Senior Plant Engineer

About the Role

Provide technical leadership that keeps plant operations running efficiently, reliably, and at peak performance. As a Senior Plant Engineer, you will guide engineering and operational initiatives that maximize equipment uptime, improve system reliability, and support production goals through the application of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) principles. This role partners closely with Operations, Maintenance, and cross-functional teams to solve complex technical challenges, optimize processes, and drive continuous improvement across the facility. Ideal for a results-driven engineering leader, this position offers the opportunity to influence plant performance, enhance operational capabilities, and deliver measurable impact to the business.

Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively with plant management team and VP of Engineering to execute technical strategies that deliver on Safety, Compliance, Quality, Profitable Growth, and Cost.
• Develops and leads overall plant technical strategies and tactics focused on Safety, Compliance, Quality, Profitable Growth, and Cost.
• Promotes and incorporates “safety” as a culture and a strategy in all aspects of the technical and operations areas and demands focused results from the entire technical organization.
• Develops and leads plant-specific engineering and maintenance projects to achieve key performance goals.
• Responsible for site capital investment strategy; develops budgets for future capital projects and compiles them into multi-year capital budgets.
• Ensures facilities’ structures and infrastructures are maintained to meet or exceed operational needs, including but not limited to electrical, mechanical, boiler, and refrigeration systems.
• Collaborates with Engineering leadership to create, understand, and strictly adhere to plant technical expense budgets.
• Provides technical leadership and works with corporate insurance, risk management, and local, state, and federal agencies to ensure the facility meets and exceeds codes and/or policies.

Requirements

• 5 years’ experience in food or manufacturing.
• Requires travel to vendors, training seminars, other plants, and the corporate office for periodic technical strategy meetings and capital planning sessions.
• Must be able to effectively communicate and work collaboratively within the plant and across all facilities.
• General knowledge of AutoCAD, including working with drawings, dimensioning, and updating when equipment is installed or moved.
• Proficient in the use of general office tools such as Outlook and Microsoft Office.

Preferred Qualifications

• Automation experience and working knowledge of the plant Computerized Maintenance Management System (Maximo).
• Experience in meat or poultry and experience leading projects in an operation.

Work Environment

• Position is active on the floor; troubleshooting and re-design of existing systems are routine.
• May need to move equipment occasionally and access files, supplies, and equipment.
• Work activity occurs where processing equipment is located, including normal office environments, construction sites, and climate extremes found in poultry processing operations, feed mills, hatcheries, and wastewater treatment facilities.
• Exposure primarily consists of wet and moist floors, including metal and plastic grating surfaces.
• May be exposed to temperatures of 28°F to 100°F with both ambient and 100% humidity.
• May handle products from 25°F to 50°F.
• May be exposed to noise ranges of 50 dB to 110 dB.
• May be exposed to all chemicals used in poultry, food, and processing facilities.
• Must wear and use protective and safety equipment required for the job as directed by the Company.
• Must be able to work in confined and/or permit-required confined spaces and at heights.
• Must be able to work on and around operating equipment.
• Must be trained and use Lockout/Tagout procedures.