Maintenance & Engineering Manager

Clover Sonoma•Petaluma, CA

3d•$120,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

Clover Sonoma is seeking an experienced Maintenance and Engineering Manager to lead the Maintenance Department and support the reliable, safe, and efficient operation of its 24/7 milk processing, bottling, and distribution facilities. The role oversees maintenance and engineering operations for production equipment, facility infrastructure, and utility systems, with the goals of minimizing downtime and optimizing operational efficiency. It is an on-site leadership position involving regular engagement with maintenance personnel, manufacturing operations, and plant equipment, and reports directly to the Director of Plant Operations. The manager provides technical leadership, drives continuous improvement, and ensures maintenance activities meet standards for food safety, production quality, regulatory compliance, and workplace safety. The position leads a maintenance team of approximately 10 employees, including Forepersons, Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians, and apprentice-level maintenance personnel. Supervisory duties include hiring, performance evaluations, employee development, timecard approvals, leave authorizations, and disciplinary counseling in accordance with company policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Requirements

Approximately 4 or more years of progressive industrial maintenance experience, including significant experience in a technical maintenance leadership or management role.
Direct maintenance experience in food or beverage manufacturing and a strong understanding of complex processing equipment and production operations.
Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, and developing maintenance teams.
Experience developing, implementing, and managing preventive maintenance programs, maintenance schedules, work order processes, and resource planning.
Strong computer proficiency, including experience with CMMS, digital work order management, maintenance reporting, and data analysis.
Experience developing maintenance SOPs, standardizing procedures, and implementing process improvements in manufacturing.
Technical knowledge of industrial processing equipment such as pasteurizers, separators, homogenizers, filling and bottling systems, conveyors, and CIP systems.
Working knowledge of industrial plant utilities, including boilers, compressed air, refrigeration, steam, HVAC, and wastewater systems.
Understanding of industrial electrical safety, mechanical troubleshooting, and applicable safety and regulatory requirements.
Experience monitoring maintenance performance metrics, managing maintenance budgets, and using operational data to improve equipment reliability and maintenance effectiveness.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to lead experienced technicians, manage competing priorities, and build cross-functional relationships.
Demonstrated commitment to food safety, workplace safety, ethical conduct, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day maintenance operations for production equipment, processing systems, and plant utilities to support safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing.
Develop, implement, and improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs to reduce unplanned downtime, improve equipment reliability, and extend equipment lifespan.
Plan and prioritize maintenance work orders, technician assignments, resource allocation, parts availability, and preventive maintenance schedules.
Establish, document, and standardize maintenance procedures, SOPs, and best practices.
Use CMMS and enterprise systems to manage work orders, maintenance records, parts inventory, and performance reporting.
Lead equipment troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and corrective actions for recurring failures and operational inefficiencies.
Ensure reliable operation and regulatory compliance of boilers, steam, compressed air, refrigeration, HVAC, and wastewater systems.
Maintain compliance with safety, food quality, environmental, and regulatory requirements, including boiler operating requirements and electrical safety practices.
Monitor and improve maintenance performance indicators, including OEE, preventive maintenance completion, equipment downtime, maintenance costs, and budget performance.
Oversee spare parts inventory, purchasing, vendor relationships, and maintenance expenditures.
Collaborate with Operations, Quality, and plant leadership to identify improvements, resolve equipment challenges, and support production goals.
Support equipment installations, automation initiatives, facility improvements, and capital projects while maintaining primary accountability for daily maintenance operations.
Manage and coordinate third-party vendors providing maintenance activities and engineering services.
Lead, coach, and develop a maintenance team of approximately 10 employees; foster a collaborative, respectful, accountable, and improvement-focused environment.
Set expectations, provide feedback, support professional and technical development, identify skill gaps, coordinate training, and standardize team knowledge and practices.
Conduct daily maintenance briefings, assign priorities, and coordinate scheduled and emergency maintenance activities.
Lead through changing priorities, equipment emergencies, and challenging operational situations with professionalism and sound judgment.
Track team performance, review work order completion, and reinforce accountability for safety, quality, productivity, and maintenance standards.
Carry out supervisory responsibilities involving hiring, performance evaluations, employee development, timecard approvals, leave authorizations, and disciplinary counseling in accordance with company policies and applicable collective bargaining agreements.