Job Description
American Italian Pasta Co. is searching for a dynamic individual to become part of our team as a
Plant Maintenance Engineer at our plant in Columbia, SC.
AIPC is the largest producer of dry pasta in North America. Our family brands of pasta include: Mueller’s, Heartland, Golden Grain, and Martha Gooch. We have over 650 employees globally. Our plants are located in Excelsior Springs, MO; Tolleson, AZ; Columbia, SC; and Verolanuova, Italy, while our Corporate Headquarters is located in Kansas City, MO. AIPC offers a competitive benefits package and relocation assistance is available.
Job Summary:
The Plant Maintenance Engineer will, under general administrative direction, be responsible for overseeing the design, planning, construction, alterations, and maintenance of machinery, equipment, and facilities. Included are responsibilities for inventory management, budget planning, scheduling, and managing Maintenance Team Members and ![]()
all outside contractors.
Key Accountabilities/Representative Duties:
• Manage the daily maintenance and repair of all equipment and facilities to ensure timely completion and appropriate prioritization of maintenance and repairs.
• Direct supervision of shift Maintenance Team Members.
• Minimize emergency breakdowns. Maintain proper mix and training of Maintenance Team members to quickly repair emergency breakdowns through contact and communication with all team members and management.
• Develops and implements preventative maintenance programs on all equipment to ensure timely completion while incorporating continuous improvement and cost reductions.
• Responsible for executing non-expansion related capital projects within the Excelsior Springs facilities.
• Manages equipment/facility type modifications and expansion projects, involving the installation process, meeting of deadlines, and assuring projects stay within allocated budgets.
• Participates in developing plans, gathering the necessary information and formulating recommendations in respect to anticipations of equipment or expansion related capital expenditures and to assisting the corporate engineering staff with major capital expansions and projects.
• Manage spare parts inventory to ensure sufficient inventory is maintained and the maintenance budget is met.
• Provide career development information to direct reports. Encourage new ideas, training, schooling, and skill training. Provide feedback through frequent conversations and performance reviews to direct reports on positive performance and on improvements needed. Conducts interviews and hires new Maintenance Team members as needs arise.
• Monitor utility usage and actively investigate ways to reduce costs through billing, monitoring, and alternate opportunities for utility supplies.
• Responsible for ensuring that plant equipment is properly maintained in order to manufacture safe, legal and quality product.
• Work with all departments to look for ways to improve quality, efficiencies, and drive all costs down while continuing to include more value added programs.
Basic Qualifications Required:
• Bachelors Degree (an Engineering Discipline is preferred).
• Minimum of 5 years experience with maintenance, plant engineering as well as people management.
• Experience within the manufacturing industry in some mechanical capacity is required.
• Food manufacturing experience is preferred.
• Also required are the visual acuity and the technical skills to read and understand manuals for analysis and repair purposes.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills are essential along with a high level of communication skills (both verbal and written) are required to provide easily understood work direction and to effectively interact with department employees and all levels of management within the operation.
• Demonstrated troubleshooting, problem solving, analytical skills, and mechanical engineering technical skills are important, as well as independent decision making in an environment where a sense of urgency in terms of maximizing production and minimizing downtime is present.
• Knowledge of current state of the art food manufacturing and milling operations is also necessary.
• The position also requires a familiarity with safety procedures for a vast variety of equipment and machines that must be closely followed in order to maintain the safety of employees and products produced within the operation.
No agency submissions will be accepted.
