Project Engineer

About the role

LAPORTE Consultants Corp.

Location: Modesto, California (Hybrid), or within 60 miles

Employment type: Full-time

Join LAPORTE as a Project Engineer managing capital projects for Dairy, Food & Bev, biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing clients. Act as both a hands-on design engineer and technical project manager, steering projects from concept and basis of design through detailed engineering, construction support and commissioning, and keeping every discipline working from one integrated plan.

What You Will Deliver

• Lead projects from kickoff through closeout, defining scope, deliverables, schedule and engineering budget with the client and the LAPORTE project team.
• Manage 3 to 5 concurrent projects, tracking progress and cost forecasts, and reporting status, risks and recommendations to clients and LAPORTE management.
• Plan and allocate resources across process, mechanical, HVAC, electrical, automation, architectural, structural and validation disciplines, and run coordination meetings so every discipline works from one integrated plan.
• Control scope changes, change orders and project risks using risk registers, mitigation plans and LAPORTE's project management standards or client's process.
• Serve as the primary client contact, building trusted relationships, leading design reviews and keeping stakeholders aligned through every project phase.
• Communicate clearly and proactively with clients, contractors and internal teams, translating complex technical and business information into clear updates, decisions and action items that keep projects on track.
• Oversee procurement and vendor (OEM), contractor management, including RFQs, bid packages (including scope of work), technical and commercial bid evaluations and award recommendations.
• Lead construction-phase coordination, including submittal review, RFI responses, field walks, FAT/SAT and commissioning, through to project closeout.
• Partner closely with Operations, Finance, Environment, Health & Safety, and Research, Quality & Innovation teams to successfully deliver projects.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, federal, and international regulations.
• Ensure compliance with all Plant, State, and Federal OSHA, EPA, FDA, HACCP, and SQF regulations.
• Comply with cGMPs.
• Drive quality and continuous improvement through QA reviews, constructability reviews and lessons learned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Biochemical, Food or Process Engineering.
• 5 to 10 years of process or project engineering experience in a consulting engineering firm or an owner's engineering group.
• Experience designing, modifying or supporting facilities in hygienic or regulated process environments such as pharmaceutical, biotech, dairy, food or beverage.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams on capital projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Ability to travel up to 20% to client sites in California and across the West Coast.
• PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
• Experience in dairy, food and beverage, infant formula, bio-industrial facilities, with familiarity with 3-A, EHEDG, ASME BPE, ISPE Baseline Guides, FDA and USDA requirements.
• Experience with California project requirements such as Title 24, Cal/OSHA and CDFA dairy regulations.
• Experience in packaging design and project implementation.
• Background in clean utilities (purified water, clean steam), CIP/SIP systems.
• Experience with MS Project, Primavera P6 and Bluebeam.
• PMP or other project management certification.

Hybrid Work and Project Travel

• This is a hybrid role for candidates based in Modesto, California, or within a 60-mile radius, combining remote work and client-site assignments.
• Travel of up to 20% supports our West Coast and California clients for design reviews, site walkdowns, construction support, FAT/SAT and commissioning.
• Site work involves prolonged walking or standing, climbing ladders and stairs, and following client PPE, safety, gowning and GMP procedures.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $85,000 to $125,000 USD per year. The final offer will depend on education, experience, skills and internal equity. This position may be filled at different engineering levels based on the selected candidate's qualifications and experience.

Laporte

The LAPORTE team