Plant Maintenance Supervisor - Dairy Manufacturing

About the Role

Join Crystal Creamery, California's leading dairy manufacturer, as a Maintenance Supervisor in Modesto. This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and is passionate about equipment reliability, employee development, safety, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Leadership & Team Development
  • Lead, coach, mentor, and develop a team of Maintenance Mechanics and Technicians.
  • Plan and assign daily work activities while ensuring priorities are met.
  • Conduct employee training, performance evaluations, coaching, and corrective action as needed.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Maintenance Operations
  • Direct all corrective, preventive, and predictive maintenance activities.
  • Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and PLC-related equipment issues.
  • Coordinate emergency repairs to minimize production downtime.
  • Work with outside contractors and vendors for specialized repairs or installations.
  • Ensure equipment reliability and maximize plant productivity.
• Planning & Scheduling
  • Develop and manage preventive maintenance schedules using the company's CMMS.
  • Coordinate maintenance activities with Production, Engineering, Sanitation, and Quality departments.
  • Prioritize work orders to support production schedules while minimizing operational disruptions.
  • Assist with equipment installations, upgrades, and capital improvement projects.
• Safety & Regulatory Compliance
  • Ensure compliance with all OSHA, FDA, SQF, GMP, environmental, and company safety standards.
  • Conduct routine safety inspections and maintenance audits.
  • Promote safe work practices, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), confined space, and machine guarding requirements.
  • Maintain accurate maintenance documentation and regulatory records.
• Inventory & Budget Management
  • Manage maintenance parts inventory and spare equipment.
  • Monitor maintenance expenditures and help manage departmental budgets.
  • Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining equipment reliability and product quality.
  • Coordinate purchasing of maintenance supplies and equipment.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Analyze maintenance metrics including downtime, PM compliance, and equipment reliability.
  • Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts.
  • Recommend and implement process improvements to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
  • Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaboration & Communication
  • Partner with Production, Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Plant Leadership to achieve operational goals.
  • Communicate maintenance priorities and equipment status effectively across departments.
  • Build strong working relationships with employees, contractors, and vendors.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of industrial maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of industrial mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and PLC systems.
• Experience using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS).
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience in dairy, food, or beverage manufacturing.
• Knowledge of food safety standards including GMPs, SQF, and FDA regulations.
• Experience with Continuous Improvement or Lean Manufacturing methodologies.

Physical & Work Requirements

• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull equipment and materials as needed.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with varying temperatures, moisture, noise, and moving machinery.
• Must be available to work off-shifts, weekends, holidays, and respond to emergency maintenance situations as business needs require.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, climb ladders, and perform physical work throughout the shift.

Pay

$90,000–$100,000 yearly salary.