Engineering & Maintenance Manager

Novonesis; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation and holidays

Wellness time

Parental leave

Job summary

Novonesis is seeking an Engineering and Maintenance Manager to lead site maintenance and engineering, ensuring reliable production and quality across operations. You will drive continuous improvement, manage capital projects, and guide asset reliability while collaborating with global teams.

This role focuses on safety, regulatory compliance, and manufacturing excellence, with opportunities to mentor teams and implement new technologies within Milwaukee facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Significant experience in engineering, maintenance, manufacturing, or industrial operations leadership roles.
• Proven experience leading technical teams and cross-functional projects in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance systems, asset reliability, and CMMS platforms.
• Experience managing budgets, capital investments, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of manufacturing quality systems and regulatory requirements.
• Strong project management and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership capabilities.
• Fluent English communication skills, both written and verbal.

Responsibilities

• Leading and developing maintenance and engineering teams across site resources.
• Ensuring reliable operation and maintenance of production, warehouse, laboratory, and utility systems.
• Driving continuous improvement of maintenance programs, including preventive and predictive maintenance strategies.
• Managing capital projects, equipment installations, process improvements, and technology implementation initiatives.
• Promoting manufacturing excellence, safety, quality, and operational performance.
• Overseeing CMMS systems, spare parts inventory, asset care programs, and equipment reliability initiatives.
• Supporting manufacturing performance through OEE improvement, breakdown response, and root cause analysis.
• Recruiting, developing, coaching, and retaining engineering and maintenance talent.
• Collaborating with global engineering and site stakeholders on new technologies, validations, and commissioning activities.

Skills

Leadership

People development

Maintenance management

Project management

CMMS

Regulatory compliance

OEE optimization

Industrial operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

CMMS platforms

Job description

Interested in a career that matters?Join us as our new Engineering and Maintenance Manager .As part of Operations, you will play a vital role in ensuring the safe, efficient, and reliable production of high-quality products delivered to customers around the world. We are committed to digitization, automation, continuous improvement, and building a workplace where employees are healthy, motivated, and proud of what they do.The Role & Your ImpactAs Engineering and Maintenance Manager, you will lead and develop both the Maintenance and Engineering teams while providing strategic and operational leadership across manufacturing, utilities, capital projects, asset reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role combines people leadership, technical expertise, and project management to help drive operational excellence across the site.In this role, you'll make an impact by:Leading and developing high-performing maintenance and engineering teams, including engineering, process, and project resources.Ensuring reliable operation and maintenance of production, warehouse, laboratory, and utility systems.Driving continuous improvement of maintenance programs, including preventive and predictive maintenance strategies.Managing capital projects, equipment installations, process improvements, and technology implementation initiatives.Promoting a culture of manufacturing excellence, safety, quality, and operational performance.Ensuring compliance with quality, food safety, environmental, and regulatory standards including ISO, FAMI-QS, FSSC, HACCP, GMP, OSHA, NFPA, and ISO 14001 requirements.Managing maintenance OPEX budgets and supporting CAPEX planning and investment activities.Overseeing CMMS systems, spare parts inventory, asset care programs, and equipment reliability initiatives.Supporting manufacturing performance through OEE improvement, breakdown response, process optimization, and root cause analysis.Recruiting, developing, coaching, and retaining engineering and maintenance talent.Collaborating with global engineering, microbial development teams, technical experts, and site stakeholders on new technologies, validations, and commissioning activities.Demonstrating visible EHS and Quality leadership through consistent adherence to site procedures and standards.What You'll Need to Be SuccessfulBachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.Significant experience in engineering, maintenance, manufacturing, or industrial operations leadership roles.Proven experience leading technical teams and cross-functional projects in a manufacturing environment.Strong knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance systems, asset reliability, and CMMS platforms.Experience managing budgets, capital investments, and operational improvement initiatives.Knowledge of manufacturing quality systems and regulatory requirements.Strong project management and stakeholder management skills.Excellent communication and leadership capabilities.Ability to analyze complex technical issues and implement sustainable solutions.Fluent English communication skills, both written and verbal.Essential competencies:Leadership and people developmentStrategic and operational thinkingContinuous improvement mindsetCollaboration and stakeholder managementProblem solving and decision makingSafety and quality focusAdditional Skills & Interests We ValueExperience within biotechnology, food, fermentation, ingredient, pharmaceutical, or related process industries.Familiarity with Operational Excellence, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, or Reliability Excellence methodologies.Experience with process validation, commissioning, and automation projects.Knowledge of OEE improvement methodologies and manufacturing analytics.Experience introducing new technologies or scaling manufacturing processes.Passion for developing people and building strong technical teams.What We OfferAt Novonesis, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a company driven by purpose and innovation. We offer an environment where collaboration, curiosity, and continuous learning are encouraged.You will:Lead critical site engineering and maintenance activities with direct business impact.Work alongside talented colleagues across Operations, Engineering, Quality, EHS, and Global Technical functions.Influence strategic investments and operational improvements.Grow your leadership capabilities while developing high-performing teams.Contribute to solutions that help better our world with biology.Ways of Working / Working ConditionsPrimarily site-based leadership role supporting manufacturing operations.Regular interaction with production, maintenance, laboratory, warehouse, and utility areas.Participation in capital projects, equipment installations, and site improvement activities.Must be available, when necessary, to respond to emergency situations outside regular working hours.Occasional travel may be required depending on business and project needs.Commitment to maintaining a safe working environment and ensuring compliance with EHS requirements.Compensation & BenefitsExpected base salary: $95k to $125k401(k) with up to a 9% company contributionMinimum of 3 weeks of vacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness TimeHealth, Dental, Vision & Life insuranceHealthcare savings account optionEmployee assistance programParental leaveAll benefits begin on your first dayRelevant InformationApplication Deadline: 9/30/2026Our purpose guides the wayIn Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.Opportunities for everyoneWe are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.Explore other openingsIf this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career