Engineering & Maintenance Manager

TAI; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing bonus

PTO & holidays

Health benefits

401(k) with match

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

TAI’s Engineering & Maintenance Manager in New Orleans leads a high-volume food manufacturing operation, driving reliability, performance, and continuous improvement. You’ll oversee engineering, maintenance, facilities, and capital project initiatives to ensure safe, efficient operations and support long-term growth.

You will mentor technical staff, align objectives across departments, and manage annual capital plans and project portfolios to maximize ROI.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, food & beverage, or industrial plant experience.
• Progressive leadership experience managing engineering and maintenance teams.
• Experience with capital project development and execution.
• Knowledge of CMMS platforms and preventive maintenance programs.
• Experience with PLCs, automation, robotics, or industrial control systems.
• Strong understanding of process improvement, reliability, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, budgeting, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead Maintenance, Engineering, Facilities, and contractor activities.
• Establish departmental goals, priorities, and performance metrics.
• Develop and mentor technical staff while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive alignment between engineering, maintenance, operations, quality, and safety objectives.
• Develop and manage annual capital plans and project portfolios.
• Prepare business cases, secure approvals, and ensure adequate project funding.
• Oversee project execution from concept through startup and commissioning.
• Monitor schedules, budgets, and project performance to maximize return on investment.
• Identify and implement equipment upgrades, capacity improvements, and process enhancements.
• Establish and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Drive equipment reliability, downtime reduction, and asset performance improvements.
• Manage CMMS utilization, maintenance planning, and spare parts inventory strategies.
• Develop long-term equipment replacement and lifecycle management plans.
• Support process optimization, productivity improvements, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Lead equipment selection, facility layout planning, and manufacturing capacity assessments.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts to enhance efficiency, quality, and throughput.
• Support automation, controls, and technology upgrades where applicable.
• Compliance, Safety & Risk Management
• Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, and facility regulations.
• Manage facility permits, inspections, and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Maintain fire protection, emergency response, security, and facility safety systems.
• Support site initiatives related to sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental stewardship.
• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets.
• Track departmental spending and project costs.
• Create and implement cost containment and cost reduction initiatives.
• Participate in strategic planning and annual business planning processes.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline

Tools

CMMS

PLC/Automation

Job description

Back Engineering & Maintenance Manager
Engineering New Orleans , Louisiana Full-Time Sep 28, 2026

About the Role:

The Engineering & Maintenance Manager serves as a key member of the plant leadership team, driving the reliability, performance, and continuous improvement of a high-volume manufacturing operation. This role oversees engineering, maintenance, facilities, and capital project initiatives, ensuring equipment and processes operate safely and efficiently while supporting long-term growth. The position offers the opportunity to lead strategic investments, enhance plant capabilities, and shape the future of a well-known food manufacturing facility.

About TAI:

TAI brings together engineering, construction, systems integration, on-site services, and technical services - combining proven execution with trusted expertise to support clients across the entire project lifecycle. Team members at TAI are capable, well-rounded, flexible, and optimistic. We have found that the best employees are the ones who recognize the importance of what they do and the ones who let that guide them in the actions they take. More than any skill, we seek people who make decisions that support the common good. We work for our clients, and we work for one another.

Here’s a glimpse into your day to day:

• Lead Maintenance, Engineering, Facilities, and contractor activities.
• Establish departmental goals, priorities, and performance metrics.
• Develop and mentor technical staff while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Drive alignment between engineering, maintenance, operations, quality, and safety objectives.
• Develop and manage annual capital plans and project portfolios.
• Prepare business cases, secure approvals, and ensure adequate project funding.
• Oversee project execution from concept through startup and commissioning.
• Monitor schedules, budgets, and project performance to maximize return on investment.
• Identify and implement equipment upgrades, capacity improvements, and process enhancements.
• Establish and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Drive equipment reliability, downtime reduction, and asset performance improvements.
• Manage CMMS utilization, maintenance planning, and spare parts inventory strategies.
• Develop long-term equipment replacement and lifecycle management plans.
• Support process optimization, productivity improvements, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Lead equipment selection, facility layout planning, and manufacturing capacity assessments.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts to enhance efficiency, quality, and throughput.
• Support automation, controls, and technology upgrades where applicable.
• Compliance, Safety & Risk Management
• Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, and facility regulations.
• Manage facility permits, inspections, and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Maintain fire protection, emergency response, security, and facility safety systems.
• Support site initiatives related to sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental stewardship.
• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets.
• Track departmental spending and project costs.
• Create and implement cost containment and cost reduction initiatives.
• Participate in strategic planning and annual business planning processes.

You’ll be a perfect fit if you have:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of manufacturing, chemical, pharmaceutical, food & beverage, or industrial plant experience. Food Processing is preferred.
• Progressive leadership experience managing engineering and maintenance teams.
• Experience with capital project development and execution.
• Knowledge of CMMS platforms and preventive maintenance programs.
• Experience with PLCs, automation, robotics, or industrial control systems.
• Strong understanding of process improvement, reliability, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, budgeting, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Pay: $130,000-160,000annually (depending upon experience).
• Eligible for overtime pay
• Annual Profit Sharing Bonus (variable)
• PTO and Paid Holidays
• Health Benefits: Employee through family level coverage for medical, dental, and vision insurances. Company funded life and long-term disability insurances. Short Term Disability, FSA, HSA, EAP, and supplemental life insurances (employee - family) are also available!
• 401(k)with employer match

Other Offerings:

• The opportunity to make a real impact on a variety of industry-leading projects.
• The ability to balance your work and family activities.
• Flexible work schedule
• Work in a dynamic and collaborative environment that values creativity and innovation.
• A chance to learn and grow alongside some of the brightest minds in engineering.
• Professional Development, Tuition Reimbursement, and Association Membership Reimbursements.

Discover what makes TAI a top-20 manufacturing partner, according to Engineering News-Record (ENR), and one of the top-50 fastest-growing private companies in the Baltimore Business Journal. Learn more about us at https://www.tai.inc/