Senior Engineering Manager

Kerry•Rome, GA

9d•$102,400 - $168,250•Onsite

About The Position

Kerry is hiring a Senior Engineering Manager to lead packaging and process improvements, as well as capital projects, across its Coatings and Proteins plant network. The role is based at the Rome, Georgia plant, with Melrose Park, Illinois, and Evansville, Indiana, also listed as possible locations. It is an individual contributor position reporting to the Director of Engineering & Maintenance, with approximately 50% travel within the contiguous 48 states to various plants. The position focuses on driving improvements in packaging and processing through collaboration with plant personnel and leading projects involving packaging, process, and plant infrastructure. It requires hands-on technical experience with packaging equipment and powder handling, along with project leadership, communication, coaching, and the ability to work autonomously across multiple sites. The role also requires working on factory floors and climbing multiple floors and silos when needed. The stated annual salary range is $102,400–$168,250. The position is eligible for performance-based incentive compensation. Kerry offers medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid time off; a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities; an Employee Share Plan; life, disability, and accident insurance; and tuition reimbursement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Industrial, or similar) is mandatory.
10+ years of progressive experience in plant engineering.
Deep technical skills and hands-on experience troubleshooting and installing packaging equipment, including 25–50 lb bagging, heat sealing, conveying, and conventional and robotic-arm palletizing.
Experience with powder handling processes and equipment, including silos, pneumatic conveying, mixing, and dust collection.
Basic project management skills and experience leading $100K–$1M capital projects, including scope development, budget management, scheduling, and risk mitigation.
Basic knowledge of plant automation, such as PLCs, robotics, and IT/OT.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
Result-oriented, with the ability to understand and articulate what it takes to deliver successful outcomes.
Attention to detail and ability to follow up promptly and execute plans.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to influence up, down, and sideways.
Able to work autonomously across multiple sites and stakeholders.
Able to work on a factory floor for extended periods and climb multiple floors and silos when needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a multi-site engineering role.
Food, consumer goods, or chemical manufacturing experience.
Basic knowledge of AI tools such as Copilot, Claude, or Gemini.

Responsibilities

Drive packaging and process improvements across the plant network in collaboration with plant personnel.
Lead capital projects related to packaging, process, and plant infrastructure improvement.
Develop project scopes and manage budgets, schedules, and risk mitigation for capital projects.
Follow up promptly and execute plans successfully.
Coach and mentor plant personnel.
Work autonomously across multiple sites and stakeholders.