Release engineer Jobs in Kelowna, BC

At Iconic Wineries of British Columbia, we are the stewards of some of Canada's most iconic luxury estate wineries, including Mission Hill Family Estate, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Martin’s Lane Winery, and CheckMate Artisanal Winery. Nestled in the breathtaking Okanagan Valley, these properties are recognized not only for world-class wines, but also for exceptional architecture, hospitality, craftsmanship, and guest experiences. Our estate wineries remain a reflection of our passion for creating remarkable places that inspire people and stand the test of time.

Winemaking in some major regions of the world can be an ‘industrial’ undertaking, but for us, winemaking is an ‘artform’. Each vintage is the result of a creative process, backed by science and the result of hundreds of years of learning, guided by the hands of highly skilled and passionate experts who need to anticipate and adapt to the specific differences of each and every vintage. We are artisans, crafting wines in one of the smallest wine regions in the world, working to define the Okanagan and put our region on the world stage.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Winery Process Engineer to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our winemaking operations. This is a rare opportunity for an engineering professional who is passionate about winery design, process innovation, and operational excellence to help create a next-generation production facility from the ground up.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives on solving complex operational challenges, enjoys transforming visionary ideas into practical, scalable systems, and is excited by the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy through the design and implementation of a state-of-the-art winery. You will play a key role in ensuring our winemaking facilities, processes, and technologies support exceptional wine quality, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and sustainable growth for years to come.

Optimize Winemaking and Production Performance

• Analyze, benchmark and optimize end-to-end production workflows from grape intake through bottling to improve throughput, yield, quality, and operational efficiency. Ensuring best practices in quality and yield.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to identify process improvements, reduce waste, and streamline production workflows
• Evaluate production bottlenecks and implement solutions that enhance capacity, consistency, and resource utilization

Operational Excellence

• Provide technical analysis and recommendations to improve harvest execution, cellar operations, and production planning
• Develop standardized operating procedures and best practices that improve consistency and operational reliability

Data Driven Drive Decision-Making

• Develop and maintain production dashboards and KPI reporting tools using Power BI, Excel, SCADA, and other operational systems
• Track and analyze key metrics including fermentation performance, yield, downtime, throughput, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities through data analysis and provide actionable recommendations to leadership

Ensure Reliability, Compliance, and Operational Readiness

• Support the reliability and continuous improvement of winery and bottling equipment and systems
• Partner with Maintenance and Operations teams to improve asset performance, uptime, and preventative maintenance strategies
• Ensure compliance with CFIA, BC Liquor, WorkSafeBC, and all applicable food safety, environmental, and workplace standards
• Promote a culture of safety, quality, and operational excellence across all production activities and projects

Design and Build

• Partner with winemaking leadership to begin to develop the process design, production flow, and operational strategy for a new state-of-the-art winemaking facility
• Translate winemaking objectives into scalable engineering solutions, facility layouts, equipment specifications, and production workflows
• Support equipment selection, vendor evaluation, commissioning, and operational readiness for key winery systems, including grape receiving, crushing, pressing, fermentation, filtration, CIP, and bottling
• Ensure facility and process designs support quality, efficiency, safety, regulatory compliance, sustainability, and long-term growth objectives

What You Bring

• Degree in Chemical, Process, Mechanical, Food, or Fermentation Science, or a related discipline
• Strong foundation in process optimization and manufacturing systems
• 3–7+ years of experience in winery, beverage, food processing, or CPG manufacturing environments, with fermentation process experience strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles, including fluid dynamics, heat transfer, fermentation, filtration, and bottling operations
• Demonstrated success driving process improvements using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies
• Proficiency with production data analysis and reporting tools, including Excel, Power BI, SCADA, and KPI dashboard development
• Strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to partner effectively across teams
• Hands-on, entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for designing innovative production systems and optimizing operational performance
• Commitment to safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, with enthusiasm for helping build a world-class winery from the ground up

Why Join Us?

Iconic Wineries of British Columbia is committed to hiring, engaging, and growing qualified, talented, and motivated team members at every level of our organization. We offer competitive compensation that recognizes individual and company performance. The typical hiring range for this position is $106,000 - $126,000 annually complemented by a bonus plan; the base pay is determined by market location and job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and education.

As part of our Total Rewards program, we are also proud to offer:

• Access to company-matched RRSP contributions
• Extended health and dental benefits, and mental health plans with 24/7 access to care and support for you and your family
• Paid time off
• Training and development to build a fulfilling career

At Iconic Wineries of British Columbia, we exist to Unearth the Extraordinary:

Our Purpose is not just a statement; it is a call to action that binds us together and ignites our passion for making a difference. It is the driving force behind why we do what we do every single day, connecting our global organization across all business units, roles, and locations. We are:

Best in Our Craft

We set the standard with a pursuit of excellence that can be found in everything from our products and processes to our plants and people.

Ambitiously Curious

We stay curious, dreaming big and navigating the unknown with an enduring belief in better.

Made With Humility

We bring humility, authenticity, fun, and support to every collaboration and celebrate wins as a team.

Daringly Disruptive

We disrupt the status quo, moving fast to seize opportunities and acting scrappy to stay ahead of industry giants.