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Barrett Petfood · 6 days ago

Plant Maintenance and Engineering Director

Little Falls, MN

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$125K/yr - $175K/yr

10+ years exp

Barrett Petfood is a family-owned company located in central Minnesota that develops super premium pet food diets. They are seeking a Plant Maintenance and Engineering Director to lead plant maintenance and engineering strategy, ensuring equipment reliability and fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

Food ProcessingManufacturingPet

Responsibilities

Partner cross-functionally with plant leadership and engineering teams to establish priorities aligned with Company goals

Act as a subject matter expert for manufacturing engineering, equipment design, and related improvement opportunities

Oversee parts management and inventory systems, ensuring critical spare parts and materials are efficiently tracked, stocked, and deployed to minimize downtime and maintain smooth operation

Apply best practices across four locations to support continuous improvement in equipment reliability, maintenance cost control, and standardized processes

Drive ongoing reductions in facility and manufacturing operating costs by recommending optimal technical solutions and applying best-method analyses to improve internal systems and maximize process efficiency

Support the development, planning, and management of capital budgets

Collaborate with plant leadership teams to justify projects, develop accurate cost estimates, and prepare capital project submissions

Review and assess major capital projects to confirm the most effective and efficient use of capital resources

Lead or oversee the full lifecycle of capital projects—including planning, design, procurement, installation, commissioning, and training

Develop preliminary and final designs for production lines and new or modified equipment

Maintain a broad and current technical knowledge base to provide accurate and effective engineering support to plant teams and leadership

Promote skill development, training, and career growth within the maintenance team

Comply with all Barrett Petfood Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and perform work in accordance with regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation standards

Qualification

Manufacturing experienceLeadership in engineeringCapital project managementPreventive maintenance programsBudget managementManufacturing systems knowledgeBachelor's degree in engineeringFood safety complianceTeam developmentStrategic thinking

Required

Minimum 10–15 years of progressive experience in manufacturing, including at least 5 years in a leadership role overseeing maintenance and/or engineering operations

Established record of delivering capital projects, advancing process improvements, and maintaining high equipment reliability

Hands-on experience with preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs in a production environment while ensuring compliance with food safety standards

Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, cost controls, and long-term capital planning

Strong knowledge of manufacturing systems, production equipment, and facility operations, preferably in the food or pet food industry