At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and improve processes for food production, ensuring safety and efficiency.
- Company: A growing Melbourne food brand focused on quality and safety.
- Benefits: $80,000 salary plus superannuation, with direct access to the founder.
- Other info: Join a small, dynamic team with a focus on innovation and growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in food production and see your ideas implemented quickly.
- Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in engineering and two years' experience in food manufacturing.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 80000 $ per year.
The role involves designing, controlling and improving the processes behind fermentation, brining and acidification, hot-fill sauce manufacture, pasteurisation, filling and packing. The products depend on tightly controlled chemistry: pH, salt and acid concentrations, temperature and time. The job is to make those processes repeatable, safe and efficient as volumes grow, and to lead the engineering work that takes new products from bench to full-scale production. Reporting directly to the founder.
What you'll do:
- Define, document and control critical process parameters for fermentation, acidification (pH management), pasteurisation and hot-fill, and verify them against the registered food safety program.
- Design and validate processes for new products; manage scale-up from trial batches to commercial runs.
- Analyse yield, waste, cycle time and cost per unit; identify and implement process improvements.
- Run root-cause analysis on batch deviations and quality issues and put corrective actions in place.
- Specify, commission and maintain processing equipment; plan preventative maintenance and line changeovers.
- Own batch records, traceability and recall-readiness from raw-material intake to dispatch.
- Plan production scheduling across the brand lines against wholesale, distributor, retail and events demand.
- Write and maintain SOPs and train production staff against them.
- Report process and production KPIs to the Director.
What you'll need:
- Bachelor's degree in engineering — chemical, process, food, production or industrial — or an equivalent qualification.
- At least two years' experience in a process or production engineering role in food, beverage or related manufacturing; fermentation, acidified or thermally processed foods highly regarded.
- Working knowledge of HACCP-based food safety systems, process validation and batch traceability.
- Confident with process data — measuring, analysing and acting on it.
- Able to work hands-on and autonomously in a small, cross-trained team.
- Full Australian working rights, or eligibility for employer sponsorship.
What we offer:
- $80,000 + superannuation, full-time ongoing role with annual review.
- Direct line to the founder — your process decisions are implemented in weeks, not years.
- A growing Melbourne food brand that takes food safety, documentation and craft equally seriously.
Process Engineer in Melbourne employer: ACIDE
ACIDE is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant city of Melbourne, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. As a Food Process Engineer, you will have the opportunity to lead impactful projects from bench to full-scale production, while benefiting from continuous professional development and a supportive team environment. With a focus on safety and efficiency, ACIDE empowers its employees to drive meaningful improvements in food processing, making it a rewarding place to grow your career.
