Assistant Plant Engineer - 1st Shift

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A great job and a great future await you at Smithfield Foods. We are an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. We’re looking for motivated people who want to join our team and grow lasting and meaningful careers with us.
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The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section.

As a key member of our Engineering team, you’ll dive deep into data analysis, crafting innovative plans to optimize our production processes. Your mission is to uncover opportunities to drive efficiencies, reduce waste, and cut operating costs, making a direct impact on our bottom line. You’ll play a crucial role in the manufacturing of beloved brands like Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan’s Famous, and others, ensuring we meet and exceed the needs of our customers and consumers.

As the Assistant Plant Engineer, reporting to the Plant Engineer, you’ll take charge of managing the maintenance and engineering operations within the plant, ensuring the building and equipment remain in top condition. Your efforts will minimize mechanical downtime and keep production lines running at peak efficiency. You’ll be at the helm of developing and implementing cutting‑edge maintenance systems that align with the principles of High‑Performing Manufacturing Organizations (including Preventative/Predictive Maintenance, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and more).

Your work will help us build a world‑class maintenance strategy, contributing directly to our operational success.

• Engineering Project Development: You’ll take charge of capital project development and post‑approval management, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and with minimal disruption to plant operations. Collaborating closely with the Plant Engineer, you’ll manage project scheduling and execution, ensuring all projects meet safety, food safety, and environmental standards.

• Maintenance Systems: You will lead the Maintenance Department in developing and implementing cutting‑edge systems aligned with High‑Performing Manufacturing Organizations, including Preventive/Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and more. By optimizing resource scheduling, you’ll ensure maximum work output while minimizing downtime, reducing costs, and boosting plant capacity.

• Maintenance Staff & Safety: You’ll empower and lead the maintenance team by delegating tasks, enforcing policies, and ensuring clear work responsibilities are assigned. As the champion of plant safety, you’ll drive and enforce safety standards through training, procedure implementation, and continuous monitoring.

• Solutions & Troubleshooting: You’ll be the problem‑solving expert the plant relies on! You’ll drive long‑term solutions while providing daily support to operating teams, troubleshooting issues, analyzing problems, and resolving equipment failures quickly.

• Key Performance Indicators: Working with the Plant Engineer, you’ll develop and maintain KPIs to track and report maintenance performance, including supplier effectiveness, equipment reliability, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

• People Management: Drives a positive employee experience through leadership by way of employee development and coaching.

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four‑year college or university in Engineering or related field and 5+ years of related experience in a manufacturing environment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

• 2+ years’ experience in a position of leadership to include team development and management, required.

• Possess thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and CMMS systems.

• Possess advanced technical skills in the mechanical and/or electrical fields (e.g., PLCs, instrumentation, mechanical systems, etc).

• Must be able to lead resource planning and management efforts in a large manufacturing environment.

• Thorough knowledge of maintenance systems, work order process, preventive/predictive…