What are the responsibilities and job description for the Plant Engineer - Packaging Automation position at George Thomas?
Plant Engineer
Location: Temple, TX
Reports To: Director of Manufacturing
Our client, a rapidly growing manufacturer, is seeking a Plant Engineer to support the reliability, performance, and expansion of its Temple, Texas facility. This individual will serve as the second point of escalation beyond the Maintenance Team and will play a critical role in maintaining equipment uptime, resolving complex technical issues, and supporting the installation and commissioning of new production equipment.
The successful candidate will be a hands-on engineer with expertise in automation, manufacturing and material handling systems, capable of operating independently in a fast-paced, high-growth environment while driving continuous improvement across the plant.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the primary technical escalation point for complex equipment, automation, and controls issues, ensuring rapid troubleshooting and resolution to maximize uptime.
- Ensure the reliability and performance of all plant equipment, including PLC-controlled machinery, robotics, conveyors, and automated material handling systems.
- Lead and support new equipment installations, upgrades, and expansion projects, ensuring equipment is operationally ready and successfully deployed.
- Manage relationships with OEMs, system integrators, and contractors through commissioning, startup, testing, validation, and handover activities.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment reliability, throughput, efficiency, and overall plant performance.
Key Performance Indicators
- Plant equipment uptime and availability
- Troubleshooting effectiveness and technical issue resolution
- Downtime reduction and root cause elimination
- Successful commissioning and startup of new equipment
- Delivery of continuous improvement initiatives
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years' experience in manufacturing, automation, or industrial engineering environments.
- Strong technical knowledge of PLCs, robotics, conveyors, and automated material handling systems.
- Experience supporting equipment commissioning, startup, and OEM handover processes.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, prioritize competing demands, and drive results in a high-growth environment.
- Experience within Automotive, System Integration, Machine Manufacturing, Intralogistics, or other highly automated industrial sectors is strongly preferred.
Opportunity
This is an opportunity to join a rapidly expanding manufacturing organization at an exciting stage of growth. The Plant Engineer will have significant visibility within the operation and will play a key role in improving equipment reliability, supporting capital projects, and enabling operational excellence across the facility.
Apply via the link or reach out directly...
📧 Alex.Ferro@george-thomas.com
Salary : $120,000 - $140,000