Head Plant Engineer/Maintenance Manager

Southern Textile Service, Inc.; South Hill (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Short-Term Disability

Vision, Life Insurance

401(k) with company match

Generous PTO / Vacation

Leadership opportunity in maintenance

Job summary

Southern Textile Service, Inc. is seeking a Head Plant Engineer / Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance and engineering functions at our Fredericksburg facility.

This is a hands-on leadership role with a focus on reliability, safety, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate has 5+ years of maintenance leadership experience and a track record of reducing downtime through proactive maintenance programs, equipment upgrades, and effective KPI management.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of maintenance experience.
• 3–5 years of leadership of maintenance teams.
• Strong knowledge of plant maintenance and several of the listed areas (Boilers, Air compressors, Welding and piping, Hydraulics and pneumatics, Electrical circuitry and PLCs, Electromechanical systems, Utility and electrical troubleshooting, General equipment and building maintenance).

Responsibilities

• Direct and supervise maintenance personnel with hands-on leadership.
• Develop employee schedules and ensure appropriate staffing to support production and emergency maintenance needs.
• Train, develop, and mentor maintenance staff.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve preventative and predictive maintenance programs.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and minimize maintenance costs.
• Monitor KPIs: equipment uptime, downtime, PM completion rate, MTBF, MTTR.
• Oversee boilers, air compressors and other plant utilities.
• Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and PLC-driven systems.
• Design, plan, install, maintain, and improve plant systems and equipment.
• Support capital improvement and equipment projects.
• Promote safety and continuous improvement culture.
• Ensure maintenance supports production goals with minimal interruptions.
• Collaborate across departments to achieve operational goals.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

Staffing & scheduling

Team development

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Communication

Schedule flexibility

Physical stamina

Education

Associate's degree in engineering or related field

Job description

Head Plant Engineer / Maintenance Manager

Looking for a dynamic leader to join a fast-paced and growing company?

Southern Textile is seeking an experienced Head Plant Engineer / Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance and engineering functions at our Fredericksburg facility. This is an opportunity to join a family-owned regional company that has been successfully serving customers since 1934.

The ideal candidate will have 3–5 years of maintenance leadership experience and a strong background in plant maintenance, equipment reliability, and preventative maintenance programs. This position provides leadership to the maintenance department while overseeing plant equipment, facilities, utilities, capital projects, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance Leadership: Direct and supervise all maintenance personnel while providing hands‑on leadership, coaching, and support.
• Staffing & Scheduling: Develop employee schedules and ensure appropriate staffing to support production and emergency maintenance needs.
• Team Development: Train, develop, and mentor both new and existing maintenance employees.
• Preventative Maintenance: Develop, implement, and continuously improve preventative and predictive maintenance programs.
• Equipment Reliability: Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and minimize maintenance costs.
• Maintenance KPIs: Monitor key performance indicators, including:
  • Equipment uptime
  • Equipment downtime
  • Preventative maintenance completion rate
  • Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
  • Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
• Facilities & Utilities: Oversee the maintenance and operation of boilers, air compressors, and other plant utility systems.
• Engineering & Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and PLC-driven systems.
• Plant Systems: Design, plan, install, maintain, and improve plant systems and equipment.
• Capital Projects: Support and oversee capital improvement and equipment projects.
• Safety & Compliance: Promote a culture focused on safety, accountability, cleanliness, and continuous improvement.
• Production Support: Ensure maintenance activities support production goals while minimizing operational interruptions.
• Team Collaboration: Work effectively with associates and management across the organization to accomplish operational goals.
• Cross Department Support: Assist other areas and departments as needed.

Essential Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of maintenance experience.
• Leadership: 3–5 years of experience leading and managing maintenance teams.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong knowledge of plant maintenance and several of the following areas:
  • Boilers
  • Air compressors
  • Welding and piping
  • Hydraulics and pneumatics
  • Electrical circuitry and PLCs
  • Electromechanical systems
  • Utility and electrical troubleshooting
  • General equipment and building maintenance
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with all levels of management and employees.
• Problem Solving: Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Attention to Detail: High level of attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Schedule: Ability to work a flexible schedule based on operational needs.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift, push, and pull a minimum of 50 pounds.
• Education: Associate's degree in engineering or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Preferred Experience

Experience with the following is a plus:

• Air cylinders
• Solenoid valves
• Steam traps
• Motor starters
• Gear reducers
• Inverter drives
• Industrial laundry equipment
• Preventative and predictive maintenance systems
• Equipment reliability programs
• Capital improvement projects

BENEFITS

• Starting Salary: $100,000–$110,000 annually (this example is CTS)
• Group Benefits Package: Medical, Dental, Short-Term Disability, Vision, Life Insurance, and 401(k) with a generous company match
• Generous Paid Vacation / PTO
• Leadership Opportunity: Lead and develop a maintenance team while playing a critical role in plant reliability, production, and continuous improvement

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Southern Textile Service, Inc. is a linen rental supply and commercial laundry company. Our business provides linen, textile, and hygiene services to the hospitality, first class lodging, healthcare, and small business customers. Our company is dedicated to resource conservation and social responsibility. Part of the quality service we offer our customers is the knowledge that we are helping them achieve their business goals while reducing their impact on the environment.

Southern Textile Service, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.