Director Of Engineering - Protein

We are partnering with a leading further processed protein manufacturer seeking an experienced Director of Engineering to lead the engineering and technical strategy across its manufacturing operations.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for driving capital investment, engineering excellence, automation, equipment reliability, process improvement and plant capacity across a complex, high-volume protein manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will be a strategic and hands-on engineering leader with a strong understanding of food/protein processing and packaging, capable of translating business objectives into engineering initiatives that improve safety, reliability, productivity and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the engineering function across the manufacturing operation.
• Develop and execute a long-term engineering, capital and automation strategy aligned with business growth objectives.
• Lead the planning, budgeting and execution of major CAPEX projects, including new equipment, production lines, facility expansions and process upgrades.
• Identify opportunities to increase plant capacity, throughput, automation and operational efficiency.
• Partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, FSQA and Corporate leadership to identify and prioritize engineering initiatives.
• Oversee the design, installation, commissioning and start-up of new production and packaging equipment.
• Drive the implementation of automation, controls and advanced manufacturing technologies across the facility.
• Improve equipment reliability, uptime and maintainability through engineering solutions and proactive asset management.
• Lead technical investigations and root-cause analysis for recurring equipment and process issues.
• Develop engineering standards, specifications and best practices across the manufacturing network.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and identify opportunities to improve labor efficiency, yield, throughput and product quality.
• Manage relationships with equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, contractors and other technical partners.
• Ensure engineering projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the required safety, quality and performance standards.
• Provide technical leadership on facility expansions, new product introductions and production line modifications.
• Support the development and optimization of preventative and predictive maintenance strategies.
• Ensure engineering activities comply with OSHA, USDA, food safety, GMP and environmental requirements.
• Develop, coach and mentor engineering and technical teams, building a strong internal engineering capability.
• Establish and monitor engineering KPIs around CAPEX delivery, project ROI, equipment reliability, downtime and operational improvements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM and other operational excellence methodologies.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an experienced Director of Engineering, Engineering Manager, Corporate Engineering Manager or Senior Engineering Leader with a strong background in food, protein or high-volume manufacturing.

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience across:

• Further processed protein manufacturing
• RTE and cooked protein operations
• Meat and poultry processing
• High-speed processing and packaging
• Automated production environments
• Large-scale manufacturing facilities
• Multi-site engineering or capital project management

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in:

• Leading significant CAPEX and engineering programs.
• Delivering automation and technology projects that generate measurable ROI.
• Increasing plant capacity and production efficiency.
• Improving equipment reliability and reducing downtime.
• Managing complex engineering teams and external contractors.
• Working closely with Operations to translate production challenges into engineering solutions.
• Developing long-term technical strategies rather than simply reacting to maintenance issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive engineering experience within manufacturing.
• Previous Director of Engineering, Engineering Manager or equivalent senior leadership experience preferred.
• Strong experience within protein, food, RTE, meat, poultry or further processing environments.
• Proven experience managing large-scale CAPEX projects and engineering budgets.
• Strong knowledge of industrial automation, PLCs, controls, robotics and high-speed production equipment.
• Experience with processing and packaging equipment.
• Strong understanding of mechanical and electrical engineering principles.
• Experience with facility design, utilities and infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of OSHA, USDA, GMP and food safety requirements.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM or continuous improvement methodologies.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline required; advanced degree is a plus.