Head of Engineering

Sofina Foods Europe; Tullamore; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Bonus Scheme

Online Benefits Hub

Job summary

Sofina Foods is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead and coordinate engineering and maintenance across our pork processing site in Ireland, ensuring equipment and facilities meet high standards of performance, reliability, and safety.

You will collaborate with production, technical teams and external suppliers to reduce downtime, supervise planned shutdowns, and drive continuous improvement while overseeing calibration schedules and reporting KPIs to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• IOSH and NEBOSH certifications relevant to food manufacturing.
• Strong supervisory experience in a production environment.
• Experience with maintenance systems and quality systems in a food plant.

Responsibilities

• Lead planned shutdowns.
• Develop and implement engineering standards and procedures.
• Represent the department in cross-functional meetings.
• Provide on‑call support.
• Manage, mentor, and develop the engineering and maintenance team to drive operational excellence across the site.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Root cause analysis

Maintenance planning

Education

IOSH

NEBOSH

Full modern apprenticeship

Job description

Drive engineering performance and reliability in a high-paced pork production environment.

The Engineering Manager is responsible for leading and coordinating all engineering and maintenance activities across the pork processing site, ensuring that all equipment and infrastructure are maintained to the highest standards of performance, reliability, and compliance. This includes managing both corrective and preventative maintenance programmes in line with food safety, Health & Safety, and company regulations.

The role involves close collaboration with production, technical teams, and external suppliers to swiftly resolve equipment issues, reduce downtime, and support continuous improvement. The Engineering Manager is also responsible for overseeing the site’s maintenance and calibration schedule, setting and tracking engineering KPIs, and reporting performance to senior leadership.

This site manufactures pork products - sliced meats and ready meals.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Lead planned shutdowns
• Develop and implement engineering standards and procedures
• Represent the department in cross-functional meetings
• Provide on‑call support
• Manage, mentor, and develop the engineering and maintenance team to drive operational excellence across the site

The Ideal Candidate

• IOSH
• Previous experience working in a similar environment
• Previous experience in a supervisory role, supervising calibration and repairs on production equipment
• Experience and an in depth understanding of Maintenance Systems and Quality Systems for a food manufacturing environment, including but not limited to, deviations, root cause analysis, training, and good documentation practices.
• Able to organize own work on a routine basis requiring minimal supervision
• Able to provide updates and tracking on tasks.
• Good communication skills required, both verbal and written
• Full modern apprenticeship
• NEBOSH
• Experience working in high and low risk environment

Why Sofina Foods?

• Company Bonus Scheme
• Online Benefits Hub

Sofina Foods isn't just a food company - It’s a place to build your future.

With a team of over 13,000 people across 40 sites in Canada and Europe, we're passionate about delivering quality meats and seafood products to consumers around the world.

Join a company where innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction drive everything we do. At Sofina, you’ll grow your skills, make a real impact, and work with responsibly sourced products from more than 50 protein sources across five continents.

Our vision is bold: to be the most successful food company in the world.

If you’re looking for a rewarding career in the food industry, there’s a place for you at Sofina Foods.

Sofina Foods is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences – regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.