Plant Maintenance Operations Lead — Food Manufacturing

Lead the heartbeat of our production floor

At Dr. Praeger’s, our story began in 1994 when two heart surgeons set out to make sensible, great-tasting frozen foods easy for everyone. Decades later, we’re still guided by that founding vision: simple, nutritious ingredients and delicious products that are effortless to prepare. Explore more about our journey at drpraegers.com .

A day in this role

You start your shift walking the lines, listening for a bearing that doesn’t sound quite right, checking an HMI alarm, and re-prioritizing the team’s work orders to keep production humming. You’ll jump in on a VFD fault, coach a mechanic through PLC I/O diagnostics, and coordinate parts with the Maintenance Coordinator—then huddle with Production to schedule a PM window. Between safety inspections and GMP checks, you’re calibrating sensors, documenting work in the CMMS, and mentoring a new hire on lockout/tagout. You’re the bridge between the toolbox and the boardroom, translating issues into action and uptime.

What you’ll own

• Hands-on troubleshooting and repair of motors, pneumatics, conveyors, and production equipment.
• Diagnosis of mechanical, electrical, and control issues using precision meters and test equipment.
• Preventive maintenance using diagrams, schematics, manuals, and engineering specs.
• Adjusting, calibrating, and programming PLCs, VFDs, HMIs, and related control systems.
• Safe execution of high-voltage electrical work and complex repairs to standard.
• Light fabrication and machining to reduce downtime.
• Continuous learning through trainings and workshops to keep skills current.

How you’ll lead

• Direct and support a team of mechanics; assign, sequence, and verify daily work.
• Provide on-the-job technical coaching and problem-solving support.
• Onboard and upskill new team members; foster a growth mindset.
• Co-create schedules with supervisors to balance maintenance with production goals.
• Champion accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Communicate with Production and leadership to prioritize and resolve equipment issues.

Operational impact

• Build and execute preventive and corrective maintenance routines and calendars.
• Track tools, parts, and consumables; coordinate procurement with the Maintenance Coordinator.
• Ensure adherence to food safety, quality, SOPs, and GMP requirements.
• Conduct safety inspections; participate in incident investigations and drive corrective actions.
• Document daily activities, logs, reports, and status updates in the CMMS.

What you bring

• 5+ years of hands-on maintenance experience across mechanical and electrical systems.
• Technical or university degree preferred; equivalent on-the-job expertise welcomed.
• Proven leadership: ability to train, mentor, and motivate a diverse team.
• Fluency in English and Spanish for effective, inclusive communication.
• Strong PLC hardware/troubleshooting and programming skills; control circuits and high-voltage proficiency.
• Exposure to building systems (plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration) is a plus.
• Comfort with Microsoft Office and maintenance management software (CMMS).
• Uncompromising commitment to safety and quality.

Physical requirements

• Walk the plant to assess equipment conditions and diagnose issues.
• Perform physical repairs; lift up to 50 pounds.
• Work efficiently on a fast-moving production floor for extended periods.

How this role differs

• Mechanic: Executes technical repairs and PMs; limited leadership scope.
• Team Lead: Hands-on expert plus people leader; connects mechanics and supervisors to drive uptime and development.
• Manager: Runs departmental operations, administration, and performance management.

**Disclaimer:

**Employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodation will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

*Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment.