Director Of Engineering - Proteins

The Director of Engineering is responsible for leading engineering strategy, capital project execution, and technical standards across protein manufacturing operations. This role ensures facilities, equipment, and infrastructure support safe, reliable, and cost-effective production while enabling long-term growth, automation, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Strategy & Capital Leadership

• Develop and execute the long-term engineering and capital investment strategy aligned with business objectives.

• Lead capital planning, budgeting, and prioritization across multiple protein manufacturing facilities.

• Oversee design, execution, and commissioning of capital projects including line expansions, automation, utilities, and infrastructure upgrades.

• Establish engineering standards for equipment, utilities, hygienic design, and construction.

Project Management & Execution

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with safety, food safety, and regulatory requirements.

• Standardize project management methodologies, documentation, and governance.

• Manage external engineering firms, contractors, OEMs, and equipment suppliers.

Reliability & Technical Excellence

• Partner with Maintenance and Operations to improve equipment reliability, uptime, and lifecycle management.

• Support root cause analysis and technical problem-solving for chronic equipment issues.

• Promote reliability-centered maintenance and asset management best practices.

Safety, Food Safety & Compliance

• Ensure engineering designs and installations meet OSHA, USDA-FSIS, GMP, and food safety requirements.

• Integrate safety, ergonomics, and hygienic design into all engineering initiatives.

• Support audit readiness and regulatory compliance during capital projects and modifications.

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, coach, and develop engineering managers, project engineers, and technical teams.

• Build internal engineering capabilities and succession plans.

• Foster collaboration between Engineering, Operations, FSQA, Maintenance, and CI teams.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and evaluate new technologies, automation, and digital solutions to improve efficiency, yield, and labor utilization.

• Support sustainability initiatives including energy, water, and waste reduction.

• Drive standardization and best-practice deployment across facilities.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related discipline).

• 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience in protein, food, or other regulated manufacturing environments.

• Proven experience managing large capital portfolios and multi-site engineering teams.

• Strong knowledge of processing, packaging, refrigeration, and utility systems.

• Demonstrated financial acumen and project governance expertise.

Preferred

• Experience in poultry, beef, pork, or further-processed protein operations.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or PMP certification.

• Familiarity with hygienic design standards and USDA-regulated facilities.

• MBA or advanced degree a plus.

Physical & Work Environment

• Frequent travel to manufacturing facilities and project sites.

• Exposure to production environments including cold temperatures, noise, and wet conditions during site visits.