Engineering Manager - Hudsonville Ice Cream

Engineering Manager POSITION SUMMARY

The Engineering Manager is responsible for driving engineering excellence across the organization. Through a team of manufacturing & controls engineers, this role establishes engineering standards, oversees capital project execution, improves manufacturing processes, and builds the engineering capabilities needed to support future growth.

The Engineering Manager serves as the technical leader for manufacturing engineering and automation, partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing systems.

This is a full-time, on-site role. The Engineering Manager is expected to maintain regular and predictable attendance. This role may require schedule flexibility to support manufacturing operations, capital projects, equipment installations, startups, shutdowns, and urgent operational needs. Occasional travel to suppliers, contract manufacturing locations, and company facilities may be required.

• Provide leadership, coaching, and technical direction to the engineering team while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Establish engineering priorities that align with company objectives and operational needs.
• Develop the technical capabilities of the engineering team through mentoring, training, and performance development.
• Promote collaboration between Sales, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain.

• Develop, implement, and maintain engineering standards for mechanical design, electrical systems, controls architecture, automation, documentation, and project execution.
• Standardize equipment specifications, preferred vendors, control philosophies, and engineering documentation across manufacturing operations.
• Ensure engineering drawings, equipment documentation, controls backups, and technical records are accurate and maintained.
• Drive consistency in engineering practices to improve equipment reliability, maintainability, and long-term asset performance.

• Manage contractors, engineering consultants, equipment suppliers, and installation teams.
• Ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and achieve expected operational results.
• Provide regular communication on project status, risks, and financial performance to leadership.

• Lead equipment and process improvement projects focused on reducing downtime, improving throughput, and minimizing waste.