Plant Engineer

Plant Engineer

Location: Howell, Michigan
Reports To: Plant Manager
Department: Operations / Manufacturing Engineering

Position Summary:

The Plant Engineer is responsible for leading all engineering, maintenance, facility, and capital improvement activities within the manufacturing plant. This role ensures the reliability, efficiency, and continuous improvement of plant equipment, processes, utilities, and infrastructure while supporting safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

The successful candidate will possess extensive manufacturinengineering experience, strong leadership capabilities, and a proven track record of driving operational excellence in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 15 years of manufacturing experience in an industrial production environment.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience managing engineering, maintenance, or manufacturing teams.
• Experience managing capital projects, equipment installation, and facility improvements.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM, and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Experience with automated manufacturing equipment, robotics, PLCs, and industrial controls.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA, environmental regulations, and industrial safety requirements.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, CMMS systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent project management, communication, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in automotive or Tier 1/Tier 2 manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 standards.
• Experience with advanced manufacturing technologies and Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership

• Lead and develop the plant engineering and maintenance teams to achieve operational objectives.
• Establish departmental goals, performance metrics, and development plans.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Provide technical expertise and mentorship to engineering and maintenance personnel.

Manufacturing Process Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, productivity, and cost reduction.
• Analyze manufacturing processes and implement improvements to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
• Identify and resolve production bottlenecks through engineering solutions.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to improve plant performance.

Maintenance and Reliability

• Develop and maintain preventative and predictive maintenance programs.
• Ensure plant equipment and systems operate safely and efficiently.
• Monitor equipment performance metrics and drive actions to improve uptime and reliability.
• Lead root cause analysis activities for equipment failures and recurring operational issues.
• Manage maintenance planning, spare parts inventory, and contractor support.

Capital Projects

• Identify, justify, and manage capital investment projects.
• Develop project scopes, timelines, budgets, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate equipment purchases, installations, upgrades, and commissioning activities.
• Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with company requirements.
• Prepare capital expenditure requests and return-on-investment analyses.

This position plays a critical leadership role in driving operational excellence, equipment reliability, employee development, and long-term manufacturing success for the Howell manufacturing facility.