Plant Engineering Manager | Food Manufacturing | Topeka, KS

Location: Topeka, Kansas

Work Arrangement: Onsite

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent

Industry: Consumer Products and Food Manufacturing

Experience Level: Senior Engineering Leadership

Travel: Occasional

Relocation Assistance: Available

Visa Sponsorship: Not available

Position Overview

A global consumer-products manufacturer is seeking an experienced Plant Engineering Manager to lead engineering, maintenance and capital-project activity at its Topeka manufacturing facility.

As a member of the plant Strategic Leadership Team, this person will lead a multidisciplinary technical team, own capital and maintenance budgets, develop the five-year capital plan and improve reliability, energy management, safety, quality and manufacturing performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and coach Maintenance and Project Engineers.

• Establish priorities, development plans and performance expectations.

• Partner with plant leaders to improve safety, quality, reliability and efficiency.

• Develop and manage capital and maintenance-expense budgets.

• Build and execute the five-year strategic capital plan.

• Lead capital projects from justification and planning through implementation.

• Drive plant energy-management and optimization initiatives.

• Ensure contractors comply with safety, food-safety, sanitation and quality requirements.

• Test new equipment and processes against design specifications.

• Coordinate manufacturing trials and ensure employees receive required training.

• Develop technical training for new equipment, methods and systems.

• Support Quality Assurance, food safety and GMP programs.

• Improve maintenance systems, reliability practices and asset performance.

• Manage project risks, schedules, costs, resources and vendors.

• Represent Engineering on the plant leadership team.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a closely related technical discipline.

• Significant plant-engineering, maintenance or capital-project leadership experience.

• Manufacturing experience, preferably food or consumer products.

• Experience leading engineers and technical professionals.

• Strong capital planning, budgeting and project-management skills.

• Knowledge of maintenance, reliability, utilities and energy management.

• Strong safety, quality and regulatory awareness.

• Ability to influence plant leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Ability to work onsite in Topeka.

• Current U.S. work authorization without sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Food-manufacturing and GMP experience.

• Lean, Six Sigma or continuous-improvement expertise.

• High-speed manufacturing or packaging experience.

• Professional engineering or project-management credentials.

Benefits may include medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, incentive compensation and professional development.

Equal Opportunity

The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination based on any status protected by applicable law.

Senior Manager, Systems Engineering | Aerospace & Defense Leadership | Waco, TX

Senior Manager, Systems Engineering

📍 Waco, Texas (Onsite)
🕒 9/80 Schedule – Every Other Friday Off
💰 $190,000 - $220,000 Base Salary
🚚 Relocation Assistance Available
✈️ Aerospace, Defense & Advanced Mission Systems
👥 Engineering Leadership Opportunity

Lead High-Impact Engineering Teams Supporting Advanced Aerospace & Defense Programs

An industry-leading aerospace and defense organization is seeking a Senior Manager, Systems Engineering to lead and develop multidisciplinary engineering teams supporting complex aircraft modification, systems integration, mission systems, and advanced technology programs.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced engineering leader who combines strong technical depth with proven people leadership, strategic planning, and program execution capabilities.

You'll oversee teams responsible for the design, integration, and delivery of sophisticated systems supporting both military and commercial customers while playing a key role in shaping departmental strategy, workforce planning, technical excellence, and long-term business growth.

If you're passionate about leading engineers, solving complex technical challenges, influencing organizational strategy, and delivering mission-critical solutions, this role offers outstanding visibility, responsibility, and career progression.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This is not a traditional engineering management role.

You'll operate at the intersection of engineering leadership, program execution, customer engagement, workforce planning, and strategic business growth.

You'll help define how engineering teams support future programs, influence hiring and staffing strategies, drive technical excellence, and partner directly with senior leadership to ensure successful program execution.

Highlights include:

• Lead multiple engineering teams supporting complex aerospace and defense programs

• Direct influence on departmental strategy and workforce growth

• High visibility with executive leadership and customers

• Opportunity to shape future engineering capabilities and talent development

• Significant involvement in proposal development and business growth initiatives

• Exposure to both military and commercial aviation programs

• Strong technical and leadership career progression opportunities

What You'll Be Doing

Engineering Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse team of Systems Engineers and technical professionals

• Create a culture focused on technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement

• Establish training and professional development plans to support long-term organizational goals

• Support employee growth, performance management, succession planning, and talent development initiatives

• Foster strong collaboration across engineering, program management, operations, and customer teams

Strategic Workforce Planning

• Forecast engineering resource requirements based on current and future program demand

• Develop hiring strategies and workforce plans to support business growth

• Lead recruiting efforts and participate in candidate selection processes

• Ensure teams are appropriately staffed to meet program commitments and customer expectations

• Support long-term capability development across the engineering organization

Program & Technical Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight across multiple engineering programs and integration efforts

• Partner closely with Program Managers and Project Engineers to ensure successful execution

• Review engineering schedules, budgets, risks, and resource allocations

• Support engineering teams throughout the full program lifecycle

• Ensure technical solutions align with customer requirements, budgets, and schedules

Systems Engineering Excellence

• Lead and review systems engineering activities including:

• Requirements analysis

• System architecture development

• Trade studies

• System integration planning

• Verification and validation activities

• Technical baseline management

• Ensure customer requirements are translated into clear, verifiable system-level requirements

• Review engineering trade studies for technical accuracy, completeness, and feasibility

• Support development of complex integrated system architectures

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a key technical leader during customer interactions

• Build strong relationships with military, government, commercial, and internal stakeholders

• Present technical information to executive leadership, customers, and engineering teams

• Represent the organization during technical reviews, program meetings, and customer engagements

• Facilitate collaboration between engineering, program management, and customers to ensure alignment and success

Business Growth & Proposal Support

• Support new business capture activities and proposal development efforts

• Participate in labor estimating, Basis of Estimate (BOE) creation, and technical proposal development

• Contribute to growth strategies and future program planning

• Support investment planning and technical roadmap development

Department Operations & Financial Management

• Manage departmental budgets and overhead spending

• Ensure engineering teams have the tools, resources, and infrastructure required to succeed

• Monitor departmental performance against strategic goals and operating plans

• Drive process improvements and operational efficiencies across the organization

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline

• Minimum 12 years of relevant engineering experience with a Bachelor's Degree

OR

• Minimum 10 years of relevant engineering experience with an advanced degree

• Previous engineering leadership or management experience

• Strong understanding of Systems Engineering principles and methodologies

• Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams

• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills

Highly Preferred Experience

Systems Engineering

• Requirements management

• System architecture development

• Trade study execution and evaluation

• System integration

• Verification & validation

• Technical baseline management

• Full engineering lifecycle experience

Leadership & Program Management

• Functional management experience

• IPT (Integrated Product Team) leadership

• Workforce planning and hiring

• Resource forecasting

• Budget management

• Engineering operations leadership

• Strategic planning and execution

Business Development

• Proposal development

• Basis of Estimate (BOE) creation

• Technical volume development

• Customer engagement and presentations

Aerospace, Defense & Mission Systems

Experience supporting:

• Aircraft modification programs

• Avionics integration

• Mission systems

• Defense platforms

• Government programs

• Complex system integration efforts

Cybersecurity Experience

Experience supporting cybersecurity-focused engineering teams or cybersecurity programs is considered a strong plus.

Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking and planning

• Exceptional problem-solving abilities

• Strong business acumen

• Critical thinking and sound decision-making

• Team leadership and coaching skills

• Executive-level communication capabilities

• Accountability and ownership mentality

• Ability to influence across multiple functions and stakeholder groups

Security & Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred

• Active Secret Clearance

Compensation & Benefits

💰 Base Salary: $190,000 - $220,000

Additional benefits include:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

• Retirement savings plans

• Paid time off and company holidays

• Professional development opportunities

• Relocation assistance for qualified candidates

• Interview travel reimbursement

• Long-term career advancement opportunities

• 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off

Why Join?

This is an outstanding opportunity to lead talented engineering teams working on complex, high-visibility aerospace and defense programs that have a direct impact on mission success.

You'll help shape engineering strategy, influence future business growth, develop the next generation of engineering talent, and work alongside some of the industry's most respected technical professionals.

If you're an experienced engineering leader looking for a role that combines technical depth, people leadership, business impact, and long-term career growth, we'd love to hear from you.

Lead Electrical Engineer (Defense Electronics) – Cincinnati, OH

Lead Electrical Engineer (Defense & Aerospace Electronics)

📍 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
🕒 Schedule: 4/10 Work Week (Four 10-Hour Days)
💼 Employment Type: Full-Time
💰 Base Salary: $142,000 – $161,000
🚚 Relocation Assistance: Available for Ideal Candidates
✈️ Travel: Occasional
🔒 Security Clearance: Must be Eligible to Obtain Secret Clearance
🚫 Visa Sponsorship: Not Available

Overview

A leading defense and aerospace organization is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to support the design and development of ruggedized electronic systems for advanced ordnance and mission-critical applications.

This role combines hands-on electrical design with technical leadership responsibilities, including product development, testing, root cause investigations, customer interaction, proposal support, and mentoring engineering teams. The ideal candidate will have strong experience in analog and digital circuit design, power electronics, testing, and product lifecycle development within highly regulated environments.

Key Responsibilities

Electrical Design & Development

• Design analog and digital electronics for ruggedized defense applications.

• Perform circuit analysis, simulations, and tolerance studies using SPICE and engineering calculations.

• Develop and refine technical requirements and ensure compliance.

• Generate schematics, engineering documentation, and change proposals.

• Support product development from concept through qualification and production.

Testing & Validation

• Develop test plans and test reports for:

• Design Verification

• Qualification Testing

• Product Performance Testing

• Firing Properties Testing

• Lead testing activities throughout the product lifecycle.

• Troubleshoot hardware using oscilloscopes, function generators, meters, and lab equipment.

Technical Leadership

• Lead design reviews throughout all development phases.

• Serve as primary technical interface for internal and external customers.

• Lead root cause investigations using structured methodologies:

• 8D

• Fishbone Analysis

• Cause & Effect Analysis

• Provide technical input for proposals, labor estimates, and project planning.

• Mentor and develop junior electrical engineers.

• Manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.

Experience

• 9+ years of relevant electrical engineering experience.

• 5+ years designing analog circuits including:

• Operational Amplifiers

• Differential Amplifiers

• Filters

• LDOs

• Data Converters

• 5+ years designing digital circuits including:

• Logic Gates

• Flip-Flops

• Timers

• Digital Filters

• 4+ years working with power conversion systems:

• AC/DC

• DC/DC

• DC/AC

• Linear & Switching Power Supplies

• 5+ years troubleshooting electronic systems using laboratory equipment.

• 4+ years using schematic capture and PCB design tools such as:

• Altium

• PADS

• 4+ years leading technical projects from concept through completion.

• 4+ years creating engineering documentation and participating in design reviews.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with:

• MEMS Accelerometers

• Temperature Sensors

• Pressure Sensors

• Gyroscopes

• Serial communication protocols:

• UART

• SPI

• I2C

• Root Cause Analysis methodologies.

• EMI, ESD, and protection circuit design.

• Power conditioning and power supply design.

• Design for extreme environments:

• Shock

• Vibration

• Temperature

• Humidity

• Experience with Electronic Safety & Arming Devices (ESADs).

• Experience working to MIL-STD-1316 and MIL-STD-1901A standards.

• Experience presenting designs to military safety review boards.

• Energetic materials testing and integration experience.

Key Skills

✔ Analog Circuit Design
✔ Digital Circuit Design
✔ Power Electronics
✔ PCB Design (Altium, PADS)
✔ SPICE Simulation
✔ Root Cause Analysis
✔ Test & Validation Engineering
✔ Technical Leadership
✔ Requirements Development
✔ Defense Electronics

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a senior electrical engineer with experience designing ruggedized electronics for aerospace, defense, ordnance, or other high-reliability applications. They should possess strong technical leadership skills, experience leading development programs, and the ability to guide projects from concept through qualification and production.

Candidate Snapshot

Requirement

Details

Experience

9+ Years

Seniority

Mid-Senior

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Industry

Aerospace / Defense

Leadership

Technical Lead

Security Clearance

Eligible for Secret Clearance

Travel

Occasional

Relocation

Available

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Four-day work week (4/10 schedule).

• Lead cutting-edge defense and aerospace electronics programs.

• High visibility technical leadership role.

• Opportunity to mentor engineers and influence product strategy.

• Work on mission-critical systems supporting national defense applications.