Engineering Manager
POSITION SUMMARY
The Engineering Manager is responsible for driving engineering excellence across the organization. Through a team of manufacturing & controls engineers, this role establishes engineering standards, oversees capital project execution, improves manufacturing processes, and builds the engineering capabilities needed to support future growth.
The Engineering Manager serves as the technical leader for manufacturing engineering and automation, partnering closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing systems.
WORK SCHEDULE & AVAILABILITY
This is a full-time, on-site role. The Engineering Manager is expected to maintain regular and predictable attendance. This role may require schedule flexibility to support manufacturing operations, capital projects, equipment installations, startups, shutdowns, and urgent operational needs. Occasional travel to suppliers, contract manufacturing locations, and company facilities may be required.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership and Team Development
- Provide leadership, coaching, and technical direction to the engineering team while fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Establish engineering priorities that align with company objectives and operational needs.
- Develop the technical capabilities of the engineering team through mentoring, training, and performance development.
- Promote collaboration between Sales, Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, and Supply Chain.
Engineering Standards and Documentation
- Develop, implement, and maintain engineering standards for mechanical design, electrical systems, controls architecture, automation, documentation, and project execution.
- Standardize equipment specifications, preferred vendors, control philosophies, and engineering documentation across manufacturing operations.
- Ensure engineering drawings, equipment documentation, controls backups, and technical records are accurate and maintained.
- Drive consistency in engineering practices to improve equipment reliability, maintainability, and long-term asset performance.
Project and Capital Execution
- Manage contractors, engineering consultants, equipment suppliers, and installation teams.
- Ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and achieve expected operational results.
- Provide regular communication on project status, risks, and financial performance to leadership.
Process Improvement and Automation
- Lead equipment and process improvement projects focused on reducing downtime, improving throughput, and minimizing waste.
- Apply Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles to eliminate process variation and improve operational performance.
- Provide technical oversight for plant automation systems including PLCs, HMIs, industrial networks, drives, and process control systems.
- Identify automation opportunities that improve productivity, operator effectiveness, safety, and product quality.
- Ensure manufacturing control systems remain reliable, scalable, and aligned with future business needs.
Operational Support and Strategic Planning
- Partner with Operations and Maintenance to improve equipment reliability and maximize production uptime.
- Provide engineering support during equipment failures, major repairs, and production challenges.
- Support new product introductions by evaluating manufacturing capabilities and identifying equipment or process modifications.
- Participate in strategic capacity planning and facility expansion initiatives.
- Ensure engineering activities comply with food safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
- Develop and manage engineering and capital budgets.
- Support long-range manufacturing strategies by developing engineering roadmaps aligned with business growth.
DISCLAIMER
The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this role. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required. Team members may be required to perform duties outside of their usual responsibilities as needed, and management reserves the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline required.
- Professional Engineer (PE), Project Management Professional (PMP), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt, or similar professional certification preferred.
- Minimum of 7 years of progressive engineering experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably within food, dairy, beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or other high-speed manufacturing industries.
- Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience managing engineering teams, technical professionals, or major capital projects.
- Demonstrated experience leading capital projects from concept through startup and commissioning.
- Experience supporting manufacturing operations through equipment design, process improvement, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Experience in food manufacturing or other FDA/USDA regulated industries.
- Experience implementing engineering standards and leading manufacturing standardization initiatives.
- Experience with ERP, CMMS, or Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
Skills and Competencies:
- Familiarity with engineering drawings, P&IDs, electrical schematics, and technical documentation.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and project management software; experience with AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or similar engineering software preferred.
- Knowledge of food safety principles, GMPs, and sanitary equipment design.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Mobility: Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods throughout office and manufacturing environments, including walking through production areas, maintenance shops, utility areas, and project installation sites.
- Access and Movement: Ability to occasionally bend, stoop, reach, climb stairs, and navigate around equipment, piping, platforms, and active work areas as needed.
- Manual Dexterity: Ability to use hands and fingers to operate a computer, keyboard, mouse, phone, tools, controls, and other office or technical equipment.
- Physical Strength: Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds, including laptops, files, tools, parts, equipment components, or project materials.
- Vision: Visual acuity required for reading technical documents, engineering drawings, screens, labels, equipment indicators, and observing work performed in production or project areas. This includes close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision, with or without correction.
- Communication: Ability to speak clearly and hear within the normal audio range, with or without correction, to communicate effectively in office settings and manufacturing environments where elevated noise levels may be present.
- Safety Requirements: Ability to wear required personal protective equipment, follow site safety requirements, and work safely around active manufacturing equipment and construction or installation activities.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This role operates in both a professional office setting and active manufacturing environments. The Engineering Manager regularly works in or around production areas, maintenance shops, utilities, and project installation areas where active industrial equipment, varying temperatures, wet conditions, elevated noise levels, flashing or strobe lights, and strong magnetic fields may be present. The role requires adherence to all safety, food safety, GMP, PPE, and site access requirements.
BENEFITS
- 401K with a generous match
- Vacation
- Insurance (Health, Dental, Vision, Disability, Life)
- Bonus Plan
- Unique Wellness Incentives
WHY HUDSONVILLE ICE CREAM
At Hudsonville Ice Cream, we offer a first-class work environment with a real family feel. We appreciate and recognize the hard work and dedication of our team members. We firmly believe that our team members’ fiscal, physical, and mental health are essential elements to our organization’s overall success. It is with this philosophy in mind that we offer a competitive wage and benefits package that starts day one. Moreover, Hudsonville Ice Cream is committed to its team members' continual growth and development.
