Maintenance Manager - Darlington, WI

FrieslandCampina; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

FrieslandCampina in Darlington, Wisconsin, is seeking a hands-on Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance team in a dairy processing facility. You’ll keep equipment running, manage PM/CMMS programs, oversee utilities, and drive reliability while partnering with Production and Quality to meet GMP and safety standards.

You have 6+ years in dairy or food-manufacturing maintenance, a Bachelor's in Engineering or related field, and a proven track record of building maintenance capability and

Qualifications

• Food manufacturing maintenance experience is required; dairy strongly preferred.
• Experience with industrial processing equipment and plant utilities.
• Hands-on knowledge of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems and troubleshooting.
• Experience building and managing preventive/predictive maintenance programs.
• Experience working with a CMMS and using maintenance data to improve reliability.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a skilled Maintenance team.
• Manage preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
• Oversee maintenance and troubleshooting of processing and packaging equipment, CIP systems, refrigeration, boilers, compressed air, electrical systems, and other plant utilities.
• Use our CMMS to manage PM schedules, work orders, equipment history, and maintenance priorities.
• Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis for equipment failures and recurring issues.
• Partner with Production to plan repairs and downtime while keeping operations moving.
• Manage spare parts, contractors, vendors, equipment upgrades, and the Maintenance budget.
• Ensure maintenance work meets GMP, food safety, sanitary design, environmental, and workplace safety requirements.
• Work closely with Production, Quality, Safety, Logistics, and plant leadership to solve problems and improve the operation.

Skills

Maintenance experience

CMMS

Root cause analysis

Troubleshooting

Leadership

Preventive maintenance

Electrical systems

Mechanical systems

Industrial maintenance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Industrial Maintenance

10+ years maintenance experience in lieu of a degree

Job description

Maintenance Manager - Darlington, WI Darlington Wisconsin (US) Operations & Manufacturing 40+

Schedule: Full-Time, Monday - Friday | Pay: $75,000 - $135,000/year

Lead the Team That Keeps Our Plant Running

At FrieslandCampina, Maintenance is at the heart of a safe, reliable, and successful operation.

We’re looking for an experienced Maintenance Manager with a strong industrial maintenance background who knows how to keep equipment running, prevent problems before they happen, troubleshoot when they do, and build a team capable of doing the same.

This is a hands‑on leadership role. You’ll lead and develop our Maintenance team while staying connected to the equipment, the work happening on the floor, and the needs of the plant.

What You’ll Do

Lead, coach, and develop a skilled Maintenance team.

Manage preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.

Oversee maintenance and troubleshooting of processing and packaging equipment, CIP systems, refrigeration, boilers, compressed air, electrical systems, and other plant utilities.

Use our CMMS to manage PM schedules, work orders, equipment history, and maintenance priorities.

Lead troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis for equipment failures and recurring issues.

Partner with Production to plan repairs and downtime while keeping operations moving.

Manage spare parts, contractors, vendors, equipment upgrades, and the Maintenance budget.

Ensure maintenance work meets GMP, food safety, sanitary design, environmental, and workplace safety requirements.

Work closely with Production, Quality, Safety, Logistics, and plant leadership to solve problems and improve the operation.

What We’re Looking For

Maintenance experience is first on the list.

Food manufacturing maintenance experience is required; dairy strongly preferred.

Strong experience with industrial processing equipment and plant utilities.

Hands‑on knowledge of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems and troubleshooting.

Experience building and managing preventive/predictive maintenance programs.

Experience working with a CMMS and using maintenance data to improve reliability.

Proven experience leading and developing Maintenance technicians.

Strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills with the ability to get to the root cause, not simply fix the immediate problem.

Clear, professional communication and strong follow‑through.

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Maintenance, or a related technical field preferred, with 6+ years of Maintenance experience; OR

10+ years of Maintenance experience in lieu of a degree.

What Success Looks Like

The right person for this role knows Maintenance because they’ve done Maintenance.

You understand the equipment, ask the right questions, know when a temporary repair isn't good enough, and can help your team troubleshoot difficult problems. At the same time, you know your job is to build the capability of the team, not be the only person who can fix something.

You lead from the floor, communicate across departments, follow through on commitments, and understand that Maintenance succeeds when the whole plant succeeds.

Our Values

We Act With Respect

We treat one another with integrity, professionalism, and respect.

We Aim HigherWe take ownership, solve problems, and continually look for ways to improve.

We Succeed TogetherWe work across teams because the best results happen when the entire plant works toward the same goal.

Why work with us:

An inspiring purpose

Better nutrition for the world and a good living for our farmers, now and for generations to come.

A cooperative culture

Driven by global collaboration, respect, and shared success

Space to aim higher, with autonomy and a clear focus

Your growth fuels ours

We invest in your personal and professional development through training and education.