Manufacturing Engineer

Job Title: Manufacturing Engineer

Job Description

This Manufacturing Engineer role is based at a Terre Haute, Indiana manufacturing facility and focuses on improving equipment reliability, increasing production efficiency, and driving continuous improvement across the plant. The engineer serves as a key technical resource for operations and maintenance teams, supporting production equipment, troubleshooting complex manufacturing challenges, and implementing solutions that enhance throughput, reduce downtime, improve product quality, and lower operating costs. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys working directly on the manufacturing floor, solving equipment and process issues, and partnering closely with maintenance and operations teams to achieve operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve operational equipment and process issues to ensure reliable and efficient production.

• Support, optimize, and improve manufacturing systems to increase equipment uptime and overall production efficiency.

• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including preventive maintenance procedures, technical manuals, troubleshooting guides, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and equipment drawings and updates.

• Serve as the primary technical resource during equipment installations, testing, commissioning, and start-up activities, ensuring smooth integration into existing operations.

• Ensure maintenance plans, machine documentation, and operating procedures comply with SQF and food safety requirements.

• Provide technical evaluations and recommendations for spare parts, replacement components, and equipment upgrades to support long-term reliability.

• Act as a key escalation point for maintenance technicians and support emergency equipment breakdowns to minimize production interruptions.

• Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives focused on increasing throughput, reducing downtime, eliminating waste, standardizing processes, and improving product quality.

• Assist with capital projects, including new equipment implementation and acceptance testing, to ensure performance and safety standards are met.

• Maintain accurate repair and maintenance records using CMMS and repair tracking software to support data-driven decision-making.

• Train maintenance technicians, operators, and production leaders on equipment operation, preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting techniques.

• Support the maintenance leadership team with department initiatives, equipment reliability strategies, and engineering projects.

• Promote and reinforce a strong safety culture while ensuring compliance with company policies and applicable regulatory requirements.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, with a preference for Mechanical Engineering (ME) or Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET).

• 4-7 years of experience in a manufacturing setting, with a preference for heavy industrial or automotive environments.

• Strong machine troubleshooting skills and solid knowledge of industrial manufacturing processes and equipment.

• At least 3 years of experience in troubleshooting and maintenance of manufacturing equipment.

• Demonstrated experience with manufacturing engineering, continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and process improvement.

• Experience in machining, tooling, and developing clear work instructions for production and maintenance teams.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences.

• Proven ability to work independently and be self-sufficient, taking ownership of projects and tasks with minimal oversight after initial direction.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with maintenance and operations teams on the manufacturing floor.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with steam cooking systems and sterilization equipment such as retorts or autoclaves.

• Knowledge of robotics, PLCs, and other electromechanical systems used in automated manufacturing environments.

• Familiarity with CMMS and repair tracking software for documenting and analyzing maintenance activities.

• Experience working within SQF or similar food safety and quality frameworks.

• Exposure to capital project execution, equipment implementation, and acceptance testing.

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with a continuous improvement mindset.

Work Environment

This role is based in a plant environment on a first-shift schedule, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET, with occasional weekend duties as needed to support production and maintenance activities. Typical workweeks range from 40 to 55 hours, depending on operational demands and project requirements. The Manufacturing Engineer works closely with a small, collaborative maintenance team that includes a Maintenance Lead, Maintenance Technicians, and another engineer supporting a dry product line. The position is primarily on the manufacturing floor, interacting directly with production equipment, maintenance tools, and plant systems, and requires adherence to established safety practices, food safety standards, and operational procedures.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Terre Haute, IN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $85000.00 - $100000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

See Jake for the Internal Saturn Petcare Benefits Package

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Terre Haute,IN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 1, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.