Plant Engineer

Software Placement Group, SPG; Mason City (IA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Software Placement Group, SPG is seeking a Plant Engineer in Mason City, IA to lead the maintenance and engineering department for a leading food manufacturer. You will drive capital projects, implement innovative maintenance systems, and oversee TPM to minimize downtime and optimize production flow.

You will manage a team, ensure safety and food safety standards, and leverage your mechanical/electrical expertise to solve complex plant issues.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field is required.
• 8+ years of relevant experience in engineering/maintenance roles.
• Food manufacturing experience is required.
• Change management experience will be a plus.
• Strong leadership, planning, teamwork, analytical reasoning and adaptability.
• Advanced technical skills in mechanical/electrical fields (e.g., PLCs, instrumentation) and project leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own capital projects from concept to completion.
• Manage all project elements to minimize disruption and deliver on time and budget.
• Develop and implement maintenance systems to keep peak performance.
• Drive TPM and preventive/predictive maintenance strategies.
• Lead and develop the maintenance team and delegate tasks.
• Serve as primary problem solver for operational challenges and downtime.
• Track KPIs to measure maintenance effectiveness.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Team management

Analytical reasoning

Adaptability

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Tools

PLCs

Instrumentation

Job description

Location: Mason City, Iowa | Schedule: Full-time, on-site | Compensation: $125K – $155K plus bonus

Overview

An established food manufacturing organization is seeking a Plant Engineer to lead its maintenance and engineering department. This role sits at the center of a high-performing manufacturing operation, responsible for keeping building and equipment performance at a top tier, reducing mechanical downtime, and ensuring seamless product flow across production lines. The Plant Engineer will drive innovative maintenance systems and lead engineering projects that keep the facility operating as a state-of-the-art food manufacturing environment.

What you'll do

• Own capital projects from concept to completion
• Manage and schedule all project elements to minimize disruption to plant operations, delivering projects on time, on budget, and in line with safety, food safety, and environmental standards
• Develop and implement cutting-edge maintenance systems to keep the plant operating at peak performance
• Drive Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and other high-impact strategies, optimizing scheduling to maximize task completion while minimizing downtime
• Manage the maintenance team by delegating tasks, enforcing policies, and guiding work assignments
• Serve as the primary problem solver, providing both short-term fixes and long-term solutions to operational challenges, including troubleshooting, problem analysis, and equipment failure resolution
• Drive continuous improvement by developing and tracking Key Performance Indicators to measure maintenance function success

Required qualifications

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

Compensation and benefits

• $125K – $155K plus bonus

Why this role

This is an opportunity to lead engineering and maintenance activities for a high-performing manufacturing organization, driving innovative technology projects and elevating maintenance operations to new levels of efficiency.