaut’s Cocoa Business Units in the USA. This role encompasses a full spectrum of project management responsibilities, beginning with the initial concept and feasibility studies, extending through engineering design, procurement, and into the implementation phase of the project lifecycle. The individual will be instrumental in translating business needs into actionable project plans and ensuring successful project delivery while adhering to industry standards and company policies. The Senior Project Engineer is expected to foster a culture of excellence and innovation, driving teams towards achieving strategic objectives.

This position will be based in Eddystone, PA, but also eventually supporting a second factory Pennsauken, NJ, i.e, travelling between the plants when required must be considered.

This position will be under the Engineering organization, which means the information and data exchange with the Corporate teams will be part of the core of the position.

The main stakeholders for this position will be all the departments present in the sites, mainly the Plant Managers, but also including the Quality Assurance, HSE, HR, Maintenance, R&D, Supply Chain and the Production teams.

The core mission of this position is based on deep technical and managerial skills, which must ensure the adoption of high level of engineering standards in all capital projects for the food industry, managing strongly the timing and costs, seeking and being the owner of a clear, robust and well-designed communication plan, creating synergy between the departments and favoring the buy-in of all teams involved.

This position will lead internal and outsourced teams working in a wide range of capital projects sizes, from minor projects of layout improvement, for instance, to complex brand new lines for brown or greenfield projects.

Certainly, this position will be open to a lot of opportunities due to the nature of the projects to meet different needs themselves provides, but also it is a position of high visibility within the company and can be a first good step for your career in Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Lead and manage the full lifecycle of CapEx projects, from feasibility studies and business case development through implementation and project closeout.
• Oversee internal and external engineering resources, contractors, consultants, and vendors to ensure safe, high quality project execution.
• Develop, improve, and standardize engineering frameworks, technical standards, and departmental work instructions.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, contracts, procurement activities, and contractor performance to achieve delivery targets.
• Partner with Plant Managers and cross functional teams including Quality, HSE, HR, Maintenance, R&D, Supply Chain, and Production to align project priorities and execution plans.
• Establish and maintain robust communication plans that drive stakeholder engagement and support project success.
• Conduct engineering design reviews and ensure compliance with technical, quality, food safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Identify project risks, develop mitigation strategies, and implement contingency plans to minimize business impact.
• Support long term capital planning, including development of the two year CapEx portfolio and budget forecasts.
• Represent Project Engineering in operational and strategic discussions, steering committees, and key business decisions.
• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and high performance culture across project teams and stakeholders.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field is required; a Master's degree (MS or MBA) is an advantage.
• 6+ years of progressive engineering and project management experience within manufacturing environments, preferably food and beverage manufacturing.
• Demonstrated success leading medium to large scale CapEx projects and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong engineering knowledge across multiple disciplines and experience managing engineering, procurement, and construction activities.
• Proficiency with project management tools such as MS Project or Primavera and engineering software such as AutoCAD or SolidWorks; ERP experience is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, food safety, environmental, and operational requirements within manufacturing environments.
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, negotiation, conflict resolution, and leadership skills.
• Full professional proficiency in business and technical English is required; international project exposure is an advantage.
• Ability to travel approximately 10% to 30% between Eddystone, PA and Pennsauken, NJ and work comfortably in an industrial manufacturing environment.

What can you expect from Barry Callebaut

• Competitive Salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Paid holidays and generous paid time off
• Environment that welcomes workplace flexibility
• An atmosphere where diversity is embraced, and inclusivity is second nature. We call it #OneBC! Just ask our champions with the Americas Women’s Forum and the Racial Equality Forum!
• Ability to grow personally and professionally within an organization that values development and internal career growth.
• Be part of our mission in making sustainability the norm through Forever Chocolate with priorities centered around prospering farmers, zero child labor, carbon and forest positive, and creating 100% sustainable ingredients in all of our products.