Lead Test Laboratory Engineer

The Engineering Group within Chick-fil-A, Inc. focuses on "Innovating Revolutionary System to Care for Operators, Team Members, and Customers" in all 3,000+ restaurants. The unique needs of Chick-fil-A restaurants have necessitated the development of unique equipment solutions to solve challenges related to capacity, complexity, that meet our rigorous quality standards.

The Test Laboratory Engineer will oversee the testing and qualification of kitchen equipment, ensuring it meets the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability. This role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Engineering, Supply Chain, Menu Services, Culinary & Commercialization, Food Safety, Risk, and Legal, to develop and execute comprehensive testing protocols and qualification processes.

Additionally, this role is responsible for overseeing the management, coordination, & maintenance of lab, common team space, and test measurement equipment.

• Develop and implement testing protocols for new and existing kitchen equipment.
• Coordinate and conduct in-lab and in-field testing to validate equipment performance and compliance with industry standards.
• Collaborate with equipment suppliers to influence the design, development, and validation of kitchen equipment.
• Analyze test data and generate detailed reports to document equipment performance and qualification results.
• Identify and address any issues or discrepancies during the testing process, ensuring timely resolution and continuous improvement.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry standards and best practices for kitchen equipment testing and qualification.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers and technicians involved in the testing process.
  Communicate project status, findings, and recommendations to stakeholders, including senior management and cross-functional teams.
• Ensure the use of the lab space utilization is coordinated amongst all engineers. Hold engineers accountable to the agreement of lab cleanliness and storage standards.
• Innovate new systems and processes to make testing and administrative tasks of the lab more efficient.
• Maintain the calibration and perform preventative maintenance of all measurement equipment. Identify new measurement equipment for procurement that will increase the effectiveness of testing.
• Provide leadership and supervision for an external worker providing support for lab testing and validation
• Serve other departments at Chick-fil-A with equipment and food testing expertise

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: 

• Operates with substantial latitude for unreviewed action or decision with select outcomes.
• Excellent communication, relational, and team skills to enable interaction with restaurant team members, as well as corporate peers and leaders.
• Knowledge to produce and maintain technical specification documents on both process and equipment improvement opportunities.
• Experience contributing to cross-functional teams that include both technical and non-technical aptitudes.
• Proficiency with MS Office Products.
• Experience applying statistical methods to testing.

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
• 3+ years of professional experience