Engineering Project Manager

Vaco by Highspring; West Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 108,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

401(k) with Company Match

HSA and FSA options

Company-Paid Life Insurance

Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

Paid Holidays

Generous Paid Time Off

Career Development

Performance-Based Bonus

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring is seeking an Engineering Project Manager to lead capital projects across multiple U.S. manufacturing sites, driving reliability and operational excellence.

This hands-on role requires coordinating with operations, maintenance, and vendors to deliver projects on time and within budget. The ideal candidate has 7+ years in engineering and project management in manufacturing, with food/beverage experience and a track record of managing $250K+ projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related).
• 7+ years of engineering and project management experience in manufacturing.
• At least 5 years of experience supporting food or beverage manufacturing operations.
• Proven success leading capital projects from concept through startup.
• Experience managing projects valued at $250K+ within multi-line facilities.
• Strong project management, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to travel up to 50-75%.
• Flexibility to support off-hours or weekends when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead capital projects from feasibility through commissioning.
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, and vendor relationships.
• Drive equipment reliability and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and present capital expenditure requests and updates.
• Partner with operations and maintenance teams to implement sustainable engineering solutions.
• Support preventative maintenance strategies and asset reliability.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional teamwork

Stakeholder management

Strong communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

SAP

AutoCAD

Job description

Location: Greater Columbia, SC Area (Onsite) Compensation: $108,000 - $145,000 Base Salary + 15% Bonus Travel: Up to 50-75% (multi-site project support) Relocation Assistance Available

About the Opportunity

Our client is a leading North American food manufacturer with a nationwide footprint and a portfolio of well-known consumer brands enjoyed by millions each day. With significant capital investments underway across its manufacturing network, the organization is seeking an Engineering Project Manager to play a key role in driving facility modernization, equipment reliability, and operational excellence.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing engineering team and make a lasting impact through high-visibility capital projects that support the future of the business.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Major capital investment initiatives already underway with substantial additional projects planned
• Opportunity to lead impactful projects from concept through execution
• Exposure to multiple manufacturing facilities across the U.S.
• Long-term career growth within a large, stable organization
• Ability to influence plant performance and help shape future engineering initiatives
• Collaborative environment that values ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement

Position Overview

The Engineering Project Manager will oversee capital engineering projects and reliability initiatives aimed at improving equipment performance, reducing downtime, and increasing operational efficiency across manufacturing operations.

This role requires a hands-on approach and strong cross-functional collaboration with operations, maintenance, vendors, and leadership teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead capital projects from feasibility through commissioning
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, and vendor relationships
• Drive equipment reliability and continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop and present capital expenditure requests and project updates
• Partner with operations and maintenance teams to implement sustainable engineering solutions
• Support preventative maintenance strategies and long-term asset reliability
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards
• Coordinate contractors and third‑party resources throughout project execution

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related discipline)
• 7+ years of engineering and project management experience within manufacturing environments
• At least 5 years of experience supporting food or beverage manufacturing operations
• Proven success leading capital projects from concept through startup
• Experience managing projects valued at $250K+ within multi-line manufacturing facilities
• Strong project management, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to travel up to 50-75%
• Flexibility to support projects during off-hours or weekends when required

Preferred Qualifications

• Food manufacturing experience, ideally within bakery operations
• Experience supporting multiple manufacturing sites
• SAP experience
• AutoCAD proficiency
• Advanced Excel skills including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUPs/XLOOKUPs
• Experience supporting new product commercialization initiatives

Examples of Upcoming Projects

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to support a variety of capital improvement initiatives, including:

• Facility infrastructure upgrades
• Utility and wastewater system improvements
• Automated process enhancements
• Production line optimization projects
• New manufacturing equipment installations

Benefits Highlights

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Options
• Company-Paid Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Paid Holidays
• Generous Paid Time Off Program
• Career Development and Growth Opportunities
• Performance-Based Bonus Program

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] .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual's skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations; and
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco/Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).