Director - Plant Engineering (Midwest)

CSG Talent

United States

On-site

USD 150,000 - 190,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

CSG Talent is seeking a Director of Plant Engineering for a high-volume pork processing facility in the United States. You will lead engineering, maintenance, utilities, reliability, and capital projects, ensuring asset reliability, safety compliance, and continuous improvement across the plant.

The role partners with Operations, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, HR, and Corporate Engineering to maximize production performance and drive asset utilization.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required in engineering field; master’s preferred.
10+ years of engineering and maintenance leadership in manufacturing.
5+ years of progressive leadership managing engineering and maintenance teams.
Experience managing capital projects and maintenance budgets.
Experience in pork/meat processing or USDA-regulated facilities preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for engineering, maintenance, utilities, reliability, and capital projects in a high-volume facility.
Drive reliability, asset utilization, and continuous improvement across plant assets.
Lead safety, regulatory compliance, and food safety standards.
Direct maintenance planning, preventive/predictive programs, and CMMS utilization.
Oversee capital project lifecycle from concept through commissioning and validation.
Manage engineering contractors, suppliers, and budget adherence.
Collaborate with Operations, QA, and Corporate Engineering to optimize performance.

Skills

Asset reliability

Preventive maintenance

Predictive maintenance

Root cause analysis

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Strategic leadership

Operations alignment

Troubleshooting

Performance improvement

Electrical/Industrial knowledge

Electrical safety

Project leadership

Capital project management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related engineering discipline

Master's Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or Operations Management (preferred)

Tools

CMMS Systems

PLC & Industrial Automation

Ammonia refrigeration systems

Job description

The Director of Plant Engineering is responsible for the leadership, management, and strategic direction of all engineering, maintenance, utilities, reliability, and capital project activities within a high-volume pork processing facility. This position ensures the reliability, efficiency, and continuous improvement of plant assets while maintaining compliance with food safety, employee safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

The Director of Plant Engineering partners closely with Operations, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Human Resources, and Corporate Engineering teams to maximize production performance, optimize asset utilization, and support business growth initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Position Summary

Engineering & Technical Leadership

Lead all plant engineering activities to support safe, reliable, and efficient pork processing operations.
Develop and execute engineering strategies that improve operational performance, product quality, and asset reliability.
Provide technical leadership for equipment design, process optimization, automation, and facility improvements.
Establish engineering standards, specifications, and best practices throughout the facility.
Support production departments with technical troubleshooting and continuous improvement initiatives.

Maintenance & Reliability Management

Direct all maintenance operations, including preventive, predictive, corrective, and emergency maintenance programs.
Implement reliability-centered maintenance strategies to improve equipment uptime and reduce failures.
Ensure effective utilization of CMMS systems for work order management, planning, scheduling, and asset tracking.
Lead root cause failure analysis efforts and implement corrective actions.
Monitor and improve key maintenance metrics including:
- Equipment uptime
- Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
- Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
- Maintenance cost per pound produced
- Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)

Capital Projects Management

Develop and manage the annual capital expenditure plan.
Lead capital projects from concept through commissioning, including budgeting, design, procurement, installation, startup, and validation.
Ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, and within budget.
Manage engineering contractors, consultants, and equipment suppliers.
Support facility expansion and modernization initiatives.

Utilities & Infrastructure

Oversee the operation and reliability of critical utility systems, including:
- Ammonia refrigeration systems
- Boilers and steam systems
- Electrical distribution systems
- Water treatment systems
- Wastewater treatment operations
- Compressed air systems
- Facility infrastructure and building systems
Drive energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

Ensure engineering and maintenance practices support USDA, HACCP, SQF, and company food safety standards.
Maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
Support internal and external audits and regulatory inspections.
Ensure maintenance procedures minimize food safety and product quality risks.

Safety Leadership

Champion a culture of safety throughout the engineering and maintenance organization.
Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and company safety policies.
Oversee programs related to:
- Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
- Electrical safety
- Machine guarding
- Confined space entry
- Contractor safety management
- Process safety management for ammonia refrigeration systems
Lead incident investigations and corrective action programs.

Continuous Improvement

Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
Identify opportunities to reduce downtime, improve throughput, and optimize labor utilization.
Drive automation and digital transformation projects.
Benchmark performance and implement industry best practices.

Team Leadership & Development

Lead and develop a team of engineering, maintenance, reliability, and utility professionals.
Establish performance expectations and accountability measures.
Develop succession plans and technical training programs.
Recruit, mentor, and retain high-performing technical talent.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related engineering discipline.

Preferred:

Master's Degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or Operations Management.

Experience

10+ years of engineering and maintenance leadership experience within manufacturing environments.
5+ years of progressive leadership experience managing engineering and maintenance teams.
Experience managing capital projects and maintenance budgets.

Preferred:

Experience within pork processing, meat processing, food manufacturing, poultry, or protein processing industries.
Experience with industrial refrigeration systems and USDA-regulated facilities.
Experience leading operations within a facility exceeding 1,000 employees.

Technical Skills