Plant Project Engineer

ABOUT THE COMPANY

For decades, Furlani Foods has combined a rich heritage of making great quality specialty garlic bread products, with an entrepreneurial spirit. We’ve always been passionate and committed to transforming everyday meals into memorable experiences that everyone can enjoy together. The Company operates from four state-of-the-art bakeries in Oak Creek (Wisconsin) and North Liberty (Iowa) in the US and in Mississauga (Ontario) in Canada. We manufacture and distribute specialty topped bread products to North America’s leading retailers and food service operators. At Furlani Foods, we are bakers at heart. We are fueled by a passion for bringing added joy to consumers’ meals, success to our partners, and well-being to our team. We are grounded in our principles of integrity, courage and the relentless drive towards excellence in everything we do.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Plant Project Engineer is responsible for supporting Furlani Foods manufacturing facilities through capital projects, engineering support, and process improvements. This position will lead local capital projects from concept through startup while working closely with Operations, Maintenance, QA, Sanitation, Procurement, and external suppliers. The role is focused on delivering projects safely, on time, within budget, and with measurable improvements in safety, quality, reliability, capacity, and cost. This position will also support annual capital planning and help identify opportunities to improve manufacturing operations across all facilities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Capital Projects

• Lead local capital projects from initial concept through installation, startup, and handoff to Operations.
• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, and execution plans.
• Coordinate equipment suppliers, contractors, plant teams, and engineering resources.
• Track project costs, schedules, risks, and overall progress.
• Ensure projects meet safety, food safety, quality, and operational requirements.
• Manage equipment installations, commissioning activities, and startup support.
• Support Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).

Engineering Support

• Provide engineering support to Operations and Maintenance teams.
• Assist with troubleshooting manufacturing and utility systems.
• Support equipment upgrades, replacements, and reliability improvements.
• Review equipment layouts, utility requirements, and plant modifications.
• Develop technical specifications for equipment purchases and engineering projects.

Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reliability, food safety, quality, and labor efficiency.
• Support automation and process improvement initiatives.
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action activities.
• Work with plant teams to identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities.

Capital Planning

• Support development of annual capital plans for assigned facilities.
• Work with local plant leadership to identify future capital needs.
• Assist in preparing project budgets, business cases, and capital requests.
• Help maintain long-term capital improvement plans for assigned locations.

Other Responsibilities

• Travel regularly to Furlani Foods facilities in Canada and the United States.
• Occasional international travel may be required.
• Support installations and startups during weekends or off shift hours when required.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 years of experience in manufacturing, food production, engineering, or capital project management.
• Engineering degree in mechanical, electrical, industrial, manufacturing or related field.
• Experience managing equipment installations and capital projects.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating multiple groups and priorities.
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes and plant operations.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work with all levels of the organization.
• Experience with packaging equipment, automation, robotics, or material handling systems.
• Experience working with contractors, equipment suppliers, and engineering firms.
• Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, SQF, OSHA, FDA, and CFIA requirements.
• Lean Manufacturing or Continuous Improvement experience.
• AutoCAD or similar design software experience.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Projects delivered safely, on time, and within budget.
• Strong support provided to local plant teams.
• Measurable improvements in safety, quality, reliability, capacity, and cost.
• Well developed annual capital plans with clear business justification.
• Positive working relationships across Operations, Maintenance, QA, and Engineering teams.

SALARY RANGE

• $100K – $120K CAD annually

Furlani Foods does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants. All hiring decisions are made by our Human Resource team and hiring managers.

Furlani Foods is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace.

Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment and selection process.