Reliability Manager (Remote)

Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Cudahy, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package available

Job summary

Smithfield Foods, Inc. is seeking a Reliability Manager to lead maintenance and reliability initiatives across facilities.

You will collaborate with engineers, plant teams, and vendors to implement industry-leading practices that enhance asset performance and reduce downtime. The role requires 5+ years in engineering with leadership experience, proficiency in SAP/CMMS, and travel up to 50% to support multiple locations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field and 5+ years of experience required.
• 2+ years of leadership experience including team development and management.
• Knowledge of engineering principles related to food processing and the meat industry.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement reliability strategies to optimize plant performance.
• Collaborate with plant reliability teams and cross-functional departments.
• Standardize preventive and predictive maintenance strategies across facilities.
• Lead data-driven decisions using CMMS/SAP to improve asset performance and costs.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

SAP

CMMS

MS Office

Job description

Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet. With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact.

This is a remote position with geographic requirements. To effectively support business operations, candidates must reside within 60 miles of a designated company location and be able to travel to assigned facilities as needed.

Relocation may be required for candidates who do not currently meet this requirement.

Are you a dynamic, creative engineering professional who thrives in fast‑paced environments and loves collaborating with key stakeholders to drive innovation and business growth? If so, it's time to join one of the nation’s top 25 consumer packaged goods companies—Smithfield Foods!

As a member of our Engineering team, you’ll dive into data analysis and design impactful plans to optimize production processes, all while finding innovative ways to eliminate waste and boost efficiency.

Your contributions will directly influence the quality and reliability of products from iconic brands like Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathan's Famous, and many more—ensuring we meet the evolving needs of our customers and consumers.

As a Reliability Manager, you’ll take the lead in driving reliability and maintaining equipment and processes essential to smooth plant operations. You’ll develop and implement cutting‑edge reliability strategies, champion best practices, and inspire a culture of continuous improvement. Your role will be pivotal in enhancing plant performance, safeguarding operations, and delivering on our commitment to operational excellence.

May perform other duties as assigned.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Innovative Reliability & Maintenance Strategy: You’ll collaborate with plant reliability teams and cross‑functional departments to drive cutting‑edge, standardized maintenance strategies for both existing and new equipment programs. Lead the charge in planning, developing, and deploying industry‑leading best practices in maintenance management and reliability engineering. Champion key reliability elements like asset health assurance, predictive and preventive maintenance, root cause analysis (RCA), component reliability, and Operator‑Driven Reliability, all while ensuring top‑tier performance across operations.
• Standardizing Excellence Across Facilities: Spearhead the unification of preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, ensuring consistent, high‑performance approaches across all Smithfield facilities. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by sharing best practices, solving root causes, and rolling out procedural changes that boost equipment reliability and performance throughout the organization.
• Collaboration & Problem‑Solving Mastery: Partner with plant engineers, corporate teams, and vendors to tackle engineering challenges, uncover root causes, and drive innovative solutions to fix repetitive equipment failures and other maintenance obstacles. Identify game‑changing opportunities for cost savings, from improving equipment reliability to extending parts life and optimizing labor costs, all while elevating the bottom line.
• Training, Development & Data‑Driven Decisions: Take charge of elevating your team’s skill set by identifying training opportunities that foster growth and ensure a high‑performance maintenance workforce. Harness the power of CMMS/SAP to transform raw data into actionable insights, performing advanced reliability analysis to keep operations running smoothly. Lead the assessment of asset performance, providing expert guidance on whether to repair or replace equipment, ensuring reliability standards are met for peak operational efficiency.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering or related filed and 5+ years of experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• 2+ years of experience in a position of leadership to include team development and management, required.
• Knowledge of engineering principles and techniques related to food processing and the meat industry.
• Proficient in SAP and CMMS.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite products.
• Ability to communicate technical ideas and concepts effectively.
• Energized by collaboration through travel to other locations. (50% of the time).

OTHER SKILLS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT:

• Ability to apply sound engineering principles to operational and design issues.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational planning, teamwork, analytical reasoning and adaptability.
• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position may lead a team of engineers and will provide training and guidance to Plant staff, Project Engineers, and Senior Project Engineers. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described here are representative of those an employee should possess to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Corporate working environment. Noise level in the work environment is moderate. When located in the plant the environment will include wet or humid conditions (non-weather related), extreme cold and heat (non-weather related), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and chemicals. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision includes close vision and ability to adjust focus. Frequently required to sit, use hands to handle or feel, and talk or hear.

The expected pay range for this position is $105,000 - $140,000 annually.

Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package. Learn more about our benefits package here.

Relocation Package Available Yes

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

Smithfield is proud to offer robust, flexible and affordable benefit plans and programs to support our team members and their loved ones, and with out-of-pocket costs, on average, 20 percent less than plans offered by other employers. Beyond our medical plans, our Be Well programs offer tools and resources to enhance your quality of life, at no additional cost. These programs are uniquely tailored to our Smithfield team and provide support for elective surgeries, weight loss, mental health, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, smoking cessation, asthma, maternity management and more. Our company invests in your future. We offer comprehensive training and professional development programs designed to help you reach your full potential. Through LinkedIn Learning, employees can access on‑demand courses, professional certificates, and skill‑based training to build capabilities aligned with career and business needs. Our partnership with Guild supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning, high school completion, and degree programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high‑potential talent. We also offer unique benefits like our Smithfield Scholarship Program for employees’ children.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan's Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.