Plant Engineering Director; Remote - Minnesota

Plant Engineering Director (Remote)

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Dairy Brands, a dairy marketing cooperative owned by more than 12,500 family farmers, is looking for a Plant Engineering Director (Remote) position. As the position is remote, the Plant Engineering Director will travel 60-70% and support our Central Region. The preferred candidate should reside in Minnesota.

Travel : 60-70%

Direct engineering activities in support of current and future plant requirements and short- and long-range divisional objectives. Provide engineering and design expertise to plant engineers, management, and senior leadership. Manage capital spending, major plant repair expenses, and development of capital projects. Partner with operations, finance, quality control, purchasing, safety, environmental, and other departments to coordinate all phases of engineering. Support multiple plants for an entire division, group, or region.

• Serve as an internal expert on manufacturing engineering and design related issues or opportunities
• Work cross-functionally with plant management and engineers to develop priorities that ensure direct alignment with manufacturing and division objectives
• Continually strive to reduce facility and manufacturing operating costs by providing best option technical solutions and / or utilizing best method analyses towards improving internal systems; ensure facility operating systems achieve optimum manufacturing process efficiencies
• Utilize best practices across locations to drive continuous improvement for equipment reliability and maintenance department cost controls; drive consistency and standardization
• Assist in the direction and planning of capital budgets
• Evaluate major capital projects to ensure the best approach and method is used to efficiently spend capital funds
• Actively support plant management and engineers in the justification of projects, accurate development of project costs, and submission of capital projects
• Lead and / or oversee the planning, design, procurement, installation, start-up, and training for all capital projects, especially for projects that span an entire division, group, or region
• Complete preliminary and final design of production lines and new equipment
• Develop preliminary cost estimates for production of new or modified products for marketing and sales teams
• Professionally develop plant engineers and maintenance managers
• Encourage positive cross-functional communication between production and engineering teams
• Maintain current and broad knowledge to ensure accurate engineering support to management and plant staff
• Ensure all plant environmental policies and procedures reflect current DFA guidelines and regulatory requirements and proper reporting is completed
• Follow all DFA good manufacturing practices (GMP) and work in a manner consistent with all corporate regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements
• The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Health and Welfare benefits begin 1st of the month after start date.

• 401(k) with company contribution 100% vested at day one of eligibility
• Competitive pay ($165,000 - $195,000)
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Career growth opportunities we promote from within!
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits
• Service recognition and employee rewards
• Employee referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Work for dairy farm families