POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Maintenance, Reliability, and Engineering leads all maintenance, engineering, and reliability functions within a food manufacturing environment. This role ensures maximum equipment uptime, adherence to food safety and sanitation standards, and continuous improvement of production processes. The Director is responsible for implementing asset management strategies, supporting regulatory compliance, and optimizing plant performance while managing cost, safety, and quality requirements unique to food production.

REQUIRES SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
Experience:
Minimum 15 years of maintenance and engineering leadership in manufacturing, with strong preference for food or beverage processing environments.
Experience working within regulated environments requiring GMPs, HACCP, and environmental controls.
Technical Proficiency:
CMMS systems
Industrial controls and PLCs
CAD software
Knowledge of hygienic design principles
Certifications (Preferred):
Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP)
Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE)
HACCP Certification or equivalent food safety credentials

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

Develop and execute maintenance and reliability strategies that support safe, efficient, and compliant food manufacturing operations.
Align engineering initiatives with production demands, food safety requirements, and corporate business objectives.
Lead long‑term planning for facility upgrades, automation opportunities, and equipment modernization.

Asset Management & Reliability

Implement predictive and preventive maintenance programs tailored to food-processing equipment, including conveyors, mixers, fillers, packaging systems, refrigeration systems, and sanitation equipment.
Apply Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) principles to reduce unplanned downtime and extend asset life.
Ensure equipment and utilities (steam, air, refrigeration, water) meet hygiene and operational requirements.

Engineering & Technical Support

Oversee engineering design, installation, and modification of equipment with a focus on cleanability, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
Provide technical leadership to troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and controls issues affecting production and food safety.
Manage capital projects, ensuring alignment with environmental, quality, and safety standards.

Food Safety, Quality, & Compliance

Partner with Quality Assurance to ensure all maintenance and engineering activities comply with food safety standards (HACCP, GMPs, SQF/BRC, FSMA).
Ensure proper documentation and validation of maintenance activities that affect product safety.
Support sanitation processes by ensuring equipment is designed for hygienic operation and efficient cleaning.

Cost Control & Budgeting

Develop and manage maintenance and engineering budgets, including capital planning and cost‑saving initiatives.
Optimize spare‑parts inventory and vendor relationships to support timely repairs and cost-efficient operations.

Performance Metrics & RCA

Monitor equipment performance and maintenance KPIs, using data to drive reliability improvements.
Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for equipment failures, quality concerns, and safety-related incidents.
Implement corrective and preventive actions to reduce repeat issues and improve overall system health.

Leadership & Collaboration

Lead and develop maintenance technicians, planners, reliability engineers, and project engineers.
Collaborate closely with production, sanitation, quality, and safety teams to ensure smooth operations and well-coordinated shutdowns.
Foster a culture of safety, food safety accountability, and continuous improvement.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
Unplanned Downtime Reduction
Maintenance Cost per Unit Produced
Preventive Maintenance (PM) Compliance
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
Audit Readiness & Compliance Scores (GMP, SQF, BRC, HACCP)

Pay: $145,000.00 - $165,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)
401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Employee assistance program
Health insurance
Life insurance
Paid time off
Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Maple Donuts jobs

Director of Maintenance, Reliability, and Engineering (Food Manufacturing)

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