Engineer - Packaging

Join America's favorite family bakery since 1934-home of Little Debbie, Drake's Cakes, and Sunbelt Bakery Granola Bars. Work with legacy brands that bring smiles to faces nationwide, including yours. You'll experience a culture committed to work-life balance, guaranteed time off, and supportive health and wellness offerings. Enjoy profit sharing, long-term job security, and a range of exciting career paths. When you join McKee Foods, you'll discover a better way to live and work.

Pay

Salaried grade 5, 6 or 8 $64,000-$90,700 / year.

Exact pay will depend on qualifications and experience. This position is part of a career ladder with the potential of earning more than the listed salary range.

Schedule

1st Shift Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., off shift work may be required to support project installation, commissioning, and start-up

This is a hybrid role with some work-from-home available as business needs allow.

Location

10606 Apison Pike Collegedale, TN 37315

Job Summary

McKee Foods is seeking a Project Engineer to join our Corporate Engineering team - Packaging Group. In this role, you will gain exposure and grow in areas of automation and robotics, machine design, kinematics, sanitary design, facilities layout, teamwork, safety, ergonomics, and user experience; continuous improvement, innovation, and complex problem solving. This job is a balance of design and critical thinking at-your-desk and being on the floor immersed in a live, fast paced food production environment with a strong culture, long-term view, and respect for people in multiple production facilities across three states. Through successful projects, we deliver new capability to our business and carry on the story of our iconic brands and products.

• Design and implement highly automated, efficient, and reliable production equipment for capital projects across facilities in the Southeastern US
• Optimize production lines for seamless operation, redundancy, and long-term viability
• Balance project metrics (budget, schedule, quality, risk) while considering long-term impact
• Take ownership of projects while collaborating to solve production challenges
• Analyze and validate packaging systems for efficiency and future capabilities
• Design equipment layouts for optimal flow, accessibility, cleanability, and maintainability
• Optimize user experience in areas such as ergonomics, safety, and intuitive use
• Assess and mitigate risks through calculations, simulations, testing, and documentation
• Plan for equipment obsolescence and implement aftermarket modifications
• Build strong relationships with OEMs, integrators, and internal teams to drive innovation
• Stay informed on market trends in packaging and material handling technology
• Integrate multiple equipment pieces into seamless production solutions
• Lead installations, manage startups, and ensure smooth transitions for new or upgraded equipment
• Function independently as a project manager or within a larger team
• Support continuous improvement through collaboration, analysis, and problem-solving

• Work with technical professionals to bring ideas to reality

Required Qualifications

• B.S in Mechanical, Industrial, or similar Engineering degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program
  • Or anticipated graduation in spring 2026, start date after graduation
• High level of initiative, assertiveness, and self-direction
• Demonstrated record of successful project management
• Aptitude for organizing and prioritizing multiple project activities
• Ability to excel in a project team environment
• Strong analytical problem-solving and troubleshooting skills
• Excellent ability to communicate with people of all backgrounds at various levels
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior CPG or Food/Beverage Manufacturing experience
• Knowledge and interest of kinematics and machine design
• Interest in robotics and high-level automation
• Interest in sanitary design and ergonomics
• Interest in quantitative methods for system sizing, tolerance evaluation, and robustness
• Experience engineering capital projects including equipment and product flow design, equipment selection, integration and design, equipment installation and commissioning
• Hands-on experience in a manufacturing environment
• Experience in sanitary design for a food-manufacturing environment
• Lean or six sigma training and/or experience
• Experience using CAD and/or design software
• Familiarity with electrical controls (Rockwell/Allen Bradley)
• Knowledge of shop practices (machine and fabrication)
  

Benefits

• Competitive weekly pay
• Profit-sharing cash bonus program
• 401(k) with matching contributions
• 25 days Paid Time Off (for vacation, holidays, sick time, personal time, etc.)
• Medical insurance, including health, dental, vision and prescription drug plan
• Supplemental plans, including life insurance
• Fully-paid parental leave
• Health Center and Pharmacy
• Tuition reimbursement
• Credit Union
• Exercise and recreation facility
• Wellness programs with incentives
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Short-term and long-term disability benefits (company-paid)

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer