Operations Engineer Manager

At Apeel, we look to nature to help the global food system improve quality, reduce waste, and ensure an abundant future for our planet.  

We believe that our most essential ingredient in our recipe for success is our people. We strive to cultivate an environment where everyone is welcomed, and can bring their full, authentic selves into everything they do at Apeel. Humility, Ingenuity, Leadership and Teamwork are the values that define us and how we work with each other, customers, and communities across the globe.

About This Role

Our Field Operations are core to our business model and success. We are looking for a strongly technical, proactive, people-oriented leader to grow, motivate, and oversee our Operations Engineering team in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In this role you will be a critical part of the Apeel Field Operations organization, leading the team of Operations Engineers in this region, working directly with Apeel Project Engineers, Technical Field Specialists, Field Operations Supervisors, and customers at their packing house facilities to maintain and improve the equipment that applies the Apeel product to fresh produce. You will serve as the lead technical contact for vendors who provide warranty support and site upgrades in order to achieve timely project completion. This position also ensures that the repair and preventative maintenance tasks needed to maintain Apeel equipment are identified, documented, and executed in order to provide minimal downtime to our customers.

This opportunity will be based in Spain, preferably the Valencia region, and will cover current and future sites across EMEA. Day travel to sites across Spain will be a regular occurrence. Overnight travel to additional locations up to 30%. Your schedule may vary to include nights, weekends, and holidays as this position supports operations sites that work over night and on weekends.

What You’ll Do

• As a leader on the Operations Engineering team, you will provide leadership, strategic, and tactical direction for Operations Engineers in the EMEA region.
• Oversee the continuous improvement, reliability, and maintenance of Apeel equipment while, developing key partnerships within the Field Operations Leadership Team in order to ensure successful operational execution at sites in your region.
• Support successful end-to-end continuity of new integration projects and major equipment upgrades by participating on cross-functional teams tasked with establishing new operational sites.
• Work with internal teams and external vendors to ensure we are meeting the company’s and our customers’ service objectives within set project timelines and response times.
• Mentor, train, grow, and evolve the Operations Engineering Team in the EMEA Region in order to enable rapid growth and sustained growth of the business.
• Demonstrate leadership behaviors with a clear focus on food safety, the occupational health and safety of employees, and product quality.
• Track project statuses, KPI’s, OKR’s, and provide timely updates to peers and Apeel Leadership.
• Update, train and verify compliance with Standard Operating Procedures.
• Work with contractors, Apeel Design Engineers, Apeel EHS Specialists, Quality Assurance staff, and Apeel Technical Field Specialists to ensure compliance with Apeel and regulatory requirements as well as standardization across sites.
• Ensure execution of preventive, corrective, and scheduled maintenance programs. 

What You Bring:

Minimum Qualifications

• BS degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Industrial Engineering
• At least 10 years of experience, a minimum of 5 leading teams of engineers, in a technical manufacturing environment. Preferably, some of that experience is in a regulated industry such as produce, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, automotive, aerospace, etc.
• Experience with LEAN, 5-Why’s, Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), Six Sigma, Design of Experiments (DOE), etc.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Suite including Excel, Email, Calendar, etc.
• Ability to work indoors/outdoors in cold and/or hot environments and lift up to 50 lbs
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights, graveyards, weekends and holidays 
• Willing to travel (regional/national/international as needed) is required (up to 40%)
• Must possess valid driver license and access to reliable transportation

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills; able to work and lead cross functionally with all departments and customers
• Extremely detailed and process oriented with the ability to troubleshoot equipment
• Experience with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), automation, and controls systems
• Integrity, initiative, & team spirit that fits a fast-paced, ever-changing startup environment
• Ability to multi-task and set priorities according to changing requirements

Apeel believes that the scale of our impact is determined by the teams that work with us. As such, we seek to build high-performing teams of people from various experiences and backgrounds who can collectively push our company into new realms. We seek a diverse pool of applicants and consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, ancestry, color, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, Veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status. If you have a special need or disability that requires accommodation, please let us know.