Engineering & Projects Manager

Company: Wasatch Labs

Reports to: General Manager Location: West Valley City, UT (relocating to Provo, UT)

Location Notice This position is currently based at our West Valley City, Utah facility. Operations will relocate to Provo, Utah, and the person in this role will lead that relocation. Candidates must be willing to work at both sites during the transition and at the Provo facility once operations move. Occasional support of other Rhyz facilities, including Wasatch and Elevate, may be required.

Summary The Engineering & Projects Manager leads the planning and execution of Wasatch North's facility relocation from West Valley City to Provo, a project expected to span up to 18 months. The role owns the full scope of the move: relocating existing equipment, specifying and installing new equipment, designing and commissioning new production lines, and bringing the Provo facility to full operational readiness. It coordinates closely with vendors, contractors, suppliers, and internal teams, and partners with the General Manager on the relocation budget. This role also leads the maintenance function and provides engineering direction for the facility. After the relocation, it will focus on capital projects, equipment and line improvements, reliability, and continuous improvement. The Operations Manager oversees day-to-day production; this role works alongside Operations at a strategic level to make sure the facility, equipment, and maintenance program support production goals.

Key Responsibilities

Facility Relocation (primary focus during transition)

Develop and manage the master relocation plan, including scope, timeline, milestones, dependencies, and risk mitigation.

Partner with the General Manager to build, track, and manage the relocation budget; report progress, variances, and risks regularly.

Plan and oversee the decommissioning, pack-out, transport, installation, and recommissioning of existing equipment.

Specify, source, and evaluate new equipment; manage vendor selection, factory and site acceptance testing, installation, and startup.

Design production line layouts and workflows for the Provo facility with a focus on efficiency, safety, GMP compliance, and future capacity.

Coordinate with contractors, architects, utility providers, and suppliers on facility build-out, including utilities, compressed air, HVAC, and other infrastructure supporting production.

Lead equipment commissioning and qualification activities in partnership with Quality to ensure GMP compliance.

Coordinate with Operations, Quality, Warehouse, Safety, and other internal teams to sequence pack-out and startup and minimize disruption to production and customer commitments.

Serve as the main point of contact for relocation status, decisions, and escalations.

Engineering and Continuous Improvement

Provide mechanical and technical engineering leadership for production equipment, packaging lines, and facility systems.

Lead capital projects, equipment upgrades, and line improvements that increase capacity, efficiency, and reliability.

Evaluate equipment performance and downtime data to identify root causes and drive improvements.

Partner with the General Manager on long-term capacity planning and equipment strategy.

Apply Lean, 5S, and Six Sigma methods to improve processes and reduce waste.

Maintenance Leadership

Lead the maintenance team through supervisors and team leads; set direction, priorities, and performance expectations.

Build a proactive maintenance program focused on preventive and predictive maintenance rather than reactive repair.

Oversee the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), PM schedules, and completion rates.

Oversee MRO inventory, spare parts strategy, and tool and supply purchasing.

Establish and track maintenance KPIs such as uptime, PM compliance, mean time between failures, and maintenance cost.

Coach and develop supervisors through regular one-on-ones, training, and performance reviews.

Make sure maintenance procedures for setup, changeover, and repair are documented, current, and trained.

Safety and Compliance

Ensure all maintenance and project work follows Wasatch safety policies, OSHA requirements, GMP guidelines, and department SOPs.

Ensure contractor and vendor work on site meets safety and compliance standards.

Communicate procedures, safety requirements, and expectations clearly in both English and Spanish.

Qualifications

Required

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent engineering experience.

7+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, maintenance, or facilities, including 3+ years leading teams.

Proven experience leading large capital projects, such as a facility relocation, plant build-out, or multiple production line installations, from planning through startup.

Strong project management skills, including scheduling, budgeting, vendor management, and stakeholder communication.

Experience working in a GMP-regulated manufacturing environment.

Working knowledge of CMMS, preventive and predictive maintenance, and MRO inventory management.

Fluent in English and Spanish, both spoken and written.

Preferred

Experience in dietary supplement, nutraceutical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, or food manufacturing, particularly encapsulation, tableting, liquid filling, or packaging.

Experience with equipment commissioning and qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ).

PMP or similar project management certification.

Lean, 5S, or Six Sigma certification.

Proficiency with AutoCAD, SolidWorks, or similar programs for layout and equipment planning.

Certifications (or ability to obtain)

HAZCOM

Fall Protection Training

Forklift operator certification

Work Environment Production typically runs 6 days per week across 2 shifts and may extend based on customer demand. Schedule flexibility is required, especially during relocation milestones and equipment startup.

Our Benefits & Perks:

You will be part of an engaged, inclusive, global community that values family, giving back, beauty, and sustainability. We offer competitive benefits to eligible employees with comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage; supplemental life, voluntary short-term, and disability insurance; free access to therapists; a health savings account and 401k. You'll also be empowered to prioritize what's important to you through our vacation policy.