Manager, Process Engineering

Who We Are:

Founded in 2013, Thistle is an early-stage food-tech startup empowering our customers to get and stay healthy while improving the sustainability of our food system. We deliver delicious, organic, healthy, plant-forward meals, cold-pressed juices, and snacks to customers on the West Coast who want to put their nutrition on auto-pilot.

We don’t want to be just another food delivery startup. Our focus is on the health and happiness of our customers, and we are revolutionizing how fresh, nutritious, high-quality food is purchased, manufactured, and delivered at scale. Thistle is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by some amazing investors in the Bay Area and beyond.

The Manager, Process Engineering, is responsible for building and optimizing processes, design, and reporting across Thistle’s supply chain (procurement, manufacturing, fulfillment, and last-mile delivery). The person in this position identifies areas of improvement and collaborates with multiple stakeholders–including operations leadership, data science, engineering, product, procurement, finance, and senior leadership– to plant and implement solutions that enhance our operational excellence.

This is a hybrid role, with the ideal candidate located near our West (Vacaville, CA) or East (Burlington, NJ) coast manufacturing facility. This role has expected travel up to 20% of the time to Thistle facilities across the US.

What you'll do:

• Evaluate production and manufacturing processes; mitigate and identify risks to the organization
• Develop, manage, and consistently review operations metrics, KPIs, and other performance data to identify areas for improvement 
• Lead process improvement initiatives and training for team members and cross-functional partners
• Develop, manage, and execute SOPs and processes in accordance with Thistle policy
• Research, analyze, and recommend manufacturing equipment and automation; oversee execution in collaboration with operations leadership
• Manage, coach, and support the Process Engineering/Operations Innovation team to ensure continual professional development
• Develop and lead robust reporting mechanisms that improve the frequency and visibility of our operations and supply-chain inputs

What you'll bring:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering/business intelligence or related field 
• 7+ years experience in manufacturing or production process engineering; fresh food experience highly preferred
• 5+ years experience with people management
• Advanced working knowledge of process improvement techniques (GMP knowledge preferred)
• Ability to manage and analyze data, including proficiency in database management, SQL, google sheets/suite, and advanced modeling. 
• Strong people leadership and capability to influence cross-functionally
• Ability to prioritize, self-start, and self-direct work in a high-growth, dynamic environment
• Ability to explain complex manufacturing processes and concepts to a variety of business stakeholders

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential values at Thistle. We know we do our best and most impactful work when we feel we are represented and belong. We're proud to actively recruit and hire talented people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.