Senior Dairy Processing Engineer

fairlife, LLC is a Chicago‑based nutrition company that creates great‑tasting, nutrition‑rich and dairy products to nourish consumers. With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife's portfolio includes lactose‑free, real dairy products such as fairlife® ultra‑filtered milk, Core Power® High Protein Shakes, and fairlife® nutrition plan™. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca‑Cola company, fairlife has been recognized by Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry‑leading innovation.

The Sr. Dairy Processing Engineer will bring deep technical expertise in fluid milk membrane separations (especially ultrafiltration), thermal processing (HTST/HHST/UHT), and end‑to‑end milk unit operations—from raw milk receiving through packaging. This hands‑on technical authority will drive process technology innovation, troubleshoot manufacturing issues, optimize process capabilities and product quality, support pilot‑to‑plant scale‑up, and partner with Operations, Manufacturing, and Quality teams.

• Serve as a go‑to technical expert for fluid milk separation, standardization, homogenization, pasteurization systems (HTST/HHST/UHT), and packaging performance.
• Diagnose and resolve process and product issues.
• Partner with Operations/Manufacturing/Quality to drive safe, compliant, and reliable production; troubleshoot process deviations and identify root causes for quality issues.

• Define critical process parameters, key performance indicators, and control plans.
• Design, coordinate, and execute pilot and commercial‑scale plant trials.
• Own process capability improvements and provide technical input to capital projects and equipment selection.
• Provide subject‑matter expertise on OEM platforms and engineering approaches.

• Proactively identify opportunities for process optimization that improve efficiency, sustainability, yield, or product shelf‑life.
• Lead initiatives and manage stakeholders across Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain.

• Apply deep knowledge of milk composition and how processing impacts chemistry, physical properties, and functional performance.
• Partner with Product Development and Operations on formulation/processing choices for fluid dairy products, including shakes.

• Define plans, execute, and interpret analytical testing results tied to processing and shelf‑life.
• Establish and improve SOPs, troubleshooting playbooks, and process data reviews.

• Individual contributor initially; will build and develop a team of 1–4 process engineers, dairy scientists, or technicians.
• Build strong cross‑functional relationships and communicate clearly from plant floor to leadership level.

• MS in Dairy Science, Food Engineering, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or closely related field with a focus on dairy processing and/or thermal processing.
• 5–10 years of progressive experience in fluid dairy processing spanning pilot through commercial manufacturing.
• Demonstrated expertise in HTST/HHST and/or UHT processing of fluid milk and/or cream with practical plant troubleshooting.
• Experience with end‑to‑end milk unit operations: raw receiving → clarification/separation → standardization → homogenization → pasteurization/aseptic processing → packaging.
• Ultrafiltration of milk and/or dairy membrane separations; familiarity with MF/UF/NF/RO is a plus.
• Strong technical competence in dairy physical chemistry and processing impacts on proteins/fats/enzymes.
• Proven ability to partner with Operations/Manufacturing/Quality in a high‑accountability environment.
• Experience with aseptic systems and packaging interactions—commercial aseptic operations strongly preferred.
• Track record of leading cross‑functional root‑cause investigations (e.g., flavor defects, oxidation, shelf‑life failures).
• Experience in capital projects preferred.
• Familiarity with regulatory expectations and operator training frameworks for pasteurization systems preferred.

• Comprehensive medical, dental,…