Senior Plant Engineer

Senior Plant Engineer

At Furmano Foods, you join a value-driven company with a legacy built on farm, faith, and family since 1921. We are dedicated to producing quality, shelf-stable foods while nurturing our employees, community, and the environment. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact while contributing to a culture of quality, service, and sustainability.

Position Summary:

The Senior Plant Engineer provides technical leadership for manufacturing processes, facilities, automation, utilities, packaging systems, and capital improvement initiatives. This position designs, develops, and optimizes manufacturing systems that improve safety, food safety, quality, productivity, equipment reliability, and cost while providing hands-on engineering support to production operations. The Senior Plant Engineer partners with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Supply Chain to drive continuous improvement and support Furmano Foods' strategic objectives.

Education & Experience:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, Electrical, or related Engineering discipline required;
Professional Engineer (PE) certification preferred. Seven to ten years of progressive engineering experience in manufacturing, preferably within food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods. Demonstrated experience leading capital projects, process optimization, automation, Lean Manufacturing, equipment reliability, project management, and continuous improvement initiatives. Experience supporting BRC, SQF, GMP, or other food safety systems preferred.

Skills & Abilities:
Strong mechanical and analytical aptitude. Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills. Working knowledge of CAD software and Microsoft Office. Experience with PLCs, automation systems, HMIs, and manufacturing controls preferred. Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, and Continuous Improvement. Ability to lead cross-functional project teams. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Ability to influence others without direct authority. Willingness to spend approximately 50% of time on the production floor with occasional travel.

Physical Demands:
Requires the ability to safely perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Frequent standing, walking, climbing, bending, reaching, lifting up to 40 pounds occasionally, and working throughout a manufacturing environment while wearing required personal protective equipment.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead engineering initiatives supporting manufacturing, facilities, utilities, automation, and continuous improvement. Manage, lead, and direct engineering team and provide technical guidance across the organization. Provide technical leadership for manufacturing processes, equipment, and automation systems. Design, develop, and implement manufacturing process improvements that improve safety, quality, productivity, and cost. Lead capital equipment evaluations, project justifications, budgeting, installation, commissioning, and startup activities. Support packaging technology, product quality improvements, equipment reliability, and cost reduction initiatives.

Manage engineering projects from concept through implementation while ensuring projects are completed safely, on schedule, and within budget. Partner with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, Procurement, and Supply Chain to improve operational performance. Identify, document, and report measurable cost savings and operational improvements resulting from engineering initiatives. Utilize Lean Manufacturing principles including Value Stream Mapping, Root Cause Analysis, Visual Management, Standard Work, Waste Elimination, and Continuous Improvement methodologies.

Investigate equipment failures, downtime, production losses, and yield opportunities while developing corrective and preventive actions. Design tooling, fixtures, equipment modifications, and manufacturing solutions to improve safety, ergonomics, and productivity. Lead and participate in Kaizen events, Continuous Improvement initiatives, and operational excellence projects. Provide hands-on engineering support to production while maintaining engineering standards and best practices. Promote food safety, quality, and workplace safety by identifying risks and communicating concerns immediately.

Support BRC, SQF, GMP, OSHA, and all applicable regulatory and company standards. Perform other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Physical Environment:
Manufacturing plant environment. Manual Dexterity:
Frequent walking, standing, climbing, bending, and computer work. Audible / Visual Demands:
Requires the ability to observe manufacturing processes, analyze equipment performance, and respond to production issues.

Benefits: 401(k), 401(k) matching, Profit Sharing Bonus,…