Plant Engineer

Ashton North LLC; Wilson (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 172,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashton North LLC in Wilson, North Carolina is seeking a Plant Engineer to lead our maintenance and engineering department in a fast-paced food manufacturing setting. You will drive continuous improvement, manage capital projects, and implement preventive/predictive maintenance and TPM to keep production lines running at peak efficiency.

You will lead a team of technicians, schedule activities, and deliver projects on time and within budget, while upholding safety, food safety, and environmental

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field with 8+ years relevant experience.
• 2+ years in team management or project leadership.
• Strong leadership, planning, teamwork, and adaptability.
• Advanced technical skills in mechanical/electrical fields (PLCs, instrumentation).
• Knowledge of maintenance systems, work orders, TPM.

Responsibilities

• Own capital projects from concept to completion, ensuring safety and budget targets.
• Develop and implement maintenance systems including preventive/predictive maintenance and TPM.
• Lead and organize maintenance team and assign tasks.
• Provide short- and long-term solutions for operational challenges.
• Track KPIs for maintenance performance and plant efficiency.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Analytical thinking

Teamwork

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

8+ years experience

Tools

PLCs

Instrumentation

Excel

Word

Maintenance TPM

Job description

Job Title: Plant Engineer

Location: Wilson, North Carolina

Salary: $140-172K plus bonus

Job Summary of the Plant Engineer:

As the leader of the maintenance and engineering department in a fast-paced plant, you'll be at the foreground of maintaining top-tier building and equipment performance. By reducing mechanical downtime and ensuring seamless product flow, you’ll keep our production lines running at peak efficiency. You'll lead the charge in developing and implementing cutting-edge maintenance systems, including Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and more, driving our plant to new heights as part of a High-Performing Manufacturing Organization. As the leader of engineering activities, you will ensure our facilities remain a state-of-the-art food manufacturing process, developing and executing highly innovative technology projects

Job Duties & Responsibilities of the Plant Engineer:

• Take ownership of capital projects from concept to completion! You’ll manage and schedule all project elements to ensure minimal disruption to plant operations, delivering projects on time, on budget, and without compromising safety, food safety, or environmental standards.
• Lead the charge in developing and implementing cutting-edge maintenance systems that keep our plant operating at peak performance. You'll be the driving force behind Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and other high-impact strategies, ensuring optimal scheduling that maximizes task completion with minimal downtime.
• Manage the maintenance team by delegating tasks, enforcing policies, and guiding work assignments. Your ability to organize, plan, and follow through ensures work is completed efficiently and safely.
• Provide both short-term fixes and long-term solutions to everyday operational challenges. Whether troubleshooting, conducting problem analysis, or addressing equipment failures, you’ll ensure the smooth daily operation of the plant with minimal recurring issues.
• Drive continuous improvement by developing and tracking Key Performance Indicators that measure the success of the maintenance function. From equipment reliability to supplier performance and overall equipment effectiveness, your insights will be crucial for maintaining peak performance across all areas of the plant.

Education & Experience Requirements of the Plant Engineer:

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