Plant Engineering Manager

The Plant Engineering Manager is responsible for leading all engineering, maintenance, and reliability functions at a large dairy manufacturing facility for Daisy Brand. This role ensures the plant’s equipment, utilities, and infrastructure operate at peak performance while meeting food safety, regulatory, and operational efficiency standards. The Engineering Manager will oversee plant reliability and continuous improvement efforts to optimize performance and reduce downtime in a dairy processing environment, along with leading preventative maintenance programs and day-to-day technical support needs.  The ideal candidate is an experienced engineering leader with expertise in dairy processing equipment, refrigeration systems, and Clean-in-Place (CIP) operations. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Engineering & Maintenance Leadership 

• Oversee day-to-day maintenance and engineering operations, ensuring the reliability and performance of dairy processing, packaging, and utility systems. 

• Develop and implement a preventative maintenance (PM) and predictive maintenance program to minimize downtime and extend equipment life. 

• Lead and develop a team of maintenance technicians, engineers, and support staff, ensuring training and professional growth. 

• Establish and track KPIs related to equipment uptime, maintenance costs, downtime, OEE, and efficiency. 

Dairy-Specific Process & Equipment Management 

• Manage and optimize dairy processing equipment, including pasteurization systems, homogenizers, separators, fillers, and Clean-in-Place (CIP) systems. 

• Ensure the efficiency and reliability of refrigeration systems, steam boilers, compressed air, water and wastewater treatment to support dairy production. 

• Work closely with quality and production teams to maintain food safety, regulatory compliance, and product consistency. 

Capital Projects & Continuous Improvement 

• Oversee capital expenditure (CapEx) projects, including facility expansions, equipment upgrades, and automation initiatives. 

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles. 

• Evaluate and implement new technologies and automation solutions to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance product quality. 

Safety, Compliance, & Food Manufacturing Standards 

• Ensure compliance with FDA, USDA, PMO (Pasteurized Milk Ordinance), SQF, HACCP, GMPs, and OSHA standards. 

• Ensure compliance City, State & Federal Environmental Compliance Reporting (eg. PSM compliance) 

• Drive a culture of safety, ensuring maintenance and engineering teams follow proper procedures and PPE requirements. 

• Conduct risk assessments and reliability studies to improve plant safety and operational effectiveness. 

Budgeting & Cost Control 

• Develop and manage the engineering and maintenance budget, optimizing costs while maintaining operational excellence. 

• Negotiate contracts with vendors, suppliers, and service providers to ensure cost-effective procurement of equipment and materials. 

• Identify and implement cost reduction strategies, including energy efficiency projects and waste minimization. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Work closely with production, quality, and supply chain teams to support operational goals and resolve technical challenges. 

• Collaborate with corporate engineering and leadership on long-term facility improvement initiatives. 

• Serve as the technical expert on plant engineering matters, troubleshooting complex equipment and process issues. 

Qualifications & Requirements: 

Education & Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related field). 

• 10+ years of experience in plant engineering, maintenance, or reliability in a dairy manufacturing environment. 

• Experience managing capital projects, preventative maintenance programs, and process automation. 

• Strong knowledge of dairy-specific processing systems, refrigeration, CIP, packaging equipment, and utility systems (boilers, HVAC, compressed air, etc.). 

Skills & Competencies: 

• Strong leadership and team-building skills, with experience managing multi-disciplinary teams. 

• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills for complex technical challenges. 

• Financial acumen, with experience in budgeting and cost management. 

• Knowledge of current Allan Bradley ControlLogix PLC hardware and software. 

• Experience with ability to read and understand basic ladder logic schemes used in dairy/food process and packaging industries. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. 

• Ability to conduct root cause analysis and failure mode investigations to identify and resolve equipment reliability issues. 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and senior leadership. 

• Strong Microsoft Office skills including advanced knowledge of Excel functionality for developing reports, interpreting data, and presenting findings.