Plant Engineer

Zentis Group; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Zentis Group in Philadelphia, PA seeks a Plant Engineer to lead mechanical and process engineering for a high‑volume food manufacturing operation. You will manage equipment installation, maintenance plans, safety compliance, and continuous improvement, partnering with production, maintenance, quality and IT.

A Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering and 5+ years in manufacturing are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably food manufacturing.
• Strong problem‑solving, communication and project management skills.
• AutoCAD experience; knowledge of steam, refrigeration, and water treatment systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage equipment installation, maintenance plans, and decommissioning.
• Perform regular equipment inspections to meet performance targets.
• Ensure equipment safety and industry standard compliance.
• Lead root-cause analysis for equipment failures and process deviations.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams and provide technical guidance.
• Prepare project timelines, cost estimates, and technical documentation.

Skills

Problem solving

Communication

Project management

Leadership

Flexibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Zentis is Europe\'s number one fruit processing company and one of the leading brand manufacturers of jams, sweets, and custard-based desserts. The Company\'s North America operations are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Plymouth, Indiana, where we produce fruit and dairy preparations for a variety of customers including yogurt, ice cream and bakery manufacturers.

We are seeking a Plant Engineer for our Philadelphia location. This person will lead engineering activities and support operations with a focus on management of plant equipment and utility infrastructure to ensure efficient, safe, and high-quality manufacturing operations and successful execution of operation projects.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Management of equipment including installation, maintenance plans, and decommissioning.
• Regular equipment inspection to ensure the designed operation performance is being met.
• Ensure equipment compliance with safety and industry standards.
• Analyze production processes to identify bottlenecks and implement new/modify existing equipment to increase production performance.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for equipment failures or process deviations.
• Collaborate with maintenance and operations teams to minimize downtime.
• Key stakeholder for engineering projects from concept and design to implementation.
• Prepare technical documentation, project timelines, and cost estimates.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams in Production, Quality, Maintenance, and IT as well as with the including Global Central Engineering team headquartered in Germany.
• Provide technical guidance to maintenance team on appropriate PM plans and equipment repairs.
• Training of plant staff on equipment operation and correct setpoints.
• Promote a culture of innovation, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Formal Education Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Industrial Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment with preference in food manufacturing.

Specific Experience and Key Knowledge Requirements:

• Strong understanding of mechanical systems (pumps, mixing, heat transfer).
• Understanding of steam, refrigeration, compressed air, and water treatment systems.
• AutoCAD experience
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.
• Decision-making, management and development of employees, problem solving, flexibility.