Equipment & Reliability Engineer
Date: Dec 3, 2025
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Company: Chobani
Summary
The Equipment & Reliability Engineer is responsible for improving equipment performance, reducing unplanned downtime, and ensuring the long-term health of production assets across the coffee brewing and extraction facility. This role combines technical expertise, data-driven problem solving, and hands-on equipment optimization to support safe, efficient, and reliable brewing, extraction, CIP, and packaging operations.
Responsibilities
Reliability & Asset Strategy
- Develop and implement reliability strategies for brewing, extraction, CIP, utilities, and packaging systems (extraction vessels, pumps, heat exchangers, boilers, air compressors, etc.).
- Build and optimize PM/PdM programs rooted in RCM principles.
- Define equipment criticality, failure modes, and long-term asset replacement plans.
Equipment Performance & Troubleshooting
- Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action plans for recurring breakdowns, yield losses, or process instability.
- Provide technical support to maintenance and operations teams during equipment failures or process upsets.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize OEE, throughput, yield, and product consistency.
- Work with site supervision and leadership to develop/refine SOPs, job aids and work instructions for operators and hourly employees.
Project & Continuous Improvement
- Support or lead engineering projects tied to new equipment installations, automation, system upgrades, piping changes, or capacity expansions.
- Analyze and report on historical performance data to identify improvement opportunities in cycle time, extraction efficiency, energy use, and utility cost.
- Partner with production supervisors, roasters, brewing operators, and QC to refine brewing/extraction parameters for reliability and consistency.
Documentation & Compliance
- Maintain and update equipment documentation, spare parts lists, PM procedures, and engineering standards.
- Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and food safety regulations (OSHA, FDA, CGMP, SQF, etc.).
- Develop training materials for technicians and operators on proper equipment use and care.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, R&D, and Safety teams on equipment trials, commissioning, and optimization.\
- Participate in daily production/maintenance huddles to prioritize issues and align downtime mitigation.
Requirements
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience.
- 3–7 years' experience in reliability, equipment engineering, or maintenance engineering roles within beverage, food production, brewing, or CPG manufacturing.
- General understanding of pumps, valves, sanitary process piping, PLC-controlled systems, heat transfer, steam systems, and fluid mechanics.
- Experience with reliability tools: FMEA, RCA, RCM, Pareto, 5-Why, PDCA.
- Proficiency in reading P&IDs, mechanical drawings, and equipment manuals.
- Data analysis capability (Excel, CMMS data, SCADA trends, OEE metrics).
Preferred
- Experience in brewing/extraction systems (cold brew, hot extraction, or similar).
- Knowledge of CIP systems and sanitary design principles.
- Experience with CMMS platforms (Upkeep, eMaint, SAP, etc.).
- Certification(s): CMRP, CRL, Six Sigma, or similar.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to move around production floor, climb stairs/ladders, and work in industrial environments.
- Ability to lift 30–50 lbs occasionally.
- Work may involve heat, noise, and working near pressurized systems or high-temperature processes.
About Us
Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, Chobani is a purpose-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and has been since its founding in 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S. The Company manufactures yogurt, oat milk, and creamers – Chobani yogurt is America's No.1 yogurt brand, made with natural ingredients without artificial preservatives. Following the 2023 acquisition of La Colombe, a leading coffee roaster with a shared commitment to quality, craftmanship and impact, the Company began selling cold-pressed espresso and lattes on tap at cafés nationwide, as well as Ready to Drink (RTD) coffee beverages at retail. In 2025, Chobani acquired Daily Harvest, a modern brand offering consumers nutritious, delicious and convenient ready-to-make meals.
Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world – putting humanity first in everything it does. The company's philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to its communities and beyond. Chobani manufactures its products in New York, Idaho, Michigan and Australia, and its products are available throughout North America and distributed in Australia and other select markets.
For more information, please visit www.chobani.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Chobani is an equal opportunity employer. Chobani will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on any basis including, but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, military and/or veteran status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics and genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws.
Chobani provides a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision coverage, disability insurance, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, and tuition reimbursement. To help save for the future, all employees are eligible for a 401k match of 100% on up to 5% of eligible pay. To support growing families, we provide fertility and childcare assistance, and 12 weeks of parental leave at full pay after six months of continuous employment. In addition, we provide wellness resources which include an employee assistance program, fitness discounts, a wellness reimbursement, on-site gym access (certain locations) and a monthly wellness newsletter to connect you with resources and timely information. We offer various types of paid time of including: 120 hours of paid time off, 11 holidays, paid volunteer time off and military service leave.
Compensation Range: $77,000.00 - $115,000.00, plus bonus.
Nearest Major Market: Philadelphia