Engineering Project Manager

Vaco by Highspring; Minnesota; On-site; USD 108,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring seeks an Engineering Project Manager to lead capital improvement projects in its food manufacturing network. This role drives projects from concept through commissioning and partners with plant leadership to improve reliability and overall plant performance.

Location is Chaska, MN onsite with up to 50% travel. Compensation is $108,000–$145,000 base plus a 15% annual bonus and a full benefits package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering or capital project management experience within food manufacturing.
• Experience managing capital projects of $250K+ in multi-line manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to independently manage projects from concept through commissioning.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing equipment, production processes, and plant operations.
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented approach with strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% and provide occasional off-shift or weekend support during project execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead capital engineering projects from initial planning and budgeting through installation, commissioning, and startup.
• Manage project scope, timelines, budgets, contractors, and vendor relationships.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, production efficiency, and overall plant performance.
• Develop capital expenditure proposals and provide project updates to leadership.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering teams to execute projects with minimal disruption to production.
• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, regulatory, and operational standards.
• Support engineering initiatives across multiple manufacturing locations.

Skills

Project management

Engineering background

Communication

Stakeholder management

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering

Tools

SAP

AutoCAD

Job description

Engineering Project Manager - Food Manufacturing

Location: Chaska, MN (Onsite)

Compensation: $108,000-$145,000 Base + 15% Annual Bonus

Travel: Approximately 25-50%

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with a well-established, national food manufacturing company seeking an Engineering Project Manager to lead capital improvement projects across its manufacturing operations.

This is a newly created position driven by growth and increased capital investment. The company is looking for a hands-on, self-motivated engineering professional who can take ownership of projects, identify opportunities for improvement, and work closely with plant leadership to drive results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead capital engineering projects from initial planning and budgeting through installation, commissioning, and startup.
• Manage project scope, timelines, budgets, contractors, and vendor relationships.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, production efficiency, and overall plant performance.
• Develop capital expenditure proposals and provide project updates to leadership.
• Partner with Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering teams to execute projects with minimal disruption to production.
• Ensure projects meet safety, quality, regulatory, and operational standards.
• Support engineering initiatives across multiple manufacturing locations.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of engineering or capital project management experience within food manufacturing.
• Experience managing capital projects of $250K+ in multi-line manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to independently manage projects from concept through commissioning.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing equipment, production processes, and plant operations.
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented approach with strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% and provide occasional off-shift or weekend support during project execution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience with SAP and AutoCAD.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables and lookups.
• Experience supporting equipment upgrades, process improvements, and production expansion projects.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Newly created role: Opportunity to make an immediate impact and take ownership of meaningful capital projects.
• High visibility: Work directly with plant leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Project variety: Exposure to multiple facilities and a range of engineering initiatives.
• Career development: Join an established organization with continued investment in its manufacturing operations.
• Competitive compensation: Base salary of $108K-$145K, plus a 15% annual bonus opportunity.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, paid holidays, and additional employee benefits.

Schedule: Primarily Monday-Friday, onsite, with flexibility required during installations, shutdowns, and other critical project milestones.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].