Senior Technical Service Extrusion Manager

Job Type: Location Type: Not Specified

 

Position Summary:
The Senior Technical Services Extrusion Manager is Calbee’s subject-matter expert on snack food extrusion systems, responsible for process ownership, training, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement across our extrusion lines. This role blends hands-on technical leadership with process engineering and cross-functional collaboration to improve uptime, product consistency, food safety, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities:

Training & Knowledge Transfer

• Develop and deliver technical training for operators, supervisors, and maintenance teams on SOPs, safe operation, and best practices.
• Create visual aids, checklists, and digital tools (e.g., One-Point Lessons) to standardize learning.
• Mentor Extruder Operators with ongoing skill development support.

Extrusion Process Ownership

• Optimize extrusion parameters (temperature, screw configuration, feed rates, moisture, die design) to achieve product targets including expansion, density, texture, and flavor encapsulation.
• Establish and maintain SOPs, process control plans, and critical parameter dashboards.
• Participate in DOE activities for new product development and continuous improvement.

Equipment Expertise & Ownership

• Serve as the primary technical authority for extrusion systems, including preconditioners, feeders, cutters, dryers, and coating systems.
• Diagnose and resolve complex mechanical, electrical, and process-related issues (e.g., surging, bridging, screw wear, barrel misalignment).
• Partner with maintenance on predictive and preventive programs (vibration analysis, thermography, wear tracking).
• Support capital projects through equipment specification, FAT/SAT, line installation, and commissioning.

Troubleshooting & Route Cause Analysis

• Lead rapid response to extrusion-related downtime using structured problem-solving tools (5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto).
• Investigate quality defects such as off-spec expansion, oil absorption, breakage, and implement sustainable corrective actions.

New Product & Process Innovation

• Partner with R&D, Marketing, and QA to scale new prototypes from lab to full production.
• Evaluate alternative raw materials (pulse flours, ancient grains, inclusions) for performance and cost improvements.
• Maintain awareness of extrusion technologies, including direct-expanded and co-extruded snack innovations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical, Mechanical, Food Process Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 7+ years of hands-on food extrusion experience within snack or cereal manufacturing.
• Proven success improving OEE, reducing scrap, and launching new extruded products.
• Deep understanding of extrusion fundamentals: gelatinization, SME, die swell, dextrinization, and expansion indices.
• Experience with PLC/HMI platforms (Allen-Bradley, Siemens), historians (OSI PI, Ignition), and statistical tools (Minitab, JMP).
• Understanding of HACCP, FSMA, and GMP requirements in extrusion environments.
• Experience with high-shear, low-moisture direct-expanded snacks or coated/fried post-extrusion systems.
• Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or Lean Manufacturing experience preferred. Bilingual (English/Japanese) preferred.

Calbee North America is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, citizenship, ancestry, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or familial status or any other legally protected status.