Summary The Operations Engineering Manager will be both a strategic partner to production and a hands-on technical leader, driving engineering excellence across the platform. This role aligns engineering initiatives with business goals to improve equipment reliability, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability while overseeing capital projects from concept through execution. Working closely with production, maintenance, quality, automation, and corporate engineering, the manager will help shape plant-wide strategies that enhance performance, safety, and quality. They will also mentor and develop a high-performing engineering team, fostering a culture of data-driven decision making, proactive problem solving, and continuous improvement.Responsibilities - Provide strategic leadership for all engineering functions, ensuring alignment with corporate and plant objectives for reliability, performance, and cost optimization.- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing engineering team, including Senior Engineers and technical staff.- Own overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) for the assigned platform and drive performance improvement.- Lead root cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions for significant downtime events.- Identify, justify, and execute high-value capital projects, including ROI analysis, planning, execution, and post-project evaluation.- Partner with Quality and Food Safety to ensure equipment designs and modifications comply with FDA and USDA requirements.- Standardize machine centerlines, preventive maintenance schedules, and overhaul plans to reduce variability and maximize consistency across production lines.- Lead site-wide initiatives in equipment reliability, Lean manufacturing, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).- Develop and maintain long-term asset health plans for fillers and packaging systems.- Oversee major filler rebuilds, packaging equipment overhauls, and end-of-line modernization projects to reduce downtime and lifecycle costs.- Direct FAT, commissioning, and qualification for new filler and packaging equipment installations, ensuring smooth transition to operations and maintenance.- Advance changeover reduction (SMED) initiatives to increase line availability, flexibility, and throughput.- Utilize data-driven performance monitoring to identify early warnings and drive predictive maintenance for fillers and packaging assets.- Collaborate with operations, maintenance, automation, and corporate engineering to deliver integrated, sustainable solutions that enhance plant efficiency.- Evaluate and deploy advanced automation and digital technologies to future-proof operations.- Ensure full adherence to regulatory requirements, corporate standards, and industry best practices.Requirements BS in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering; MS or PE preferred. 6+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering, including leadership roles. Proven ability to manage engineering teams and large-scale projects. Expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and reliability engineering principles. Strong business acumen with experience in cost modeling and strategic planning. Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills. Willingness to support 24/7 operations and respond to critical production issues as needed. Continuous improvement mindset with a passion for coaching and developing engineering talent. Ability to travel between plant sites and vendors as required. (Minimal Travel 5% and above) About Us Chobani is a food maker with a mission of making high-quality and nutritious food accessible to more people, while elevating our communities and making the world a healthier place. In short: making good food for all. In support of this mission, Chobani is a purpose-driven, people-first, food-and-wellness-focused company, and has been since its founding in 2005 by?Hamdi Ulukaya, an immigrant to the U.S. The Company manufactures yogurt, oat milk, and creamers - Chobani yogurt is America's No.1 yogurt brand, made with natural ingredients without artificial preservatives. Following the 2023 acquisition of La Colombe, a leading coffee roaster with a shared commitment to quality, craftmanship and impact, the Company began selling cold-pressed espresso and lattes on tap at cafés nationwide, as well as Ready to Drink (RTD) coffee beverages at retail. In 2025, Chobani acquired Daily Harvest, a modern brand offering consumers nutritious, delicious and convenient ready-to-make meals. ?Chobani uses food as a force for good in the world - putting humanity first in everything it does. The company's philanthropic efforts prioritize giving back to its communities and beyond. Chobani manufactures its products in?New York,?Idaho,?Michigan?and?Australia, and its products are available throughout?North America?and distributed in?Australia?and other select markets.? For more information, please visit? www.chobani.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.? Chobani is an equal opportunity employer. Chobani will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on any basis including, but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, military and/or veteran status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics and genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws. Chobani provides a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision coverage, disability insurance, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, and tuition reimbursement. To help save for the future, all employees are eligible for a 401k match of 100% on up to 5% of eligible pay. To support growing families, we provide fertility and childcare assistance, and 12 weeks of parental leave at full pay after six months of continuous employment. In addition, we provide wellness resources which include an employee assistance program, fitness discounts, a wellness reimbursement, on-site gym access (certain locations) and a monthly wellness newsletter to connect you with resources and timely information. We offer various @types of paid time of including: 120 hours of paid time off, 11 holidays, paid volunteer time off and military service leave. Compensation Range: $107,000.00 - $161,000.00, plus bonus.
