Maintenance Manager

CareersInFood.com; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Sunny Sky Products in Fullerton, CA is seeking a highly technical Maintenance Manager to lead all maintenance and reliability functions at our dairy/juice processing facility. You will own HTST pasteurization systems and hot fill packaging technology, driving CapEx projects and safety compliance.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in maintenance leadership within food/beverage manufacturing, with hands-on HTST and GMP/FSMA experience, and a track record of improving uptime and asset lifecycle.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of maintenance management experience in a food or beverage manufacturing environment.
• Direct experience working in aseptic and/or dairy/juice processing operations.
• Hands‑on experience owning or supporting an HTST pasteurization system.
• Proven experience with hot fill technology and associated filling/packaging equipment.
• Demonstrated success running and managing CapEx projects from scoping through commissioning.
• Significant experience managing standard industrial utilities (boilers, compressed air, refrigeration, wastewater, electrical distribution).
• Strong working knowledge of GMP, food safety systems (HACCP/SQF/FSMA), and OSHA regulations.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or related field, or equivalent work experience, required.
• Working knowledge of TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and CI methodologies as core competencies.
• Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the HTST system operations, ensuring pasteurization compliance and uptime.
• Oversee maintenance and continuous improvement of hot fill lines and equipment.
• Provide technical leadership for aseptic and dairy processing systems.
• Manage full lifecycle CapEx projects from scoping to closeout.
• Collaborate with finance and operations to prioritize CAPEX and meet budget.
• Direct maintenance of utilities: boilers, refrigeration, wastewater, and electrical distribution.
• Lead maintenance team; develop PM/PdM programs; manage budgets and spare parts.
• Champion GMP/food safety compliance and drive corrective actions.
• Participate in root cause analysis and quality deviation actions.
• Ensure safety in maintenance activities and adherence to regulations.

Skills

Maintenance management

Aseptic processing

HTST pasteurization

CapEx projects

GMP/FSMA/OSHA

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Utilities management

Troubleshooting

TPM/CI knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/related field

Tools

CMMS

PLC troubleshooting

HVAC/Refrigeration controls

Job description

At Sunny Sky Products, we pride ourselves on our commitment and dedication to creating, manufacturing, and delivering top-quality products in the beverage industry. We have built an extensive product portfolio that includes frozen beverages, cold & hot drinks, and beverage enhancers. Our mission is to have our beverages consumed and enjoyed any time, any place, and in any location. Come join our fast-growing team and enjoy our culture where we have fun and play to win!

Sunny Sky Products Company is seeking a highly technical and hands-on Maintenance Manager to lead all maintenance and reliability functions at our Fullerton, CA production facility. This role owns the mechanical, electrical, and utility infrastructure supporting an aseptic/dairy/juice processing operation, including direct responsibility for the facility's HTST (High Temperature Short Time) pasteurization system and hot fill packaging technology. The ideal candidate combines strong technical depth in food/beverage processing equipment with proven project management skills to plan, scope, and execute capital improvement projects.

Major Job Functions

Equipment & Process Ownership

• Serve as the primary technical owner for the plant's HTST system, ensuring compliance with pasteurization standards, regulatory requirements (3-A, PMO/FDA as applicable), and uptime targets.
• Oversee maintenance, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of hot fill filling and packaging lines, including fill/seal equipment, cooling tunnels, and associated conveyance.
• Provide technical leadership across aseptic and/or dairy/juice processing systems, including CIP/SIP, homogenizers, separators, and thermal processing equipment.

Capital Project Management

• Own the full lifecycle of CapEx projects: scoping, budgeting, ROI justification, vendor/contractor selection, project execution, commissioning, and closeout.
• Partner with finance and operations leadership to prioritize capital spend and ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
• Manage contractors, equipment vendors, and internal cross-functional teams throughout project execution.

Utilities Management

• Direct the maintenance and reliability of standard industrial utilities, including boilers, air compressors, ammonia/industrial refrigeration, wastewater/pretreatment systems, water treatment, and electrical distribution.
• Ensure utility systems meet capacity, efficiency, and regulatory compliance requirements to support uninterrupted production.

Maintenance Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop the maintenance team, including technicians, planners, and shift leads.
• Build and manage a preventive/predictive maintenance (PM/PdM) program to reduce unplanned downtime and extend asset life.
• Manage maintenance budgets, spare parts inventory, and MRO vendor relationships.
• Champion safety, GMP, and food safety compliance across all maintenance activities.
• Participate in root cause analysis and drive corrective/preventive actions for equipment failures and quality deviations.

Required Skills/Abilities/Education

• 5+ years of maintenance management or technical maintenance leadership experience in a food or beverage manufacturing environment.
• Direct experience working in aseptic and/or dairy/juice processing operations.
• Hands‑on experience owning or supporting an HTST pasteurization system.
• Proven experience with hot fill technology and associated filling/packaging equipment.
• Demonstrated success running and managing CapEx projects from scoping through commissioning.
• Significant experience managing standard industrial utilities (boilers, compressed air, refrigeration, wastewater, electrical distribution).
• Strong working knowledge of GMP, food safety systems (HACCP/SQF/FSMA), and OSHA regulations.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related field, or equivalent work experience, required.
• Working knowledge of TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and Continuous Improvement (CI) methodologies as core competencies.
• Strong leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with CMMS platforms for PM scheduling and asset management.
• Familiarity with automation/controls (PLC) troubleshooting in a processing environment.
• Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) training.

Physical Requirements:

• See Physical Requirements Checklist.
• Based on-site at the Fullerton, CA manufacturing facility.
• Ability to work in a plant environment involving exposure to varying temperatures, noise, and wet/processing conditions.
• Ability to walk, stand, climb, and occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
• Availability to respond to off-hours maintenance emergencies as needed.