Engineering & Projects Manager

|Industrial & Energy - Management|New Zealand

About the Role
Rubisco is looking for an Engineering & Projects Manager to take the lead across maintenance, and capital projects at their Christchurch manufacturing site. This is a genuinely hands-on role, not a desk job. You’ll be working alongside an experienced team, getting to know a plant with a lot of history, and building the systems that will carry it into its next stage of growth.
The outgoing Engineering Manager brought both mechanical and electrical expertise to the role, and this hire will need to bring strong technical leadership to fill that gap. You’ll be reporting to the General Manager – Operations and leading a small engineering team, with contractors and project resources brought in as needed. There’s also an Ashburton site that occasionally needs support, though it’s largely self-sufficient at this stage.

About the Company
Rubisco is a New Zealand advanced materials company combining decades of natural fibre manufacturing expertise with next-generation engineering to develop high-performance fibre and bio-composite solutions from wool and hemp. Our technologies are used across flooring, construction, architectural acoustics, advanced composites, transport and other industrial applications, delivering sustainable alternatives without compromising performance. Based in Christchurch, with a second manufacturing site in Ashburton, our facilities combine advanced processing, automation and continuous production to transform raw fibre through dyeing, blending, carding, spinning and finishing into engineered materials. As we continue to invest in new technologies, advanced manufacturing capability and international growth, Rubisco offers engineers the opportunity to help shape the future of natural materials.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and develop the engineering team, building technical capability and succession planning
  • Design and implement a preventative maintenance programme, moving the site away from reactive breakdown work
  • Lead root cause investigations and drive continuous improvement in plant reliability
  • Provide leadership across automation, PLC, HMI and electrical systems, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
  • Lead capital projects from concept through to commissioning, including scoping, budgeting and contractor coordination
  • Manage contractor and supplier relationships, including service agreements
  • Develop and manage engineering and maintenance budgets, including business cases for capital expenditure
  • Promote and lead a strong safety culture across all engineering and project activity

What You’ll Bring

  • Proven experience leading engineering or maintenance teams in a manufacturing or industrial environment
  • Mechanical or electrical background both suitable, ideally with exposure to the other discipline as well
  • Experience managing capital projects, plant upgrades and installations through to commissioning
  • Sound knowledge of automation systems, PLCs and industrial controls
  • Experience implementing preventative maintenance systems or CMMS platforms
  • Engineering qualification (Mechanical, Electrical, Automation or equivalent); NZ Registered Electrician or Electrical Service Technician qualification is an advantage
  • Strong problem solving and root cause analysis skills, with the ability to balance operational, maintenance and project priorities
  • Calm under pressure, self-motivated, and comfortable getting hands-on with the team
  • Must hold current NZ work rights (residency or citizenship)

 If you would like to join this growing company, then please apply for the role. If you would like some more information, then please reach out to me: Luke Atkinson on 04 333 0383 or luke@trs.co.nz

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