Food & Beverage STEM OPT Jobs in Michigan
Michigan's food and beverage industry spans operations at Kellogg's, General Mills, and Whirlpool-adjacent food-tech suppliers, with hiring concentrated in Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, and the Detroit metro. F-1 students on STEM OPT with backgrounds in food science, data analytics, supply chain engineering, or process engineering are well-positioned for sponsorship roles across the state.
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Get Access To All JobsEMPLOYER: Clemens Food Group
TITLE: Continuous Improvement Engineer - (Multiple Openings)
Duties: Develop tools to analyze maximize capacity. Leverage capacity tools to facilitate decision making; identify, recommend and communicate potential solutions. Investigate capacity concerns related to increased sales. Capital justification, return on investment reviews for new processes or equipment. Drive improvement in VA and Fresh margins, - be able to identify inputs driving variances (Yield, Labor). Lead "Process Change" utilization. Make recommendations for portfolio optimization including a pipeline of projects. Support sales initiatives as engineer on new product develop teams. Review and approve area changes including product specification, equipment/process and new products. Lead cross functional teams for timely resolution of tactical and strategical issues. Collaborate with Supply Chain team on implementing system improvements. Act as area technical resource to optimize and improve operations performance as related to our KPI’s and products. Apply advanced trouble shooting skills utilizing root cause analysis for quality, breakdowns, and process deviations. Implement methods for improving worker efficiency and reducing waste of materials and utilities including restructuring job duties, reorganizing workflow, relocating workstations and equipment, technology and purchase of equipment. Strong Communicator during change management. Identify and challenge Operations labor trends for opportunities for improvement i.e. Overtime leading to additional shifts or creative scheduling improvements. Establish relationships with key vendors to leverage and apply their key knowledge and expertise. Utilize lean manufacturing tools, SPC/Analytics, Kaizen Events, Line Balancing, value stream mapping to drive the development and implementation of cost and quality improvement projects for the plant. Six Sigma green belt certified (or similar). Provide CI tools training to operations supervisors. Perform standard audit for assigned process area on a yearly basis. Perform the following studies to develop standards for process changes, new opportunity or product specification changes: Time studies for labor standards; Yield and material standards; and Packaging Standard for film and ingredients. Create and maintain SOP's for IE functions. Perform indirect and PF&D labor analysis. Maintain central location of all IE related information pertaining to inputs of labor utilization. Participate in new item development process - ownership of costing development & minimum pricing expectations, spec optimization recommendations (i.e. trim levels, pump levels, packaging). Creation and maintenance of performance management tools (DSC, Hourly Production). Maintain standard crewing for operations. Staying current with IE best practices and recommend opportunities for implementation. Support safety performance. Participate in CFG sponsored personal development programs. Support companywide initiatives. Participate in the weekly activity tracking meeting. This role requires 15% domestic travel.
SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday
LOCATION: Clemens Food Group, 572 Newton Road, Coldwater, MI 49036
REQUIREMENTS
Main Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree (or foreign equivalent) in Agricultural Engineering or closely related field and two (2) years of experience as an Operational Excellence Manager, Production Supervisor, or related role where required experience gained.
Special Skills: Also requires one (1) year of experience in the following:
- SAP proficiency.
- MS Suite proficiency.
- Lean Manufacturing principles (ex: Kaizen, Time Studies, RCA, A3).
- KPI Reporting.
CONTACT: To apply, send resume to cfg_relocation@clemensfoodgroup.com. Please include job title, and location.
EMPLOYER: Clemens Food Group
TITLE: Continuous Improvement Engineer - (Multiple Openings)
Duties: Develop tools to analyze maximize capacity. Leverage capacity tools to facilitate decision making; identify, recommend and communicate potential solutions. Investigate capacity concerns related to increased sales. Capital justification, return on investment reviews for new processes or equipment. Drive improvement in VA and Fresh margins, - be able to identify inputs driving variances (Yield, Labor). Lead "Process Change" utilization. Make recommendations for portfolio optimization including a pipeline of projects. Support sales initiatives as engineer on new product develop teams. Review and approve area changes including product specification, equipment/process and new products. Lead cross functional teams for timely resolution of tactical and strategical issues. Collaborate with Supply Chain team on implementing system improvements. Act as area technical resource to optimize and improve operations performance as related to our KPI’s and products. Apply advanced trouble shooting skills utilizing root cause analysis for quality, breakdowns, and process deviations. Implement methods for improving worker efficiency and reducing waste of materials and utilities including restructuring job duties, reorganizing workflow, relocating workstations and equipment, technology and purchase of equipment. Strong Communicator during change management. Identify and challenge Operations labor trends for opportunities for improvement i.e. Overtime leading to additional shifts or creative scheduling improvements. Establish relationships with key vendors to leverage and apply their key knowledge and expertise. Utilize lean manufacturing tools, SPC/Analytics, Kaizen Events, Line Balancing, value stream mapping to drive the development and implementation of cost and quality improvement projects for the plant. Six Sigma green belt certified (or similar). Provide CI tools training to operations supervisors. Perform standard audit for assigned process area on a yearly basis. Perform the following studies to develop standards for process changes, new opportunity or product specification changes: Time studies for labor standards; Yield and material standards; and Packaging Standard for film and ingredients. Create and maintain SOP's for IE functions. Perform indirect and PF&D labor analysis. Maintain central location of all IE related information pertaining to inputs of labor utilization. Participate in new item development process - ownership of costing development & minimum pricing expectations, spec optimization recommendations (i.e. trim levels, pump levels, packaging). Creation and maintenance of performance management tools (DSC, Hourly Production). Maintain standard crewing for operations. Staying current with IE best practices and recommend opportunities for implementation. Support safety performance. Participate in CFG sponsored personal development programs. Support companywide initiatives. Participate in the weekly activity tracking meeting. This role requires 15% domestic travel.
SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday
LOCATION: Clemens Food Group, 572 Newton Road, Coldwater, MI 49036
REQUIREMENTS
Main Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree (or foreign equivalent) in Agricultural Engineering or closely related field and two (2) years of experience as an Operational Excellence Manager, Production Supervisor, or related role where required experience gained.
Special Skills: Also requires one (1) year of experience in the following:
- SAP proficiency.
- MS Suite proficiency.
- Lean Manufacturing principles (ex: Kaizen, Time Studies, RCA, A3).
- KPI Reporting.
CONTACT: To apply, send resume to cfg_relocation@clemensfoodgroup.com. Please include job title, and location.
STEM OPT Food & Beverage Job Roles in Michigan
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Search Food & Beverage Jobs in MichiganFood & Beverage STEM OPT Sponsorship Jobs in Michigan: Frequently Asked Questions
Which food & beverage companies sponsor F-1 STEM OPT visas in Michigan?
Michigan hosts several large food and beverage employers with documented visa sponsorship history, including Kellogg's in Battle Creek, Gerber Products (Nestlé) in Fremont, and Gordon Food Service in Grand Rapids. Smaller food-tech and food-science firms operating near Michigan State University's AgBioResearch corridors have also filed Labor Condition Applications for STEM OPT-eligible roles. Sponsorship activity varies by year and role, so confirming LCA filing history before applying is advisable.
Which cities in Michigan have the most food & beverage F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs?
Grand Rapids leads in food and beverage employer density, anchored by Gordon Food Service and a growing cluster of food-manufacturing suppliers. Battle Creek has historically been a hub due to Kellogg's and associated contract manufacturers. The Detroit metro area, particularly Dearborn and Auburn Hills, also draws food-science and supply chain roles from multinational food companies with regional operations in Southeast Michigan.
What types of food & beverage roles typically qualify for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship?
Roles that qualify for STEM OPT sponsorship must fall under a STEM-designated Classification of Instructional Programs code tied to the student's degree. In food and beverage, this commonly includes food scientist, process engineer, quality assurance engineer, supply chain analyst, data analyst, and R&D scientist positions. Roles in food microbiology, sensory science, and packaging engineering can also qualify when paired with a STEM-designated degree such as food science, chemical engineering, or applied data science.
How do I find food & beverage F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship jobs in Michigan?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa type and industry, making it straightforward to browse food and beverage roles in Michigan that have documented F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship history. Because not every employer advertising a food science or engineering role will extend STEM OPT sponsorship, searching within a verified sponsorship-focused platform like Migrate Mate helps narrow results to employers with confirmed LCA filing activity in the food and beverage sector.
Are there any state-specific or industry-specific considerations for F-1 STEM OPT sponsorship in Michigan's food & beverage sector?
Michigan's food and beverage industry is closely tied to agricultural supply chains and food manufacturing, which means sponsoring employers often require candidates to work on-site at production or R&D facilities rather than remotely. F-1 students on STEM OPT must ensure their employer is E-Verify enrolled, a federal requirement for the extension. Michigan State University's strong food science program also means local employers are familiar with OPT timelines, which can ease the practical coordination around authorization start dates.