Junior Mechanical Engineer

Company overview

Citrosuco is a major orange juice business owned entirely in Brazil. It works across the full value chain, beginning with fruit production and continuing through to worldwide delivery. Serving buyers in over 100 countries and operating strongly in beverages, the company is among the largest orange juice producers globally. Its network includes 47 operational sites such as processing facilities, farms, storage locations, port terminals, sales offices, and a fleet of ships and trucks. The organization centers its purpose and growth on unlocking the full potential of the orange.

Role summary

This is a full-time, on-site Mechanical Engineer position in Lake Wales, Florida. The role calls for prior experience with industrial refrigeration systems, along with EPA certification, familiarity with OSHA requirements, and some exposure to automation and system analysis.

Key duties

The position supports day-to-day plant performance across receiving, storage, pasteurization, loading, and shipping. It includes helping supervisors plan and track CIP/SIP activities and related control systems, applying corrective actions when needed, and driving improvements in traceability, testing, documentation, and operations so that food safety, quality, and customer standards are met, including FDA and USDA expectations.

The engineer will look for process and procedure changes that reduce complaints and cost, help maintain safety systems in line with OSHA and other regulatory requirements, and support preventive maintenance by keeping records and statistics on maintenance and calibration work. The role also covers blending operations, inventory tracking, vessel start-up work, ship unloading connections, and planning for unloading, pasteurization, and drum handling.

Additional responsibilities include identifying training needs, helping build employee capability and scheduling for vessel operations, taking part in hiring and staff coordination, supporting investigations and employee coaching, and contributing to technical improvement, efficiency, and cost-control initiatives. The role also involves assisting with budget and Capex planning, monitoring spending versus plan, reviewing variances, supporting capital project justification and management, and gathering trend data for cost control and process improvements.

The engineer will work with USDA inspectors, review quality and microbiological results, monitor aseptic system performance, and help manage product quality in inventory. The role also includes supporting Safety, Food Safety, GMP, and Food Defense programs, helping with purchasing of materials and services, and assisting other sites in Lake Wales or Brazil when required.

Additional duties

The company notes that the employee may be asked to take on other tasks as needed to maintain workflow, meet schedules, and satisfy quality requirements. The role also requires keeping the work area safe, clean, and orderly, following operating rules and safety procedures, and participating in meetings or task-force groups to coordinate work, resolve issues, secure approvals, and stay current on policies and new developments.

Tools and systems

Regular use of computers, common peripherals, office software, SAP, and standard office equipment is expected.

Education, experience, and language needs

A bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field is required. The company prefers candidates with industrial refrigeration experience, EPA certification, OSHA knowledge, automation/control systems experience, leadership and project coordination ability, a strong safety and continuous-improvement mindset, and experience with thermal equipment such as chillers, pasteurizers, and sterilizers. Food industry experience is an advantage. English is required, and Portuguese is also desired. A background in citrus, food, or farming is preferred.