Plant Engineer

Gehl Food & Beverage; Lathrop (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Gehl Food & Beverage is seeking a Plant Engineer to lead site-based reliability initiatives and capital project execution at the Lathrop facility. The role focuses on long-term utility performance, infrastructure improvements, and investments that support plant growth and sustainability, working with Maintenance and Engineering Managers to drive strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day operations.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in manufacturing or industrial engineering, with strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related field (or equivalent).
• 5+ years in manufacturing or industrial engineering.
• Experience leading capital and infrastructure projects.
• Strong knowledge of utility systems and engineering compliance standards.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead reliability and improvement initiatives for utility systems including boilers, HVAC, compressed air, glycol, chilled water, wastewater, RO, and nitrogen systems.
• Manage facility infrastructure upgrades and ensure compliance with engineering, safety, and regulatory standards.
• Plan and coordinate plant shutdown activities during major holidays.
• Lead capital projects from scope development through execution and closeout ($5K–$50M).
• Partner with maintenance, operations, engineering, EHS, and external contractors to support infrastructure and expansion initiatives.
• Maintain engineering documentation, drawings, and long-range capital plans.

Skills

Reliability improvement

Project leadership

Communication skills

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Infor/Hexagon EAM CMMS

Job description

The Plant Engineer is a site-based technical leader responsible for infrastructure reliability and capital project execution at the Lathrop facility. This role focuses on long-term utility and facility performance, strategic infrastructure improvements, and capital investments that support plant growth, sustainability, and operational readiness. Working alongside Maintenance and Engineering Managers, the Plant Engineer drives forward-looking initiatives rather than day-to-day operations support.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead reliability and improvement initiatives for utility systems including boilers, HVAC, compressed air, glycol, chilled water, wastewater, RO, and nitrogen systems
• Manage facility infrastructure upgrades and ensure compliance with engineering, safety, and regulatory standards
• Plan and coordinate plant shutdown activities during major holidays
• Lead capital projects from scope development through execution and closeout ($5K–$50M)
• Partner with maintenance, operations, engineering, EHS, and external contractors to support infrastructure and expansion initiatives
• Maintain engineering documentation, drawings, and long-range capital plans

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years in manufacturing or industrial engineering
• Experience leading capital and infrastructure projects
• Strong knowledge of utility systems and engineering compliance standards
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Preferred

• Food & beverage or aseptic manufacturing experience
• FDA-regulated utility systems knowledge
• CMMS experience (Infor/Hexagon EAM preferred)