Director, Engineering

Winland Foods, Inc.; Oak Brook (IL); Remote; USD 136,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401(k) with match

STD/LTD/AD&D/Life

HSA

FSA

EAP

Hospital indemnity

Identity protection

Fraud Protection Plan

Legal assistance

Critical Illness

Job summary

Winland Foods, Inc. is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead manufacturing engineering strategy across 11 facilities.

You will guide a team of engineers, drive capital investments, and optimize processes with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Finance to achieve safety, cost, service, quality, and sustainability goals. The role requires 10+ years in manufacturing engineering, strong leadership, and a track record in capital planning and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related).
• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience; 5+ years multi-site experience.
• Proven track record in capital planning and project management.
• Demonstrated leadership by building high-performing teams.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration and influence across levels.
• Knowledge of sanitary equipment design, GMP and regulations for food manufacturing (OSHA/EPA/FDA).
• Proficiency in MS 365 and MS Project.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the engineering strategy aligned to business objectives.
• Lead continuous improvement to reduce cost per pound and improve productivity.
• Standardize processes and best practices across sites.
• Lead capital planning, technology upgrades, and cost savings initiatives.
• Develop and manage 5-year CAPEX plan for Pasta Plant network.
• Present capital authorization documents with thorough due diligence.
• Evaluate emerging technologies for automation and sustainability.
• Partner with procurement for equipment selection, installation, and training.
• Drive supplier negotiations to optimize cost-benefits.
• Direct projects from ideation to commissioning and validation.
• Develop business case scopes and cost estimates for projects.
• Build and mentor a diverse engineering team and foster accountability.
• Collaborate with operations, quality and maintenance to improve reliability.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Capital planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Sanitary design

GMP/regulations

MS 365

MS Project

Automation/IIoT

Food/CPG experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

SAP

Job description

Winland Foods is a leading manufacturer of high-quality food products trusted by households and food service partners across North America. Grounded in our values and driven by our One Winland mindset, we are transforming how we operate—from the plant floor to the executive level to deliver exceptional value to our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve. We take pride in fostering a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and innovation. If you’re energized by building high-performing teams, creating sustainable systems, and shaping the future of manufacturing excellence, we’d love to meet you.

The Director of Engineering will lead the development and execution of Winland Foods’ manufacturing engineering strategy, driving capital investment and process optimization across our network of our 11 pasta/dry dinners manufacturing facilities. This leader will guide a team of engineers and collaborate deeply with Operations, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, and Finance to ensure best-in-class performance in safety, cost per pound, service, quality, and sustainability.

Employee Type: Full time

Location: US

Works from Home

Job Type: Engineering

Schedule: Remote with Travel up to 75%

Work Location: Remote and must reside in one of the states where our manufacturing facilities are located. (AZ, MO, KY, TX, IL, NY, SC, WI, PA, ND)

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with match, STD/LTD/AD&D/Life, HSA, FSA, EAP, Hospital indemnity, Accident Insurance, Identity and Fraud Protection Plan, Legal, and Critical Illness.

Salary, based on experience and other qualifications: $136k to $200k Annually with additional bonus potential

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership Define and execute the engineering strategy aligned to business objectives.
• Advance a continuous improvement culture to improve cost per pound and productivity while enhancing quality and service.
• Drive standardization of processes and best practices across sites.
• Capital Management & Innovation Lead capital planning and execution to optimize capacity, technology upgrades, cost savings, and facility expansions.
• Develop and manage the 5-year CAPEX plan for the Pasta Plant network.
• Lead and support project development and the presentation of capital authorization documents that are complete, concise, and reflect thorough due diligence to ensure project success.
• Evaluate emerging technologies that enhance automation, sustainability, and throughput.
• Partner with procurement and vendors to manage equipment selection, installation, commissioning, and training.
• Drive capital supplier negotiations to optimize cost-benefits.
• Lead and support projects through ideation and stage gating, scoping, approval, final engineering/design, equipment selection and procurement, construction, and commissioning, qualification, and validation.
• Develops Business Case Screening scopes and cost estimates to give the business team a directional view of a project and the robustness of the business case.
• Team & People Development Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing, diverse engineering team.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and accountability.
• Directly engage with plant teams to support capability-building and performance coaching.
• Operations & Process Excellence Lead engineering efforts related to processing, packaging, and automation to improve efficiency and reliability.
• Partner closely with Operations, Quality and Maintenance to reduce downtime and improve equipment life cycles.
• Ensure safety—employee and food safety—remains a non-negotiable priority in all engineering work.
• Provide leadership, resources, and on-site troubleshooting to support resolution of plant related technical issues.

What Great Looks Like

A proactive, visible leader who builds trust and alignment across teams. A strategic thinker who also loves rolling up their sleeves on the plant floor.

Travel of ~50% to 65% is expected.

Compelled by measurable results, sustainable standard work, and continuous improvement.

Strong communicator who energizes others and champions Winland Values across functions.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related).
• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience; with at least 5 years in a multi-site environment.
• Proven track record in capital planning and execution and project management.
• Demonstrated leadership by building and developing high-performing engineering teams.
• Strong ability to collaborate cross-functionally and influence at all organizational levels.
• Working knowledge of sanitary equipment design, Good Manufacturing Practices and Government regulations as they apply to food manufacturing operations (i.e. OSHA, EPA, FDA).
• Proficiency in MS 365, and MS Project.

Preferred

• Food or consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with AutoCAD and SAP.
• Experience with automation, industrial control systems, and IIoT technologies.
• Formal project management training or certification.

The Engineering Director will be a visible culture carrier—working shoulder to shoulder with plant teams to foster continuous improvement, empowerment, and operational excellence.

Why Join Winland Foods

High-impact leadership role with direct influence on enterprise transformation.

Opportunity to shape engineering strategy and build a best-in‑class technical organization.

A culture committed to career development, collaboration, and innovation.

Competitive compensation, benefits, and growth opportunities.

Play a critical role in shaping the future of Winland Foods—where your ideas, expertise, and leadership will help drive breakthrough performance.

Join us.

Let’s build something exceptional—together.

EEO Statement

Winland Foods seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and as a global company we believe our success is enhanced by fostering equity and inclusion in the workplace. Therefore, Winland Foods is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

About Us

At Winland Foods, we’re passionate about creating exceptional food experiences that bring people together. We are a dynamic and growing company specializing in meal preparation products—from pasta and sauces to plant-based proteins and more. Our portfolio includes beloved consumer brands and custom private-label solutions for retail and foodservice channels.

Why Work With Us?

We believe in being exceptional from the land to the table. That means:

Commitment to Quality: We consistently exceed industry standards across our value chain.

Sustainability & Responsibility: We prioritize environmental stewardship and make a positive impact on the world around us.

People First: The safety, well‑being, and growth of our employees are at the heart of everything we do.

Our Culture

We’re a team of food enthusiasts who value collaboration, innovation, and integrity. At Winland Foods, you’ll find an environment where your ideas matter, your contributions are recognized, and your career can thrive. Explore opportunities across operations, supply chain, marketing, and product development—roles where your work truly makes an impact. By joining our team, you become part of a forward-thinking organization that values passion, collaboration, and shared success with our customers. Together, we’re shaping the future of food.