Engineering Project Manager POST NUMBER: 458173
Join a growing, innovative food-manufacturing company focused on continuous improvement, sustainability, and operational excellence. We’re looking for a technically savvy, organized Project Manager to lead capital and operational projects across our manufacturing plant. This role offers a chance to shape plant performance, drive meaningful change, and work in an entrepreneurial, fast-moving environment.
Why You’ll Love This Role
- Be part of a dynamic team where adaptability and initiative are valued.
- Lead high-impact projects that improve safety, capacity, and efficiency.
- Collaborate cross-functionally and influence operational strategy.
- Opportunity to apply technical knowledge in a hands-on manufacturing setting.
What You’ll Do
- Lead and coordinate capital and operational projects from planning through close-out.
- Collaborate with operations, maintenance, engineering, quality, and supply teams to scope, budget, schedule, and prioritize projects.
- Prepare facility infrastructure and utilities (HVAC, compressed air, ammonia, water, electrical) for production-readiness.
- Support procurement, delivery, installation, and commissioning of equipment and systems.
- Lead commissioning, SAT/FAT activities, start-up and production ramp-up.
- Source, select, and manage contractors, trades, and vendors; provide on-site coordination and oversight.
- Act as primary liaison with head office for project governance, reporting, and compliance.
- Manage project risks, resolve issues, and adapt plans to meet objectives and timelines.
- Ensure all project work meets health, safety, food safety, environmental, and regulatory standards (ANSI, IIAR, OSHA, local building codes, food safety).
- Maintain project documentation, SOPs, equipment records, and close-out packages.
- Support long-term facility improvement initiatives and sustainability goals.
Who You Are
- You’re health-conscious and aligned with company values.
- Comfortable in an entrepreneurial culture where change is constant.
- Energized by problem-solving and willing to go the extra mile to deliver results.
- Calm under pressure, highly organized, and able to work independently and cross-functionally.
- Strong communicator who can translate technical detail for non-technical stakeholders.
Required Skills & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Operations, or related field.
- 5 years managing technical or capital projects in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
- Deep understanding of plant equipment, utilities, and production systems.
- Proficiency in MS Office, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks (or similar).
- Strong experience in capital planning, budgeting, scheduling, contractor oversight, and project reporting.
- Experience leading commissioning, SAT/FAT, and production ramp-up.
- Familiarity with regulatory standards and compliance (ANSI, IIAR, OSHA, building codes, food safety).
- Proven ability to create documentation, SOPs, and manage project records.
Construction Superintendent Skills (added)
- On-site construction supervision and scheduling of trades.
- Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and structural details.
- Coordinate daily site activities, logistics, material deliveries, and site safety.
- Manage subcontractor performance, punch lists, quality control, and inspections.
- Oversee site safety programs, permitting, and code compliance during construction.
- Strong scheduling (critical path, look-ahead planning) and labor/resource coordination.
- Experience with site layout, temporary works, and construction sequencing.
- Ability to escalate and resolve on-site issues quickly to avoid schedule impacts.
Nice-to-Have
- P.Eng. designation, PMP certification, or equivalent.
- Experience in food manufacturing or regulated production environments.
- Familiarity with sustainability initiatives and maintenance management programs.
Vaco by Highspring values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.
EEO Notice
Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@vaco.com .
Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.
By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.
Privacy Notice
Vaco by Highspring and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco by Highspring”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.
- California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
- Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
- Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
- Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
- Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.
Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
- licensure and certification requirements;
- office location and other geographic considerations;
- other business and organizational needs.
With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.