Job Description

Plant Engineering Manager – Food Manufacturing

Location: Winchester, VA

Salary: Circa $140K + 401K Benefits Package (Relocation Package Available)

If you love the smell of a production floor in the morning and know your way around high-speed automated packaging lines, this one’s for you.

We’re looking for a Plant Engineering Manager to take the lead on keeping operations running smoothly while driving improvements across maintenance, engineering, and efficiency. This isn’t a “sit back and observe” kind of role—you’ll be in the thick of it, making strategic decisions and getting your hands dirty when needed.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Owning the plant engineering strategy and executing a 3-5 year capital plan.
• Leading capital projects from scope definition to installation and implementation.
• Driving cost savings through smart CAPEX investments and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Setting a proactive maintenance strategy using PM optimization, predictive maintenance, and reliability-centered maintenance.
• Developing and mentoring maintenance staff, ensuring they have the right technical skills.
• Managing lean projects using tools like 5S, KPI, SMED, VSM, and Kaizen to cut waste and boost efficiency.
• Partnering with operations leadership to implement engineering improvements that enhance productivity.
• Training cross-functional teams in lean manufacturing principles (TPM) to drive measurable improvements.
• Identifying and executing opportunities in safety, food safety, quality, and sanitation.

What You Need:

• A degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or Chemical).
• 5+ years in an engineering role (Project, Process, or Plant Engineering).
• 8+ years of maintenance or maintenance management experience.
• Experience with high-speed automated packaging lines.
• Knowledge of PLCs, control systems, automation, and instrumentation.
• The ability to juggle multiple large-scale projects at once.
• Strong leadership, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with CMMS or ERP systems.

Nice-to-Haves:

• 15+ years combined Maintenance & Engineering experience.
• PE, PMP, or CMRP certification.
• Six Sigma qualification with strong lean manufacturing expertise.
• Experience with AutoCAD, Ignition, Redzone, or Maintenance Connection.

This is a high-impact role where you’ll be setting the engineering direction for the plant. If you’re the kind of person who thrives in fast-paced, hands-on environments and knows how to get things done, we want to hear from you.

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