SummaryAs the Director of Engineering Strategic Capital Delivery, you will oversee the planning and execution of large-scale capital investments that strengthen food safety, enhance employee safety, improve operational performance, and drive long-term business growth across our manufacturing network. In this highly visible leadership role, you will lead complex capital projects ranging from $50M to more than $200M, partnering with engineering firms, EPC partners, and cross-functional leaders across Operations, FSQA, Maintenance, EHS, Procurement, and Finance to deliver projects from concept through commissioning with minimal disruption to production. This role is ideal for a strategic, results-driven engineering leader who thrives in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment, excels at leading cross-functional teams, and is passionate about delivering innovative solutions that create lasting value for the business.
Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities- Lead planning and execution of large-scale capital projects typically ranging from $50M to $200M+ and major equipment installations across processing, packaging, cold storage, rendering, and support operations.
- Develop clear scopes of work, budgets, schedules, and risk-response plans that prioritize production continuity.
- Select, manage, and oversee contractors, OEMs, integrators, and engineering partners to ensure compliance with food safety, sanitary design, and plant standards.
- Accountable for delivering large capital projects on scope, schedule, and budget while aligning with enterprise operational and financial objectives.
- Direct equipment installation, commissioning, validation, and performance verification.
- Maintain accountability for project cash flow.
- Drive consistent use of standardized engineering work practices and build a team culture centered on strong project-management and execution methods.
- Ensure all engineering activities align with USDA, FSIS, FDA (as applicable), OSHA, and environmental regulatory requirements.
- Partner with FSQA to ensure designs meet sanitation, hygienic zoning, allergen control, and biosecurity expectations.
- Integrate GMPs and sanitary design principles into equipment, layouts, and construction methods.
- Support audit readiness and implement response actions tied to engineering systems or controls.
- Provide technical oversight on process flow, utilities (steam, refrigeration, compressed air, wastewater), material handling, and automation systems.
- Troubleshoot and lead root-cause analysis for equipment or process failures affecting yield, uptime, or food safety.
- Recommend and implement engineered solutions that reduce downtime and improve reliability.
- Evaluate, standardize, and deploy equipment and technologies across multiple facilities when beneficial.
- Apply project-management best practices to achieve optimal project outcomes.
- Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, FSQA, EHS, Procurement, and Finance throughout the project lifecycle, and drive engagement with external OEMs, engineering partners, and contractor team members from project initiation through closeout.
- Ensure all documentation, training, and equipment handover steps are properly completed for seamless transition to plant teams.
- Serve as a technical mentor to Project Engineers and plant engineering teams, building capability across the organization.
- Promote and model consistent project-management, documentation, and change-management standards.
- Partner with plant and complex leadership as a trusted engineering advisor on capital planning and long-term infrastructure strategy.
This position is remote with 40-60% travel to support projects across the enterprise.Minimum Education and Experience- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent large-scale capital project experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.
- 20+ years of engineering and project-management experience in food, poultry, meat, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
- Demonstrated success leading large capital projects within active production facilities.
- Strong understanding of food safety systems, sanitary design, and plant utilities.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and organizational skills.
Preferred Education and Experience- Professional Engineer (PE) license or PMP certification.
- Experience within USDA-inspected poultry or meat-processing facilities.
- Familiarity with refrigeration systems, wastewater treatment, automation/controls, and packaging systems.
- Previous leadership experience adhering to structured engineering work practices that align with internal capital-execution governance.
Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors- Ability to work in cold, wet, and high-noise production areas.
- Frequent time on the plant floor; occasional off-shift, weekend, or emergency work as needed.
- 40-60% travel to support projects across the enterprise, with increased onsite presence during critical project and startup phases.
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