Industrial Plant Engineer

Sterling St James LLC; Mason City (IA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling St James LLC in Mason City, IA seeks a Plant Engineer to lead maintenance and engineering in a fast-paced food manufacturing facility. You will drive capital projects, optimize downtime, and implement advanced maintenance systems to sustain peak production and product quality.

The role requires a strong background in mechanical/electrical engineering, TPM, and proven leadership, with a focus on safety, food safety, and continuous improvement across the plant floor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and 8+ years of relevant experience.
• 2+ years in team management or project leadership.
• Food manufacturing experience.
• Change management experience.
• Advanced technical skills in mechanical/electrical fields (PLCs, instrumentation).
• Knowledge of maintenance systems, work orders, TPM, preventive/predictive maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Own capital projects from concept to completion.
• Schedule and manage all project elements to minimize disruption to plant operations, delivering on time and budget.
• Develop and implement cutting‑edge maintenance systems for peak performance.
• Drive Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and high‑impact strategies to maximize uptime.
• Lead the maintenance team, delegate tasks, and guide work assignments.
• Provide short‑term fixes and long‑term solutions to daily operational challenges.
• Track KPIs to measure maintenance performance and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Preventive maintenance

Predictive maintenance

Problem solving

Analytical reasoning

Communication

Excel

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

PLCs

Instrumentation

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Title: Plant Engineer

Location: Mason City, Iowa

Salary: $125K – $155K plus bonus

Job Summary of the Plant Engineer: As the leader of the maintenance and engineering department in a fast-paced plant, the Plant Engineer will be at the forefront of maintaining top-tier building and equipment performance. By reducing mechanical downtime and ensuring seamless product flow, you’ll keep our production lines running at peak efficiency. You’ll lead the charge in developing and implementing cutting‑edge maintenance systems, including Preventative and Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and more, driving our plant to new heights as part of a High Performing Manufacturing Organization. As the leader of engineering activities, you will ensure our facilities remain a state-of-the-art food manufacturing process, developing and executing highly innovative technology projects. In this role, you won’t just manage maintenance—you’ll elevate it to new levels of efficiency and innovation!

Job Duties & Responsibilities of the Plant Engineer:

• Responsible for capital projects from concept to completion.
• Manage and schedule all project elements to ensure minimal disruption to plant operations, delivering projects on time, on budget, and without compromising safety, food safety, or environmental standards.
• Lead the charge in developing and implementing cutting‑edge maintenance systems that keep our plant operating at peak performance.
• Help drive Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and other high‑impact strategies, ensuring optimal scheduling that maximizes task completion with minimal downtime.
• Manage the maintenance team by delegating tasks, enforcing policies, and guiding work assignments.
• Be the ultimate problem solver by providing both short‑term fixes and long‑term solutions to everyday operational challenges. Whether troubleshooting, conducting problem analysis, or addressing equipment failures, you’ll ensure the smooth daily operation of the plant with minimal recurring issues
• Drive continuous improvement by developing and tracking Key Performance Indicators that measure the success of the maintenance function.

Education & Experience Requirements of Plant Engineer:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Engineering or related field and 8+ years’ relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership is required
• Food Manufacturing experience.
• Change Management experience.
• High level of leadership skills, organizational planning, teamwork, analytical reasoning, and adaptability.
• Possesses advanced technical skills in the mechanical/electrical fields (e.g. PLCs, instrumentation, mechanical engineering, etc.) and is able to lead resource planning efforts in a large manufacturing environment.
• Thorough knowledge of maintenance systems, work order process, preventive/predictive maintenance, TPM, etc.
• Ability to use exposure monitoring equipment, interpret and communicate results.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and Word.
• Capable of communicating and expressing ideas clearly and concisely, in both written and oral formats.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal, technical and presentation skills required.