Solutions Engineer

Position Summary:

As a Solutions Engineer for Supply Chain Network Solutions, you will drive the evolution of our supply chain from initial ideation to detailed design. You will engineer solutions of all scales—from targeted, modular improvements within a single facility to comprehensive, end-to-end network transformations. Success in this role hinges on your ability to act as a critical liaison, facilitating technical discussions and translating complex system concepts into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders at all levels. This requires you to be a key technology thought leader, understanding the landscape of providers and serving as the face of Gordon Food Service to our vendor community, while ultimately translating operational challenges into tangible, data-driven projects that directly improve network-wide efficiency, capacity, service levels, and cost.

What you will do:

• Full-Lifecycle Solution Development:Own and drivethe solution development process for the Network’s most complex and strategic initiatives from initial ideation and brainstorming, through conceptual development, validation via simulation and modeling, and into the final detailed design phase. Develop and champion a portfolio of solutions ranging from modular and scalable improvements to large-scale, integrated systems.

• Technology Thought Leadership & Vendor Partnership: Define and lead the technology strategy by acting as the primary internal thought leader on logistics technology, maintaining a deep understanding of the tech provider landscape. Establish standards for vendor engagement and direct feasibility studies, proof-of-concept projects, and pilot programs to vet emerging technologies.

• Business Case & ROI Justification:Develop comprehensive business cases for network-wide initiatives. Build financial models that articulate ROI and TCO, evaluating the holistic impact on the entire supply chain and presenting clear justification for capital investments.

• Technical Project Leadership & Oversight:Provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise throughout the project lifecycle. Define project scopes and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure solutions are delivered on time, within budget, and meet network-wide performance goals.

• Data-Driven Solution Modeling & Validation:Utilize data analytics, simulation, and network modeling tools to validate design concepts. Analyze the flow of inventory the network to identify systemic constraints and opportunities for improvement.

• Cross-Functional Influence & Community Engagement:Effectively communicate complex solutions to internal stakeholders and serve as a key technical representative and the face of GFS within the broader vendor and technology community. Act as the bridge between Operations, IT, Finance, and our external innovation partners.

• Solution Impact Modeling & Benefits Realization:Partner with the Industrial Engineering team to leverage existing Engineered Labor Standards (ELS) for establishing performance baselines. Use this data to model the projected labor impact of new solutions and to measure post-implementation success against established network KPIs.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

When you will work:

• Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.

• Hybrid Work Schedule: 4 days in office in Wyoming, MI with 1 day remote.

What you'll bring to the table:

• Bachelor's Degree in Industrial, Mechanical, or Supply Chain Engineering, Logistics, or a related field required.

• Master's Degree preferred

• 5 or more years of progressive experience in a solutions design, supply chain engineering, or logistics strategy role required.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing logistics projects of varying scale required.

• Experience collaborating with and managing technology vendors on solution evaluation, feasibility studies, or proof-of-concept projects required.

• Experience in end-to-end supply chain network design or integrating solutions across manufacturing and distribution environments preferred.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing logistics projects of varying scale required. Experience collaborating with and managing technology vendors on solution evaluation, feasibility studies, or proof-of-concept projects required.

• Experience in end-to-end supply chain network design or integrating solutions across manufacturing and distribution environments preferred.

• Proficient in Warehouse Design tools like AutoCAD or related software.

• Experience with discrete event simulation software (e.g., FlexSim), digital twin platforms, or other Operations Research (OR) modeling tools is highly desirable.

• Knowledge of WMS, WES, and increasingly TMS/YMS.

• Advanced proficiency in Google Apps and data analysis/querying tools (SQL, Alteryx, BI-Query, etc.).

• Lean Six Sigma and/or other CI methodologies experience preferred.

• Expert knowledge of material handling automation and a deep curiosity for emerging logistics technologies and industry trends.

• Strong vendor relationship management skills, with the ability to partner effectively to drive innovation and evaluate solutions.

• Strong understanding of end-to-end supply chain principles, including manufacturing logistics, inventory management, and transportation.

• Familiarity with Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Yard Management Systems (YMS), and their integration with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).

• Strong consultative skills, with the ability to guide stakeholders from initial ideation to a final, concrete technical specification.

• Proficiency in developing financial models (ROI, TCO) to build compelling business cases.

• Ability to mine and analyze large datasets from multiple systems using tools like SQL or BigQuery or Alteryx.