Mechanical Project Engineer

Pinch A Penny • Clearwater, FL

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Mechanical Project Engineer plans, coordinates, and executes small to medium-sized capital, maintenance, reliability, and continuous-improvement projects at a manufacturing facility. Working with Operations, EHS, Facilities, contractors, and other teams, the engineer helps ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with company standards. The role also supports day-to-day plant operations and identifies ways to improve equipment reliability, capacity, safety, and operational efficiency.

This hands-on position supports production-critical systems and related infrastructure, including airflow, temperature-sensitive process conditions, wet air scrubbers, VFDs, suction/vacuum systems, and associated mechanical, electrical, and control interfaces. The engineer uses production data and collaboration with department leaders to develop action plans that improve throughput, reduce downtime and costs, make better use of labor, and strengthen operating performance.

The role also supports production tracking, Management of Change, safety reviews, maintenance initiatives, Lean activities, and the creation and upkeep of operating standards and technical documentation. The position calls for a data-minded, organized leader with strong ownership who listens to the team, challenges existing practices, and is motivated to grow into broader operational responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 1–5 years of engineering experience in manufacturing, industrial, pharmaceutical, food, chemical, or related industries.
• Experience managing maintenance, reliability, or capital projects.
• Experience working with contractors and equipment vendors.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and working knowledge of process equipment, VFDs, vacuum/suction systems, airflow systems, scrubbers, controls, and production-support infrastructure.
• Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to translate data, observations, and engineering recommendations into clear actions for production teams.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize work, manage multiple projects, follow through on commitments, and maintain attention to detail.
• Bias for action, high ownership, willingness to challenge the status quo, and motivation to grow into broader operational responsibility.
• External employment offers are contingent on successful pre-employment drug testing and background verification.
• The position is safety-sensitive.

Nice To Haves

• Green Belt certification.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage minor capital projects from concept through commissioning.
• Develop project scopes, schedules, budgets, and resource plans.
• Coordinate contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Work with production, maintenance, safety, quality, and purchasing teams to identify equipment or process issues, determine root causes, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Size, specify, justify, source, purchase, install, and commission equipment upgrades, considering safety, feasibility, return on investment, operational readiness, and long-term maintainability.
• Track project costs and keep expenditures within approved budgets.
• Provide regular project status updates to site leadership.
• Create and review technical specifications, drawings, and work packages.
• Support installation, startup, and commissioning activities.
• Understand, troubleshoot, and optimize production-support systems, including wet air scrubbers, VFDs, suction/vacuum systems, airflow controls, temperature-sensitive process conditions, and related mechanical and electrical interfaces.
• Ensure compliance with applicable codes, standards, and company engineering practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
• Support root-cause failure investigations and corrective actions.
• Participate in preventive and predictive maintenance initiatives.
• Drive continuous-improvement projects focused on safety, productivity, quality, and cost reduction.
• Sustain the Vorne production tracking system across applicable departments, production lines, and equipment to monitor efficiency, OEE, downtime, standards, and daily performance.
• Support Management of Change processes, as applicable.
• Participate in risk assessments, job hazard analyses, and project safety reviews.
• Maintain project documentation, drawings, specifications, and engineering records.
• Review production data with department leaders and supervisors and turn findings into action plans to improve throughput, reduce downtime and costs, improve labor utilization, and strengthen operating performance.
• Review and improve process flow, equipment layout, material movement, staffing methods, changeovers, and operating practices to reduce waste and increase efficiency.
• Finalize, implement, audit, and sustain the 5S program, including visual standards, ownership expectations, corrective actions, and management routines.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, standard work, training materials, technical documentation, and operating standards.
• Support Lean and continuous-improvement activities, including root-cause analysis, Kaizen events, value-stream or process mapping, cycle-time reduction, waste reduction, and standard work.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support operational goals.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Wellness Programs.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid Time Off, increasing with tenure.
• Eight paid holidays.
• Employer-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Fully funded tuition education programs.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Career advancement and training opportunities.
• Employee discounts.

What This Job Offers

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