Utilities Lead

Ingredion Incorporated (NA-US); Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 84,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) plan with company match

Job summary

Ingredion Incorporated in Winston-Salem, NC, seeks a Utilities Lead to oversee plant utility systems—boiler house, water treatment, wastewater, compressed air, electrical distribution—and drive safe, reliable operations and regulatory compliance.

Reporting to Operations Manager, you will coordinate with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, and contractors to optimize energy use, manage budgets, and mentor Utilities staff while leading continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field preferred.
• Experience leading or supporting utility systems in a manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of boilers, steam, compressed air, water/wastewater treatment.
• Experience managing budgets, maintenance planning, contractors, and service agreements.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and documentation skills; proficient in MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operation and monitor utility systems to identify improvements.
• Ensure reliable steam, water, gas, electricity, and wastewater resources for production.
• Coordinate with operations, maintenance, contractors, and service providers to address utility concerns.
• Manage budgets, contractor services, utility-related materials, and cost-control initiatives.
• Lead compliance activities, permits, environmental reporting, and emissions monitoring.
• Support outages, shutdowns, and capital or maintenance projects with coordination.
• Develop and coach Utilities personnel while driving energy efficiency and continuous improvement.

Skills

Safety leadership

Regulatory compliance

Energy optimization

Data-driven problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Project planning

Team development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Maintenance/Reporting systems

Job description

About Ingredion: Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create. Location: Winston Salem, NC Workplace type: Onsite Utilities are foundational to safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing operations.

Utilities Lead Overview

As our Utilities Lead, you will play a critical role in ensuring uninterrupted utility services, regulatory compliance, energy optimization, and continuous improvement across plant operations. As a Utilities Lead, you will lead the safe, reliable, compliant, and cost-effective operation of plant utility systems, including boiler house, water treatment, wastewater, compressed air, electrical distribution, fuel handling, and ash handling operations. Reporting to the Operations Manager, you will work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, EHS, contractors, vendors, and regulatory agencies to support plant performance and operational excellence.

What you will do:

• Lead the daily operation and performance monitoring of utility systems, reviewing operating data, utility logs, meter readings, and trends to identify improvement opportunities and resolve system issues.
• Ensure reliable supply and efficient consumption of steam, water, natural gas, electricity, compressed air, fuel, and wastewater treatment resources while supporting plant production requirements.
• Coordinate with operations, maintenance teams, contractors, and service providers to address utility-related concerns, improve reliability, and execute corrective actions.
• Manage utility budgets, contractor services, utility-related materials and chemical inventories, and support cost-control initiatives through effective planning and resource management.
• Lead compliance activities, including permit support, environmental reporting, emissions monitoring, inspections, and interactions with regulatory agencies, utility providers, and third-party auditors.
• Support annual outages, shutdowns, and capital or maintenance projects by coordinating contractors, identifying required work, tracking progress, and ensuring successful execution.
• Develop and coach Utilities personnel while driving continuous improvement initiatives focused on energy efficiency, asset reliability, safe work practices, operational discipline, and team capability.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, or a related technical field preferred; equivalent industrial utility or manufacturing experience may be considered.
• Experience leading or supporting utility systems within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Working knowledge of boilers, steam systems, compressed air, water treatment, wastewater treatment, fuel handling, electrical distribution systems, pressure vessels, and environmental compliance requirements.
• Experience managing budgets, maintenance planning activities, contractors, service agreements, and work order processes.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and documentation skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office and maintenance or reporting systems.

Who you are:

• A safety-focused leader committed to regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, and operational excellence.
• A collaborative partner who communicates effectively across Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, EHS, and external stakeholders.
• A data-driven problem solver who analyzes trends, identifies root causes, and implements sustainable solutions.
• An organized planner capable of managing multiple priorities, projects, contractors, and compliance requirements simultaneously.
• A continuous improvement advocate with a passion for energy efficiency, reliability enhancement, and team development.

Why Join Ingredion?

Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive.

• Total Rewards Package - Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success
• Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support - Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
• Career Growth - Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement
• Employee Recognition Program - A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
• Employee Discount Program - Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law ("protected classifications"). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.

Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.

Relocation Available: Yes, Within Country Pay Range: $84,400.00-$112,533.33 Annual. This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).

Incentive Compensation: As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.

Benefits: Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with a competitive company match.

Ingredion is a leading global, plant-based ingredients solutions company. We make sweeteners, starches, nutrition ingredients and biomaterials that are used by customers in everyday products from foods and beverages to paper and pharmaceuticals. At Ingredion, we embrace possibilities and inspire each other to think big. Together, we are reimagining how we can make life better through our differentiated ingredients and innovative solutions.

We share an inspiring purpose — to make life better, for our colleagues, our customers, our communities, and the world. We belong to a culture of bold innovators, of people who believe that their skills, creativity, and passion can deliver solutions that can enhance people’s lives. We create what's next, transforming our imagination into innovation. We have a welcoming and collaborative environment to build and grow a career in a multinational company. Here, everyone can be their authentic selves and be part of a community of talented and caring people, interacting with professionals around the world, made up of varied backgrounds, cultures and industries. We are encouraged to think differently and innovate through collaboration and experimentation. We are constantly imagining new ways to bring value to our customers, through new ingredients, solutions, and ways of working.