Mechanical Sustaining Senior Engineer

As a Mechanical Equipment Sustaining Senior Engineer, you will serve as the mechanical engineering owner for Vertical Pouch Packaging (VPP) equipment throughout its lifecycle—from commercialization and production through sustaining support, continuous improvement, and equipment obsolescence.

You will work closely with Research & Development and cross-functional teams to transition equipment into sustaining engineering, troubleshoot field and manufacturing issues, improve equipment reliability and performance, and develop mechanical modifications that keep equipment operating safely and efficiently.

This role combines hands‑on mechanical engineering, equipment troubleshooting, 3D CAD design, root cause analysis, project management, and technical documentation. You will work with automated equipment used in demanding manufacturing environments where equipment uptime, reliability, and customer performance are critical.

• Own the mechanical engineering support and lifecycle of assigned VPP equipment, driving improvements in reliability, uptime, serviceability, safety, throughput, and cost.
• Investigate equipment performance and field issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive solutions that minimize downtime.
• Design and implement mechanical modifications to commercialized equipment, including components, assemblies, mechanisms, and machine improvements using 3D CAD.
• Partner with R&D as equipment transitions from development into sustaining engineering, ensuring designs, documentation, and support requirements are complete and production‑ready.
• Lead equipment improvements, engineering changes, component obsolescence, supplier changes, and technology upgrades throughout the equipment lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain mechanical drawings, 3D models, assemblies, bills of material, equipment manuals, spare parts recommendations, and other technical documentation.
• Partner with Supply Chain and inventory teams to evaluate spare parts requirements, recommended inventory levels, component availability, and purchasing considerations.
• Support equipment troubleshooting, commissioning, field investigations, and customer or manufacturing issues as needed.
• Collaborate with R&D, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Technical Service, Field Service, suppliers, and other engineering teams to resolve complex equipment issues and implement sustainable solutions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of engineering experience with automated equipment, industrial machinery, packaging equipment, manufacturing equipment, or sustaining engineering.
• Experience with mechanical design and 3D CAD, including creating and modifying parts, assemblies, layouts, and engineering drawings.
• Experience troubleshooting automated equipment and performing root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous improvement.
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems including mechanisms, power transmission, bearings, shafts, gears, belts, chains, pneumatics, conveyors, and machine structures.
• Experience supporting equipment after commercialization, including sustaining engineering, field issues, equipment modifications, reliability improvements, or lifecycle management.
• Experience creating and maintaining engineering documentation, including BOMs, equipment manuals, spare parts recommendations, drawings, and technical specifications.
• Ability to work effectively in manufacturing or shop‑floor environments and collaborate with technicians, engineers, suppliers, and cross‑functional partners.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, project management, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience in packaging, food processing, or food manufacturing environments is preferred, but experience with automated equipment in industries such as automotive, robotics, textiles, agricultural equipment, material handling, or other industrial machinery environments will also be considered.
• Experience with high‑speed equipment, assembly lines, customer‑facing equipment support, FMEA, engineering change processes, component obsolescence, or structured continuous improvement is a plus.