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Job Description

**Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Dairy Brands** a dairy marketing cooperative owned by more than 12,500 family farmers. Our mark matters and it represents the wholesomeness of dairy that we share with our communities and loved ones. DFA manufactures a variety of dairy products, including cheese, butter, fluid milk, ice cream, dairy ingredients and more, under well-known and established regional brands. Our fingerprints touch thousands of brands across the marketplace, and we’re passionate about delivering the simple pleasures of dairy to people everywhere, straight from our family farm-owners. We are proud to provide families with fresh delicious dairy products.

By joining DFA, Dairy Brands you can help us continue to make a difference that matters. We care deeply about the well-being of our neighbors and friends, and we celebrate the diversity of our company and our world. It takes an incredible team to deliver the goodness of dairy and enrich our communities – come join us!

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Dairy Brands has an opening for a Plant Engineering Director (Remote) position. As the position is (Remote), the Plant Engineering Director will travel 60-70% and support our Central Region. The preferred candidate should reside in Minnesota.

TRAVEL: 60-70%

Direct engineering activities in support of current and future plant requirements and short- and long-range divisional objectives. Provide engineering and design expertise to plant engineers, management, and senior leadership. Manage capital spending, major plant repair expenses, and development of capital projects. Partner with operations, finance, quality control, purchasing, safety, environmental, and other departments to coordinate all phases of engineering. Support multiple plants for an entire division, group, or region.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

+ Serve as an internal expert on manufacturing engineering and design related issues or opportunities

+ Work cross-functionally with plant management and engineers to develop priorities that ensure direct alignment with manufacturing and division objectives

+ Continually strive to reduce facility and manufacturing operating costs by providing best option technical solutions and/or utilizing best method analyses towards improving internal systems; ensure facility operating systems achieve optimum manufacturing process efficiencies

+ Utilize best practices across locations to drive continuous improvement for equipment reliability and maintenance department cost controls; drive consistency and standardization

+ Assist in the direction and planning of capital budgets

+ Evaluate major capital projects to ensure the best approach and method is used to efficiently spend capital funds

+ Actively support plant management and engineers in the justification of projects, accurate development of project costs, and submission of capital projects

+ Lead and/or oversee the planning, design, procurement, installation, start-up, and training for all capital projects, especially for projects that span an entire division, group, or region

+ Complete preliminary and final design of production lines and new equipment

+ Develop preliminary cost estimates for production of new or modified products for marketing and sales teams

+ Professionally develop plant engineers and maintenance managers

+ Encourage positive cross-functional communication between production and engineering teams

+ Maintain current and broad knowledge to ensure accurate engineering support to management and plant staff

+ Ensure all plant environmental policies and procedures reflect current DFA guidelines and regulatory requirements and proper reporting is completed

+ Follow all DFA good manufacturing practices (GMP) and work in a manner consistent with all corporate regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements

+ The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Benefits:

+ Health and Welfare benefits begin 1 st of the month after start date

+ 401(k) with company contribution – 100% vested at day one of eligibility

+ Competitive pay ($165,000 - $195,000)

+ Paid vacation and holidays

+ Career growth opportunities – we promote from within!

+ Comprehensive healthcare benefits

+ Service recognition and employee rewards

+ Employee referral program

+ Tuition reimbursement

+ Work for dairy farm families

Requirements

+ Undergraduate degree in engineering or related curriculum or technical training in related mechanical or electrical studies (or equivalent combination of education and experience)

+ 10 or more years of progressive engineering, maintenance, or related experience in a food manufacturing environment that includes team or project leadership experience, environmental compliance experience, PLC programming, and capital project and budget management experience

+ Certification and/or License – may be required during course of employment

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

+ Strong knowledge of architectural, mechanical, electrical, and process production engineering

+ Able to lead multiple and complex projects or initiatives

+ Excellent analytical and problem solving skills

+ Strong skill in critical thinking, analysis, mathematical calculations, and statistical evaluations

+ Able to consider both strategic and practical implications for proposed course of action

+ Able to communicate and translate complex technical topics into easy to understand concepts

+ Able to establish effective relationships and independently manage those relations with all levels of internal staff and external customers, business partners, and vendors

+ Able to handle challenging or conflict situations with tact and professionalism

+ Able to effectively lead others through change

+ Must be able to read, write and speak English

Reporting to this Position

+ None

TRAVEL: 60-70%

An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled/Veterans

**Pay Range** $165,000 - $195,000