Engineering Manager

Global Search Network; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Search Network is seeking a Plant Engineering Manager in Topeka, KS to lead operational excellence, reliability, and long-term site strategy. You will oversee capital budgets, maintenance operations, and energy optimization while ensuring safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

You will drive continuous improvement with cross-functional teams, manage the 5-year capital plan, and supervise equipment design validation and staff upskilling efforts across the site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technical Science, or related field.
• Progressive manufacturing experience with PM, facility engineering, or consumer goods/food processing environments.
• Proven track record in people management, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience owning capital planning, budgets, and contractor negotiations.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and modern productivity software.
• Understanding TPM, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Influence plant leadership to drive continuous improvement and professional development.
• Capital & Budget Management: Oversee 5-year capital plan and annual facility budget.
• Team Execution: Direct engineering and maintenance teams to meet KPI targets.
• Project & Energy Management: Lead energy efficiency and sustainability projects from design to execution.
• Safety & Quality Compliance: Enforce safety standards and GMP in operations.
• Process Verification & Upskilling: Oversee manufacturing runs and training programs.

Skills

People management

Cross-functional collaboration

Capital planning & budgeting

Maintenance & reliability

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technical Science

Tools

ERP systems

Modern productivity suites

Job description

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Technical Science, or a related field.
• Progressive manufacturing experience with a strong background in project management, facility engineering, or consumer goods/food processing environments.
• Proven track record in people management, team leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Demonstrated experience owning capital planning, departmental operating budgets, and contractor negotiations.
• Proficiency with enterprise resource planning systems and modern digital productivity suites.
• Practical understanding of total productive maintenance, predictive maintenance methodologies, and data-driven operational decision-making.

Role Overview

The Plant Engineering Manager drives operational excellence, system reliability, and long-term facility strategy. Serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, this role oversees capital expenditure budgets, maintenance operations, and large-scale energy optimization initiatives while ensuring strict adherence to environmental, safety, and quality standards.

• Strategic Leadership: Serve on the plant leadership team to establish continuous improvement goals, manage change initiatives, and drive professional development across technical departments.
• Capital & Budget Management: Formulate and manage the 5-year strategic capital plan, oversee the annual facility capital budget, and control maintenance operating expenses.
• Team Execution: Direct cross-functional engineering and maintenance teams to achieve and exceed key performance indicators.
• Project & Energy Management: Lead facility-wide energy efficiency and sustainability projects, managing technical system installations from design to execution.
• Safety & Quality Compliance: Partner with EHS and Quality Leadership to enforce contractor safety standards, Good Manufacturing Practices, and process sanitation protocols.
• Process Verification & Upskilling: Oversee experimental manufacturing runs for equipment design validation and implement continuous technical training programs for site personnel.