Engineering

About

In order to efficiently meet demand, foodservice distribution facilities must quickly and efficiently receive, store, and ship virtually everything used in a foodservice operation. This requires an assortment of material handling equipment, as well as large refrigeration and building systems to support tens of thousands of square feet of storage space (sometimes hundreds of thousands), operating across a variety of temperature ranges. In order to deliver product, large truck fleets must be maintained with a focus on utilizing the latest technologies and alternative fuels in order to improve performance, reduce costs, and operate responsibly. Engineers are active throughout the industry – designing facilities, improving layouts, managing buildings and fleets, and constantly driving improvements in every part of the operation.

Engineer

Positions in Engineering

Facility Design and Maintenance

  • Apply knowledge of engineering principles in the planning, development, design, and maintenance of facilities. Designs facility layout in collaboration with engineers.
  • Coordinates and supervises maintenance tasks performed on facilities and equipment.
  • Conducts frequent facility inspections for needed repairs and safety hazards.

Fleet Inspection and Maintenance

  • Performs frequent inspections on company vehicles ensuring that DOT inspection and testing procedures are completed and on time.
  • Ensure that vehicle maintenance is performed at the right time while minimizing delays and failures. Maintains, repairs, replaces and adjusts vehicle parts to ensure the vehicle is in good working order.
  • Verifies that all regulatory safety and quality standards are met in regards to the condition of the vehicles.

Industrial Engineering

  • Devise efficient systems that integrate workers, machines, materials, information, and energy.
  • Engineers new projects to minimize waste and increase efficiencies. Designs practical and efficient facility layouts that maximize productivity and meet the specific company’s needs.
  • Solves practical problems and deals with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Attributes for Engineering

  • Building Systems
  • Interest in Engine Performance
  • Process Improvement
  • Sustainability
  • Interest in Green Technologies
  • Technology Savvy
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Problem Solving

Find an IFDA Member Near You

If you would like information on IFDA Member Companies in your area, click here for a map of our member company corporate offices and distribution centers. Please visit individual IFDA member websites for information about their company and job opportunities.