Senior Electrical Plant Engineer

Lead capital projects full life cycle for major plant improvements
Rare opportunity to step into a highly visible role with long-term stability.

About Our Client

The company has been in business for over 100 years, generates more than $1/2B in annual revenue, and this opening is a rare opportunity to step into a highly visible role with long-term stability.

Job Description

Project Management & Budgeting

End-to-End Oversight: Lead all electrical project work, including design, construction, installation, and comprehensive documentation in accordance with national and local codes. Design and implement electrical and control systems for process equipment, packaging equipment, palletizing robots, and facility infrastructure while ensuring compliance with NEC (NFPA 70) and Chicago Electrical Code.
Capital Planning: Assist in developing capital project programs for new equipment acquisitions and major system repairs.
Financial Stewardship: Prepare and adhere to large-scale expense and capital budgets; provide accurate labor and material estimations.
Procurement: Prepare material/equipment specifications and generate RFQs and BOMs for vendor bidding processes.
Documentation & Standards: Maintain rigorous documentation of plant electrical schematics and code compliance (National and Local). Evaluate and approve all vendor drawings to ensure they meet operational standards. Ensure documentation supports FDA and SQF audit readiness and compliance requirements.
Technical Review: Evaluate and approve all vendor equipment electrical drawings and schematics to ensure they meet facility standards. Ensure proper design and application of MCC panels, control panels, and industrial electrical distribution systems.

Critical Infrastructure & Reliability

Asset Management: Lead the improvement, modification, and upgrading of existing electrical equipment to maximize "uptime" and strategically delay equipment obsolescence through proactive modernization. Support and maintain high-voltage infrastructure including 13.8kV systems, 480V distribution, and electrical vaults.
Emergency Troubleshooting: Act as the primary technical resource for production departments, providing expert-level diagnostic support for electrical, PLC, and control system failures that threaten production schedules. Troubleshoot MCCs, control panels, SCADA systems and automated manufacturing systems.
Preventative Maintenance (PM) Design: Develop and oversee sophisticated electrical PM programs to move the facility from reactive "break-fix" cycles to a predictive maintenance model.
Research & Development: Research and recommend specific electrical systems and controls for specialized food-manufacturing applications. Evaluate and implement SCADA, Building Automation Systems (BAS), and industrial control/networking solutions.

MPI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local law. MPI encourages applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans and all other qualified applicants.

The Successful Applicant

Qualifications & Skills

Experience: Proven track record in industrial electrical engineering, including project scheduling, budget tracking, and installation supervision. Experience with high-voltage systems (13.8kV), 480V distribution, MCCs, control panels, and electrical vaults.
Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of national and local electrical codes. Strong working knowledge of NEC (NFPA 70), Chicago Electrical Code, and industrial electrical standards.
Regulatory Awareness: Basic knowledge of food processing plant environments and the specific sanitary/safety rigors they require. Familiarity with FDA regulations and SQF standards for food manufacturing facilities.
Soft Skills: Must be highly detail-oriented, organized, and capable of juggling multiple high-priority projects simultaneously.
Leadership Style: Ability to effectively manage a unionized workforce and external contractors with clear communication and accountability.