Director of Engineering Services

Clarios • Saint Joseph, MO

3d

About The Position

Leads the St Joseph Manufacturing Engineering, Operational Excellence and Maintenance teams to support and lead the development and optimization the manufacturing processes across the St. Joseph campus. This multi-faceted role will provide leadership and overall direction for technical aspects of both the St. Joseph Assembly Plant and our Distribution center. This will be a key role to drive operational improvements elevating performance and consistency to ensure global competitiveness is achieved and maintained. This role is about more than efficiency — it’s about transformation. You’ll drive alignment across 2 sites, break down barriers, and embed a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with deep technical expertise in mechanical, electrical, and automation systems, and a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced production environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Industrial Engineering) with applicable experience.
• 10+ years’ experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Previous experience in process controls and automation projects.
• Previous experience in multiple disciplinary technical functions including maintenance.
• Strong communication skills and presentation skills for presenting to leadership on strategy and performance improvement required.
• Influence with data the necessary changes in the plants to achieve operational excellence.
• Travel up to 30%.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience with Six Sigma or Lean.
• Operational experience and financial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Technical Oversight Develop and Implement strategies to improve manufacturing processes ensuring quality, cost effectiveness, and efficiency in our operation.
• Coach the technical teams on problem solving when applicable and lead problem solving teams when required.
• Drive the consistent implementation of the US/CAN Manufacturing Operating system across St. Joseph partnering with other sites and regional teams ensuring best practices are followed.
• Lead the Campus to embrace lean manufacturing concepts leveraging tools and culture to eliminate waste.
• Oversee maintenance of mechanical, electrical, and automation systems including PLCs, robotics, and control systems.
• Ensure compliance with manufacturing safety standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., OSHA, NFPA 70E).
• Lead commissioning and integration of new equipment and technologies.
• Lead / Support strategic projects (expansion, capacity increase, new model launch).
• Leverage modern tools and technology including advanced digital, AI, Machine Learning to improve plant performance.
• Coordinate facility improvements with internal and external contractors ensuring business continuity.
• Maintenance Strategy & Execution Develop and implement a comprehensive maintenance strategy focused on preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance.
• Ensure all manufacturing equipment and systems operate at peak efficiency to support production goals.
• Standardize maintenance practices across facilities and drive consistency in execution.
• Reliability Engineering Lead reliability initiatives including Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM).
• Implement and optimize predictive maintenance technologies (e.g., vibration analysis, thermography, oil sampling).
• Monitor and improve key metrics such as MTBF, MTTR, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Team Leadership & Development Manage and develop a team of various engineers, maintenance leaders, and skilled tradespeople.
• Build technical training programs and career pathways for salaried hourly employees.
• Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Budget & Resource Management Develop and manage maintenance budgets, capital expenditures, and vendor contracts.
• Optimize spare parts inventory and procurement processes.
• Drive cost savings through reliability improvements and energy efficiency initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner closely with Regional and Global teams to align on best practices relative to manufacturing processes, Maintenance and Operational Excellence.
• Partner with Production, Engineering, Quality, and Safety teams to align maintenance efforts with operational goals.
• Drive continuous improvement projects and lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Lead incident investigations and corrective action planning related to equipment / process failures.
• Work to break down silos across local, regional and global teams with focus on improving our business through close collaboration with all stakeholders.
• Build and maintain collaborative employee relationships ranging from Shop floor to Executives.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision care coverage and a 401(k) savings plan with company matching – all starting on date of hire
• Tuition reimbursement, perks, and discounts
• Parental and caregiver leave programs
• All the usual benefits such as paid time off, flexible spending, short-and long-term disability, basic life insurance, business travel insurance, Employee Assistance Program, and domestic partner benefits
• Global market strength and worldwide market share leadership
• HQ location earns LEED certification for sustainability plus a full-service cafeteria and workout facility
• Clarios has been recognized as one of 2025's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere. This prestigious recognition marks the third consecutive year Clarios has received this distinction.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director