Mechanical Project Engineer

Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa; Clearwater (FL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Prescription drug coverage

FSA & Wellness programs

401(k) with company match

Paid time off & holidays

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Parental Leave

Tuition reimbursement

Stock purchase plan

Career advancement

Employee discounts

Job summary

Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa Suncoast Chemicals Plant in Clearwater, FL seeks a Mechanical Project Engineer to lead capital, maintenance, reliability and continuous improvement projects. You will work with Operations, EHS and Facilities to complete work safely, on time and within budget, while boosting equipment reliability and plant performance.

This hands-on role supports airflow, scrubbers and VFDs, requiring data-driven decisions, clear technical communication, and a drive to grow into

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 1-5 years engineering experience in manufacturing or related industries.
• Experience managing maintenance, reliability, or capital projects.
• Experience working with contractors and equipment vendors.
• Green Belt certification is a plus.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and knowledge of process equipment and controls.
• Strong technical communication and organizational skills.
• Bias for action and ability to drive continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Leads and manages minor capital projects from concept through commissioning.
• Develops scopes, schedules, budgets, and resource plans.
• Coordinates contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Identifies issues, determines root cause, and implements corrective actions.
• Supports preventive and predictive maintenance initiatives and continuous improvement.

Skills

Project management

Mechanical aptitude

Technical communication

Organizational skills

Bias for action

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

VFDs

Process equipment knowledge

Job description

Location: Pinch A Penny Suncoast Chemicals Plant; 15400 62nd St North. Clearwater, FL. 33760

You want Benefits? You’ve got it!

Our generous benefits package includes:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Prescription Drug coverage with Flexible Spending Accounts and Wellness Programs
• 401 (k) with generous company match
• Eligible for Paid Time Off and 8 paid holidays (NOTE: PTO increases with tenure!)
• 100% employer paid Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Fully Funded Tuition Education Programs
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Excellent career advancement and training opportunities to support your career growth
• Employee Discounts and much more!

What to Expect?

The Mechanical Project Engineer is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing small to medium-sized capital, maintenance, reliability, and continuous improvement projects within the manufacturing facility. This role works closely with Operations, EHS, Facilities and contractors to ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with company standards. The Mechanical Project Engineer identifies opportunities to improve equipment reliability, capacity, safety, and operational efficiency while supporting day-to-day plant operations. This hands‑on role supports production‑critical systems and related infrastructure that directly impact safe and efficient operations, including airflow, temperature‑sensitive process conditions, wet air scrubbers, VFDs, suction/vacuum systems, and related mechanical, electrical, and control interfaces. This position requires a driven, data‑minded leader who challenges the status quo, listens to the team, uses facts to guide decisions, and is motivated to grow into broader operational responsibility.

On a daily basis our Mechanical Project Engineer:

• Leads and manages minor capital projects from concept through commissioning.
• Develops project scopes, schedules, budgets, and resource plans.
• Coordinates contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Works cross-functionally with production, maintenance, safety, quality, and purchasing teams to identify equipment or process issues, determine root cause, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Sizes, specifies, justifies, sources, purchases, installs, and commissions equipment upgrades for production departments, ensuring safety, feasibility, ROI, operational readiness, and long‑term maintainability.
• Tracks project costs and ensuring expenditures remain within approved budgets.
• Provides regular project status updates to site leadership.
• Creates and reviews technical specifications, drawings, and work packages.
• Supports installation, startup, and commissioning activities.
• Understands, troubleshoots, and optimizes process and production‑support systems including wet air scrubbers, VFDs, suction/vacuum systems, airflow controls, temperature‑sensitive process conditions, and related mechanical/electrical interfaces.
• Ensures compliance with applicable codes, standards, and company engineering practices.
• Identifies opportunities to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
• Supports root cause failure investigations and corrective actions.
• Participates in preventive and predictive maintenance initiatives.
• Drives continuous improvement projects focused on safety, productivity, quality, and cost reduction.
• Sustains the production tracking system (Vorne) across applicable departments, production lines, and equipment to monitor efficiency, OEE, downtime, standards, and daily performance.
• Supports Management of Change (MOC) processes as applicable.
• Participates in risk assessments, job hazard analyses, and project safety reviews.
• Maintains project documentation, drawings, specifications, and engineering records.
• Takes initiative in reviewing production data with department leaders and supervisors; convert findings into action plans that improve throughput, reduce downtime, improve labor utilization, reduce cost, and strengthen operating performance.
• Reviews and improves process flow, equipment layout, material movement, staffing methods, changeovers, and operating practices to reduce waste and increase efficiency.
• Finalizes, implements, audits, and sustains the 5S program, including visual standards, ownership expectations, corrective actions, and management routines.
• Develops and maintains SOPs, work instructions, standard work, training materials, technical documentation, and operating standards that support safe and repeatable processes.
• Supports Lean and continuous improvement activities including root cause analysis (RCA), Kaizen events, value stream or process mapping, cycle time reduction, waste reduction, and standard work.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support operational goals.

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical Engineering, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 1-5 years of engineering experience in manufacturing, industrial, pharmaceutical, food, chemical, or related industries.
• Experience managing maintenance, reliability, or capital projects.
• Experience working with contractors and equipment vendors.
• Green Belt certification is a plus.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and working knowledge of process equipment, VFDs, vacuum/suction systems, airflow systems, scrubbers, controls, and production‑support infrastructure.
• Strong technical communication skills with the ability to translate data, observations, and engineering recommendations into clear actions for production teams.
• Extremely well organized with an ability to prioritize work, manage multiple projects, follow through on commitments, and maintain a keen eye for detail.
• Bias for action, high ownership, and the desire to challenge the status quo while growing into broader operational responsibility over time.

Looking to work for the best in the industry?

Since opening its first store in 1975, Pinch A Penny, A POOLCORP Company,has become the largest franchised retail pool, patio and spa company. This first store evolved into a full‑time, full-service retail pool supply store offering everything needed to operate and enjoy a swimming pool or spa. With our rapid growth we have been able to hire over 300 employees from Marketing directors, sales associates to machine operators and maintenance mechanics. We are proud to serve our community and be an employer of choice. We believe in recognizing our employees for their hard work and encourage work‑life balance.

Why join PINCH A PENNY?

Pinch A Penny, a POOLCORP Company is the premier destination for all your swimming pool and backyard needs. With over 300 stores and expanding, we are the nation’s largest swimming pool retail, service, and repair franchise. Our relentless dedication to excellence drives us to bring people together through the joy of pools, spas, and the backyard experience. Join us on this exciting journey as we continue to grow, innovate, and set new standards in the swimming pool industry.

All offers to external candidates for employment are contingent upon the successful completion of pre‑employment drug testing and background verifications before employment is finalized. This position is considered “safety-sensitive” and includes tasks or duties which could affect the safety and health of the employee performing the tasks or others.

POOLCORP, including all its subsidiaries, is a drug‑free company and Equal Opportunity Employer – By Choice. The Company understands, respects, and values diversity – unique styles, experiences, identities, ideas, and opinions – while striving to be inclusive of all people. This commitment is critical to our success as a global company as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Hiring and promotional decisions are based solely on the qualifications required for the job to be filled.