Cryopak is seeking a highly technical and results-oriented Director of Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence to lead engineering, process optimization, automation, capital projects, and continuous improvement initiatives across our manufacturing operations.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineering leader with extensive experience in manufacturing environments, plant startups, process engineering, industrial automation, and operational excellence. Experience within packaging, plastics, petrochemicals, cold chain, temperature-controlled packaging, or related industries is highly desirable.

This individual will play a critical role in driving innovation, improving operational efficiency, supporting product development, and developing a world-class engineering organization capable of supporting future growth.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership

- Lead and develop the Engineering Department, including Process Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, Maintenance Engineers, and Project Managers.
- Establish engineering standards, best practices, and technical governance across all manufacturing facilities.
- Provide strategic direction for equipment selection, plant layout design, automation initiatives, and manufacturing technology investments.
- Act as the senior technical expert for process design, troubleshooting, and optimization.

Manufacturing Process Excellence

- Drive continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, Six Sigma, and Industry 4.0 methodologies.
- Analyze manufacturing processes to improve:
- Productivity
- Capacity utilization
- Quality
- Yield
- Downtime reduction
- Waste reduction

- Develop and monitor operational KPIs.
- Conduct root cause analysis and corrective action initiatives using methodologies such as:

- FMEA
- SPC
- Fishbone Analysis
- Pareto Analysis
- PPAP
- MSA

Capital Projects & Startups

- Lead major capital projects from concept through commissioning and startup.




- Manage equipment sourcing, installation, qualification, and validation.
- Oversee plant expansions, manufacturing line launches, and facility startup initiatives.
- Collaborate with vendors, integrators, contractors, and equipment suppliers globally.
- Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.

Automation & Technology

- Lead implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies.
- Support robotics, controls systems, PLCs, SCADA, MES, and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
- Drive digital transformation and data-driven manufacturing practices.
- Identify opportunities for predictive maintenance and manufacturing analytics.

Operational Leadership

- Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, R&D;, and Commercial teams.
- Support new product launches and commercialization efforts.
- Develop long-term manufacturing capacity plans.
- Champion a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Health, Safety & Compliance

- Ensure engineering activities comply with applicable regulations and safety requirements.
- Support quality systems, ISO standards, and customer regulatory requirements.
- Participate in risk assessments and process safety reviews.

What We're Looking For

- Engineering degree (Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, or related field)
- 15+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, including leadership roles
- Hands-on expertise in process improvement, plant operations, automation, and capital projects
- Experience leading plant startups, expansions, or major transformation initiatives
- Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma knowledge
- Packaging, plastics, petrochemical, or cold chain experience is an asset
- Strong people leadership, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills
- Comfortable working both on the plant floor and at the leadership table

Ideal Candidate: A highly technical, hands-on engineering leader who can drive operational excellence, lead teams, and support growth in a fast-paced manufacturing workplace

📌 Director of Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence (Canada)
🏢 Cryopak
📍 Canada