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Technical Services Manager Whey and Ingredients

Valley Queen


Job Location:

Milbank, SD - USA

Monthly Salary: Not provided by the employer
Posted: 10 October 2026 (19 hours ago)
Application Deadline: 7 January 2027
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

Whey & Ingredient Process Optimization

This role develops and implements in-process targets for solids/lactose/protein recovery yield throughput and efficiency across whey and ingredient manufacturing. It monitors performance reduces product loss evaluates processes and equipment and recommends improvements to quality consistency and operational results. The position provides technical direction and troubleshooting support to Operations and Quality leads work involving whey protein concentrate lactose and other ingredient products and optimizes filtration concentration evaporation crystallization drying separation and related systems. It also analyzes operating data identifies root causes of deviations implements sustainable corrective actions and establishes methods to track membrane performance and product loss.

Product Quality Functionality & Customer Support

The position provides technical expertise on whey and ingredient product composition functionality performance and quality partnership with Operations and Quality it ensures products meet in-process standards finished-product specifications and customer requirements; investigates quality and performance concerns; and coordinates containment root-cause analysis corrective action and follow-up. The role evaluates how raw materials processing conditions and equipment affect finished products; supports product development commercialization and plant implementation; responds to customer technical needs with Quality and Sales; identifies improvement opportunities; and documents evaluations trials process changes conclusions and recommendations.

Capital Projects & Continuous Improvement

The role develops and maintains one- to five-year capital plans and leads projects that improve whey processing ingredient production solids recovery efficiency quality and supporting infrastructure. Responsibilities include managing scope budgets schedules vendors contractors installation startup and validation while coordinating with Operations Engineering Maintenance Quality and other stakeholders. The position leads trials evaluations validations startups and related training; ensures projects meet technical operating budget and timeline expectations; and measures results through operational and financial performance data.

Food Safety Safety & Regulatory Responsibilities

The position promotes a strong safety and food safety culture and ensures that whey and ingredient operations and assigned projects comply with applicable workplace safety food safety environmental operational customer and company requirements. It participates in incident investigations root-cause analysis corrective-action development and follow-up; identifies process equipment product-quality and project risks; coordinates preventive and corrective action; and consistently supports company sanitation environmental Good Manufacturing Practice safety and food safety standards.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Owns the day-to-day performance of the department ensuring safety quality and operational standards are consistently met along with schedules staffing plans and processes.
  • Executes departmental goals and priorities aligned with company strategy.
  • Establishes monitors and delivers KPIs aligned with departmental and organizational goals.
  • Leads and develops Supervisors and Leads to ensure strong execution and team effectiveness.
  • Reinforces culture expectations and leadership behaviors established by the organization.
  • Ensures role clarity and accountability across their team to drive efficient operations.
  • Builds and maintains a highly engaged performance-driven team environment.
  • Supports talent development by coaching employees and identifying growth opportunities.
  • Drives accountability through regular performance discussions and follow-up.
  • Identifies operational challenges and implements solutions to improve performance.
  • Ensures compliance with all regulatory requirements.
  • Executes continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency and cost control.
  • Utilizes data and metrics to improve decision-making and performance.
  • Supports budget adherence by managing resources effectively.
  • Coordinates and supports execution of projects within scope and timelines.
  • Communicates effectively across departments.
  • Partners with cross-functional teams to improve operations.

COMPETENCIES

  • Leadership / Accountability
  • Business Acumen
  • Communication Proficiency
  • Problem Solving / Analysis
  • Technical Capacity

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position supervises supervisors leads and/or employees and is responsible for the day-to-day direction coordination and performance management of the assigned team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands for this position primarily involve sedentary and light activity. The employee may be required to sit stand walk and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.

TRAVEL

This position will require occasional travel.

Required Education Experience & Certifications

  • Bachelors degree in Dairy Science Dairy Manufacturing Food Science Food Technology Chemistry Engineering or a related field. An equivalent combination of relevant education training and experience may be considered.
  • Five to ten years of relevant experience in dairy processing whey processing ingredient manufacturing food manufacturing process engineering or a related technical field.
  • Minimum of five years of leadership supervisory project management or significant functional leadership experience in a manufacturing or technical environment.
  • Working knowledge of whey and ingredient manufacturing processes solids recovery yield optimization process improvement and product quality requirements.
  • Demonstrated experience leading process-improvement initiatives or capital projects.
  • Experience analyzing operational data identifying performance trends evaluating root causes and implementing corrective actions.
  • Understanding food safety preventive controls Good Manufacturing Practices sanitation requirements and manufacturing documentation.
  • Strong computer communication documentation and data-analysis skills.
  • Ability to work effectively with Operations Quality Engineering Maintenance Sales vendors contractors customers and company leadership.

Preferred Education Experience & Certifications

  • Masters degree in Dairy Science Food Science Engineering Chemistry or a related field.
  • Experience with whey protein concentrate lactose or other whey-derived ingredient manufacturing.
  • Technical experience with filtration concentration evaporation crystallization drying separation or related dairy-processing technologies.
  • Experience evaluating ingredient composition functionality quality and customer performance.
  • Experience managing capital projects project budgets vendors contractors and equipment startups.
  • Preventive Controls Qualified Individual training or another relevant food safety credential.
  • Bilingual in English and Spanish.

OTHER DUTIES

This job description is not designed to cover all duties. Responsibilities may change at any time.


Monday - Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; additional hours as needed for trials

Required Experience:

Manager


About Company

Company Logo

Valley Queen Cheese located in Milbank, South Dakota is proud to be an integral part of national and global partnerships while still calling our same small town “home”.

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