Plant Engineering Manager

Position Summary 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.

Position Summary 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 (Cap Ex) 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…