Director of Engineering

The Director of Engineering & Maintenance is responsible for the mechanical and technical integrity of Stellar Snacks' manufacturing operations across two production sites. This role combines hands-on engineering leadership with direct managerial accountability, overseeing and holding the site-level Maintenance Managers accountable for equipment reliability, safety, and performance. The Director splits time between both locations to ensure consistent execution.

• Directly manage and hold the Maintenance Manager(s) at both sites accountable for KPIs including equipment uptime, PM compliance, work order closure rates, and down time to repair
• Conduct regular performance reviews and daily/weekly accountability check-ins with maintenance leadership at each location
• Set clear, measurable goals for maintenance teams and enforce corrective action when targets are missed
• Build and coach a bench of qualified maintenance technicians and mechanics across both sites; own hiring, training, and succession planning
• Standardize maintenance practices, SOPs, and safety protocols across both locations to ensure consistency

• Personally diagnose and troubleshoot complex mechanical, electrical, PLC, and automation issues when escalated beyond site-level capability
• Serve as the technical authority on critical production equipment (fillers, packaging lines, conveyors, ovens/fryers, refrigeration, etc.) — able to get hands dirty, not just manage from a spreadsheet
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) on recurring or catastrophic equipment failures and implement permanent corrective actions
• Review and approve engineering specs for equipment repairs, upgrades, and capital projects
• Step in on the floor during critical downtime events to drive faster resolution alongside the team
• Lead engineering evaluation, design, and specification for new equipment, process changes, and plant upgrades across both facilities
• Oversee the capital project lifecycle end-to-end: scoping, budgeting, vendor/contractor selection, installation, commissioning, and validation of new lines or equipment
• Read, create, and maintain accurate electrical schematics, P&IDs, and mechanical drawings for critical equipment at both sites
• Partner with production/process engineering to improve line speeds, reduce changeover time, and raise OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
• Evaluate and implement automation and controls upgrades (PLC programming, HMI, sensors, networked controls) to reduce manual intervention and unplanned downtime
• Oversee equipment lifecycle planning — make repair-vs-replace calls, plan for end-of-life equipment, and forecast multi-year capital needs across both sites
• Manage relationships and hold accountable equipment OEMs, engineering contractors, and integration vendors
• Ensure all new installations and modifications meet food safety, OSHA, electrical (NEC), and local code requirements
• Drive energy efficiency and utility cost-reduction projects (compressed air, refrigeration, steam, electrical distribution)
• Establish and enforce engineering documentation standards — equipment manuals, spare parts BOMs, and as-built drawings kept current at both locations

• Oversee the preventive/predictive maintenance (PM/PdM) program across both sites, ensuring schedules are built, followed, and continuously improved
• Drive reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) initiatives to reduce unplanned downtime and extend asset life
• Establish and monitor spare parts inventory strategy, critical spares lists, and vendor relationships across both facilities
• Implement and audit CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) usage for accurate data, tracking, and reporting