Plant Engineering Manager

CJ Schwan's; Pasadena (TX); On-site; USD 91,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Rewards package

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

CJ Schwan's is seeking an Engineering Manager for our Houston area frozen food facilities (Pasadena/Deer Park). You will lead capital projects, serve as gatekeeper for budgets and scopes, and drive EHS and food safety improvements across two sites.

The role requires a strong background in process/packaging equipment and multi-site budgeting, with leadership of cross-functional teams and subcontractors. Competitive compensation and robust benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science or Master’s degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical or Process preferred).
• Minimum 10 years' experience in Process, Packaging equipment, Infrastructure, and/or Maintenance in Food & Beverage or CPG settings.
• Significant experience with project cost controls and conformance to PM best practices.
• Experience executing bid processes and managing subcontractors.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Plant Project Engineers to scope, plan, and execute capital projects including budget, schedule, cash flow, procurement and risk mitigation.
• Serve as the capital approval gatekeeper, reviewing scopes and execution plans for feasibility and standards compliance.
• Provide coaching on vendor selection, engineering standards, and resourcing; support talent development and succession planning.
• Ensure adherence to project management best practices and elevate high-risk issues as needed.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to integrate operational needs into project plans.
• Collaborate with Finance to review capital allocation, validate cash flow forecasts, and ensure accurate closeouts.
• Support capital planning by providing project performance insights and long-term investment strategies with site leadership.
• Lead select capital projects from concept through completion.

Skills

Budgeting across multi-site facilities

Project management

Cost controls

Subcontractor management

Food & Beverage industry experience

Education

Engineering degree (BS or MS)

Job description

Schwan's Company, a U.S. affiliate of the global lifestyle brand CJ CheilJedang Corporation, is a leader in manufacturing and marketing quality foods enjoyed nationwide. We have beloved brands like Red Baron®, Tony's®, Big Daddy's®, Villa Prima™ and Freschetta® pizzas; bibigo®, Pagoda® Asian-style snacks and we can't forget Mrs. Smith's® and Edwards® pies! We bring families and communities together through great food. Join our team and see the opportunities are real, and the sky is the limit; this isn't just a job, it's a seat at the table!

As the Engineering Manager at our frozen food manufacturing facility in the Houston, TX area (specifically Pasadena and Deer Park), you will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence across two food manufacturing facilities by leading the evaluation and execution of capital projects. From infrastructure upgrades to critical EHS and food safety improvements, you'll serve as a strategic gatekeeper ensuring project scopes, budgets, timelines, and outcomes align with business priorities.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Plant Project Engineers across multiple sites to scope, plan, and execute capital projects, ensuring alignment on budget, schedule, cash flow, procurement, and risk mitigation.
• Serve as the capital approval gatekeeper, reviewing project scopes and execution plans to ensure feasibility and compliance with standards.
• Provide coaching on vendor selection, engineering standards, and resource planning; support talent development and succession planning.
• Ensure adherence to project management best practices and elevate high-risk issues as needed.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams (Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, HR, Logistics) to integrate operational needs into project plans.
• Collaborate with Finance to review capital allocation, validate cash flow forecasts, and ensure accurate project closeouts.
• Support capital planning by providing project performance insights and developing long-term investment strategies with site leadership.
• Lead select capital projects directly, managing execution and deliverables from concept through completion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science or Master's degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical or Process preferred).
• Minimum 10 years' experience in Process, Packaging equipment, Infrastructure, and/or Maintenance. Previous experience with Food and Beverage or Consumer Packaged Goods companies required. Previous experiences with budgeting in a manufacturing multi-site capacity required.
• Significant experience and skill related to project cost controls and measuring conformance to project management best practices.
• Prior experience executing bid process, defining sub-contractor performance criteria and managing subcontractors, required.

Compensation And Benefits

The base salary range for this position is $90,750 to $151,250 annually with eligibility for a 15% annual incentive bonus, that is based on organizational performance. The pay range represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to educations, skills, work experience, certifications, geography etc. As such, starting pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range.

Beyond base salary, we offer a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a strong foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support programs.

The employing subsidiaries of CJ Schwan's Company are Equal Employment Opportunity Employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, age, race, color, religion, gender, vet status, national origin, or other protected class.