Head of Engineering & Maintenance

About

The Engineering & Maintenance Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing all maintenance and engineering activities within the food production facility.

This role ensures the reliability, safety, and efficiency of all equipment, utilities, and infrastructure, while driving continuous improvement through preventive maintenance, CapEx initiatives, facility expansions, and operational excellence programs.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on maintenance expertise, engineering knowledge, and strong project management capabilities, with the ability to connect strategy and execution on the plant floor.

What You’ll Do

• Oversee all maintenance and engineering functions, managing a multidisciplinary team responsible for production equipment, utilities, and facility systems.
• Lead daily maintenance operations, ensuring maximum uptime, reliability, and performance.
• Develop and optimize preventive and predictive maintenance programs (CMMS, data-driven approach, RCA).
• Drive a culture of breakdown elimination and continuous improvement.
• Partner cross-functionally with Production, Quality, and Engineering teams.
• Lead CapEx projects, equipment installations, and facility expansions, ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery.
• Manage contractors, vendors, and external partners.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, FDA, USDA, GMP, HACCP.
• Own and manage maintenance budget, KPIs (OEE, cost, efficiency), and sustainability initiatives.
• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing maintenance team.

What We’re Looking For

Core Experience (MANDATORY)

• Strong combined background in both Maintenance AND Engineering.
• Candidates with only maintenance or only engineering experience will not be considered.
• Proven experience in industrial/manufacturing environments (food preferred, pharma also highly relevant).

Project Management

• Solid experience managing CapEx, installations, expansions, or complex plant projects.
• Ability to manage the “big picture”, not just technical execution.
• Preferred profiles:
  • Maintenance + Project Management → ideal
  • Engineering + Project Management + some maintenance exposure → good fit
  • Pure project managers without maintenance exposure are not suitable

Seniority & Profile Flexibility

• ~10–12 years experience if well-balanced across maintenance & engineering.
• More senior profiles (15–20+ years).

Technical Skills

• Experience with automation systems, utilities (HVAC, refrigeration, boilers, compressors).
• Strong understanding of preventive/predictive maintenance systems.
• Ability to read CAD drawings and electrical diagrams.

Leadership

• Experience managing teams and driving performance.
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

What Makes a Strong Candidate

• Hands-on and plant-oriented, not purely theoretical.
• Comfortable balancing technical depth + operational execution.
• Experienced in project ownership and cross-functional coordination.
• Able to operate in a fast-paced, sometimes unstructured environment.
• Solutions-driven with strong accountability.

Additional Considerations

• Industry: Food or pharma.
• International profiles (e.g., TN visa) considered only if already experienced in the U.S.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary + annual bonus
• Health, Dental & Vision (100% employer-paid)
• 401(k) with 4% match
• Life, STD/LTD insurance
• PTO + holidays
• Relocation assistance and VISA support