About MiLa

MìLà is a Chinese food company. Our teams work tirelessly to enhance delicious products that we all enjoy at home! While MìLà is a Chinese food brand, it’s really a celebration of the power of food to bring us together, share our stories, and discover new flavors and cultures.

Our mission is to build something that feels authentically and uniquely true to our roots as a Chinese-American-founded brand. Something we can own, but that’s also meant to be shared. One of the things we love about Chinese food is that it’s traditionally served family-style—shared with everyone gathered at the table. MìLà is a Chinese food brand, but it’s really a celebration of the power of food to bring us together, share our stories, and discover new flavors and cultures. 

Core Values

Explore our core values here: https://eatmila.com/pages/careers

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly driven and experienced Head of Engineering to lead our engineering function during a critical phase of growth! This leader will play a central role in scaling production capacity, driving automation initiatives, and improving efficiency across our operations. Under the general supervision of the Chief Operations Officer, you will own the planning and execution of capital projects, lead cross-functional engineering initiatives, and ensure our facilities and equipment meet the highest standards for safety, quality, and performance.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to join a fast-growing food start-up and directly impact the company’s growth trajectory. You’ll have the autonomy to shape our engineering roadmap, drive transformational change, and see the tangible results of your work in scaling a beloved consumer brand.

What You’ll Do

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with Finance and Leadership to manage engineering budgets (CAPEX and OPEX), ensuring ROI analysis and prioritization of capital investments
• Collaborate with R&D/Product Development teams to ensure new products are designed with scalability and manufacturability in mind
• Drive sustainability initiatives in energy, water, and waste reduction while maintaining compliance with ESG goals and reporting requirements
• Establish risk management strategies for critical equipment, redundancy, and disaster recovery planning to ensure business continuity
• Define, track, and report engineering KPIs (e.g., OEE, cost per unit, downtime reduction, automation adoption)

Capacity Expansion & Automation

• Lead the design, planning, and implementation of automation and high-speed manufacturing solutions
• Drive continuous improvement projects to increase throughput, reduce waste, and optimize labor efficiency

Capital Projects

• Develop business cases for capital investment and manage projects from concept through commissioning
• Oversee contractor selection, bid processes, and relationships with external engineering firms
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget

Engineering Leadership

• Partner with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to align engineering initiatives with company goals
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements
• Foster a culture of innovation, technical excellence, and continuous improvement

Technical Expertise

• Oversee equipment reliability and plant utilities, with an emphasis on refrigeration systems and high-speed manufacturing equipment
• Champion new technologies and best practices to maintain a competitive advantage
• Stay ahead of emerging technologies in food manufacturing (e.g., robotics, AI-driven predictive maintenance, digital twins) and assess applicability to operations

Site/Job Specific

• This position is required to be on site in Sumner, WA
• Be able to work prolonged periods, both sitting at a desk and working on a computer and walking the site, and working on engineering projects
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds rarely
• Other duties as assigned

What You’ll Have

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical Engineering preferred)
• Experience: 7–10 years of engineering leadership experience in food manufacturing, CPG, or a related industry
• Proven success in project management, capital project development and execution, and managing contractors/engineering firms
• Strong background with refrigeration systems and high-speed manufacturing equipment; required
• Demonstrated track record of scaling capacity and implementing automation in manufacturing environments
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Why Should You Join Us?

• Employer-funded health benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance. MiLa covers 75% of employee premiums & 25% of dependent premiums
• Voluntary/optional employee paid group insurance for Life & AD&D (with guarantee issue amounts at time of hire), Hospital, and Short Term Disability
• Great company culture! ENPS in the 80s!

See other openings at MiLa here: https://eatmila.com/pages/careers