Jobs › Conagra Brands

Engineering Project Manager Manufacturing

Conagra Brands · Chicago, IL · $109,000–$159,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a project that went over budget. What caused it and what did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they catch cost problems early through forecasting and act on them honestly.

Tell me about a time you had to manage a contractor who was not performing.

What they are checking: Whether they hold vendors accountable with clear expectations and documentation.

What continuous improvement have you driven in how projects are run?

What they are checking: Whether they learn from past projects and change their process, not just finish jobs.

What would you do

The plant needs the line running by a certain date, but an equipment vendor slips by six weeks. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they look for recovery options and communicate impact rather than just accepting the delay.

How do you get maintenance, operations and quality to agree on a project's scope?

What they are checking: Whether they bring the right people in early and settle conflicts before the build starts.

How do you make sure a project's handoff to the plant team goes well?

What they are checking: Whether they plan training, documentation and spare parts so the plant can run the asset after startup.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd take a new production line project at a food plant from concept to startup.

What they are checking: Whether they cover scope, cost estimates, schedule, food safety design, commissioning and handoff to operations.

How do USDA and FDA requirements change the way you design and run an engineering project in a food plant?

What they are checking: Their knowledge of sanitary design, inspection access and regulatory expectations that affect equipment and layout.

How do you manage contractor safety on a project inside a running plant?

What they are checking: Whether they plan permits, lockout tagout, hot work and coordination with production so safety comes first.

Explain how you build a cost estimate and how you forecast cost through the life of a project.

What they are checking: Whether they use contingency, track commitments versus spend and update forecasts regularly.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Conagra Brands.

Reporting to the Director of Engineering, you will oversee engineering projects of varying levels of complexity from conception to completion. You will manage all aspects of project safety, scope development, cost estimates, cost forecasting, and scheduling. You will leverage your technical expertise and project management experience to lead cross-functional teams and ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget. A Taste of Your Responsibilities • Lead and manage engineering projects while ensuring alignment on project objectives and deliverables. • Develop detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, resource allocation, and risk management strategies. • Coordinate, collaborate, and provide technical guidance to internal cross-functional teams, including manufacturing, maintenance, operations, and quality assurance. • Partner with equipment vendors, construction contractors, and engineering service providers to support project execution. • Monitor project progress, identify risks and issues, and implement corrective actions. • Communicate project status, key updates, risks, and milestones to stakeholders. • Ensure compliance with industry standards, food safety requirements, and applicable regulatory expectations, including United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration requirements. • Drive continuous improvement initiatives and foster a culture of innovation across project teams. • Manage multiple capital projects simultaneously across multiple manufacturing locations. • Support project commissioning, startup, and operational handoff activities. Ingredients Required for Your Success • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering discipline: Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical preferred. • 8+ years of engineering experience, including 3+ years of capital project management experience managing projects valued at $10 million or greater. • Strong technical understanding of engineering principles and practices, including utilities, maintenance, process safety management, and manufacturing processes within a regulated environment. • Experience within food manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, or consumer packaged goods environments preferred. • Demonstrated success managing multiple projects across multiple plant locations. • Proven leadership skills with experience influencing and leading cross-functional teams. • Strong project planning, budgeting, forecasting, and risk management capabilities. • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. • Willingness and flexibility to travel approximately 50%, primarily Monday through Friday, based on project requirements. • Position may be based remotely east of Denver, Colorado and within reasonable proximity to a major airport, with regular travel to manufacturing facilities. Physical Requirements More information about essential tasks and the facility will be shared during the hiring process. This role may require you to be in our manufacturing facilities. When visiting these sites, the physical requirements below may apply: You may be required to walk around the facility, climb stairs/ladders, kneel, or perform repetitive tasks that require hand-eye coordination. You may be required to lift or carry materials that can vary in weight and size. This is a manufacturing environment with large, moving equipment. Noise levels can be high, and temperatures may vary. #LI-Remote #LI-HL1 #LI-MSL Compensation Pay Range:$109,000-$159,000 The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee’s actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees’ equity. Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees. Our Benefits We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role: • Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement • Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan • Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement • Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities Our Company At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions – within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye®, Slim Jim® and Reddi-Wip®. Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome. Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.

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