Manufacturing IT Systems Engineer

About the position We are seeking a hands-on, mid-level Manufacturing IT Systems Engineer to serve as the dedicated on-site technology lead for our food manufacturing facility. In this role, you will be the primary "boots on the ground" for the Plant IT Team. You will work in an environment where Level 1 routine support is handled by an outsourced Help Desk, allowing you to focus on Level 2/3 physical support, critical infrastructure, and the integration of manufacturing systems. You will function as the sole on-site IT presence, requiring a blend of technical autonomy and strong collaboration with remote engineering teams. This role requires walking the plant daily and physical work. Including using lifts to reach high up IDFs and other devices.

Responsibilities

• Plant Floor Operations & L2 Support: Serve as the on-site escalation point for the outsourced L1 Help Desk, resolving physical or complex issues that cannot be fixed remotely.
• Manage and troubleshoot critical plant hardware, including Thermal Transfer Printers (Zebra), Mobile Handhelds/RF Scanners (Honeywell, Zebra), and HMI touchscreens.
• Support the physical network infrastructure, including troubleshooting wireless access points (WAPs) in production zones, cabinet cabling, and switch connectivity.
• Maintain local server infrastructure and ensure backups and patches are applied according to corporate schedules.
• Build and support workstations.
• OT/IT Systems Integration: Act as the bridge between the plant floor (OT) and enterprise IT, supporting the data flow between PLCs, SCADA, MES, ERP, and WMS.
• Collaborate with Controls Engineers to troubleshoot network connectivity for industrial assets and ensure secure remote access.
• Assist in the deployment and maintenance of manufacturing applications, ensuring high availability for production schedules.
• Projects & Continuous Improvement: Execute local IT projects, such as hardware refreshes, wireless site surveys, and new line integrations.
• Identify root causes of recurring technical issues and implement permanent fixes to reduce downtime.
• Participate in disaster recovery planning and testing for the local site.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, or Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• Experience: 5+ years of IT systems experience, with specific experience supporting manufacturing environments (Food & Beverage preferred).
• OT/IT Knowledge: Good understanding of how IT systems interact with OT technologies (SCADA, PLCs, HMIs) and manufacturing data flows.
• Hardware Proficiency: Deep familiarity with industrial thermal printing, barcode scanners, and ruggedized mobile devices.
• Systems: Experience supporting MES, ERP (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Dynamics), and or WMS platforms.
• Infrastructure: Solid knowledge of Windows Server, Active Directory, and network troubleshooting (VLANs, switching).
• Autonomy: Ability to manage your own queue and prioritize tasks as the sole on-site resource without direct supervision.
• Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to translate technical concepts for plant management and non-technical staff.

Nice-to-haves

• Preferred Certifications: ITIL, Network+, or Microsoft certifications are beneficial.
• Language: Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a strong plus to support a diverse workforce on the plant floor.
• Cloud/Data: Exposure to Azure, AWS, or data analytics platforms is a strong plus.

Benefits

• Ventura Foods offers career growth opportunities as well as competitive compensation and benefits: Medical, Prescription, Dental, & Vision – coverage beginning on your 1st day for eligible employees
• Profit Sharing and 401(k) matching (after eligible criteria is met)
• Paid Vacation, Sick Time, and Holidays
• Employee Appreciation Events and Employee Assistance Programs