Plant Engineer

Company Description TCHO Chocolate is a Certified B Corporation founded in 2008, dedicated to crafting award-winning, imaginative chocolate that supports positive social and environmental impact. The company collaborates directly with cocoa farmers around the world through its unique TCHO Source program, installing flavor labs and providing training to improve quality, consistency, and sustainability. By treating suppliers as co-creators, TCHO helps refine fermentation, drying, and sensory analysis processes to unlock cacao’s full flavor potential. Every ingredient is carefully selected to deliver an exceptional experience for chefs, bakers, and chocolate enthusiasts from first glance to last bite. Guided by curiosity and fairness, TCHO uses its business to improve the world through chocolate - Chocolate. Fair & Square.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

The Plant Engineer is responsible for overseeing and improving the performance, reliability, and efficiency of manufacturing equipment, production systems, and facility infrastructure within the chocolate manufacturing plant. This role focuses on engineering support, equipment optimization, continuous improvement, preventative maintenance strategy, capital projects, and operational reliability while also providing technical troubleshooting support when needed.

The Plant Engineer partners closely with Production, Quality, R&D, Operations, and external vendors to improve plant performance, reduce downtime, support food safety standards, and drive operational efficiencies across the facility.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead efforts to improve equipment reliability, plant efficiency, and manufacturing performance across production and facility systems
• Analyze equipment failures, downtime trends, and operational inefficiencies to identify long-term corrective actions and process improvements
• Develop and oversee preventative and predictive maintenance programs for manufacturing and facility equipment
• Support troubleshooting and technical resolution of equipment and systems issues related to chocolate processing, molding, packaging, heating, cooling, and utilities infrastructure
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, uptime, safety, waste reduction, and process optimization
• Manage and support plant engineering projects including equipment upgrades, installations, facility improvements, automation initiatives, and process changes
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Production, QA, Food Safety, R&D, and Operations teams to support manufacturing goals and product quality standards
• Evaluate equipment performance and recommend process, mechanical, or systems improvements
• Coordinate with outside vendors, contractors, and service providers for equipment servicing, repairs, and project execution
• Maintain engineering documentation, maintenance records, equipment specifications, SOPs, and project tracking
• Support spare parts strategy, equipment lifecycle planning, and long-term capital improvement planning
• Ensure compliance with GMP, HACCP, food safety, OSHA, and company safety standards
• Identify and escalate food safety, quality, or operational risks and implement corrective actions where appropriate
• Support facility systems including HVAC, refrigeration, compressed air, electrical, water, and other plant utility systems
• Promote and maintain a safe, organized, and compliant manufacturing environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field preferred
• 5 years of experience in plant engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, or equipment reliability within a manufacturing environment
• Experience in food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods manufacturing preferred
• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, process equipment, utilities, and facility operations
• Experience leading equipment improvement, process optimization, and capital project initiatives
• Knowledge of preventative maintenance systems, root cause analysis, and reliability engineering principles
• Familiarity with GMP, HACCP, and food safety standards preferred
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, schematics, and engineering documentation
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Proficiency with CMMS systems and Microsoft Office applications preferred

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work within a manufacturing environment including standing, walking, bending, and lifting up to 50 pounds as needed
• Ability to access production equipment, facility systems, and elevated areas safely
• Ability to occasionally support off-hours troubleshooting, maintenance coordination, or project implementation

Work Environment

This position operates primarily within a food manufacturing and production environment and requires close collaboration with operations and technical teams to support plant performance, reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives.

salary range - $120,000 - $150,000