Plant Director (Frozen Food)

• Lead all plant operations to achieve production, quality, safety, cost, and delivery objectives
• Drive improvements in OEE, productivity, yield, lead time, and manufacturing efficiency
• Ensure compliance with food safety, GMP, HACCP, quality, and regulatory requirements
• Oversee production planning, maintenance, engineering, warehouse, and operational performance
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives including Lean, TPM, and waste reduction programmes
• Develop and coach the plant leadership team whilst fostering a high-performance culture
• Manage plant budgets, operational KPIs, and capital improvement projects
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Commercial, R&D, and other business functions to support growth and operational excellence

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Food Science, Manufacturing, or a related field
• 10 to 15 years of manufacturing experience, including at least 5 years in a senior plant leadership role
• Strong background in Frozen food, ready to eat or Plant-based food manufacturing
• Proven experience improving OEE, productivity, quality, and manufacturing performance
• Strong knowledge of food safety, quality systems, maintenance, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Good command of written and spoken English and Thai
• This is a site-based role operating Monday to Friday in Ayutthaya

Position Overview
Our client is a global biosolutions company seeking an Automation Engineer to support a new manufacturing project in Rayong, currently at the design stage. As the first Automation Engineer within the Thailand Project Execution team, you will take ownership of DCS engineering coordination, working closely with overseas automation experts, the design firm, and DCS vendors. This is an individual contributor role offering regional and global project exposure and opportunities to develop as a technical specialist.

Responsibilities

• Gather requirements from users and technicians and translate them into clear technical requirements for the design firm and DCS vendor.
• Coordinate DCS design and programming activities with ABB or Yokogawa engineers, ensuring solutions meet operational needs and engineering standards.
• Align the Thailand DCS solution with established systems and best practices from overseas manufacturing operations.
• Lead automation test trials and support FAT/SAT, commissioning, start-up, and handover.
• Act as the main technical contact for DCS vendors, coordinating with internal stakeholders and overseas experts.
• Provide technical input on DCS investment costs and ensure compliance with safety and cybersecurity requirements.

Requirements

• Hands-on ABB or Yokogawa DCS design and programming experience is mandatory. Experience solely with Siemens, other DCS brands, or PLC systems does not meet this requirement.
• A proven DCS engineering background is essential. Maintenance-only or implementation-only experience is insufficient.
• Bachelor’s degree in Automation, Control, Electrical, Instrumentation Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Relevant experience in process manufacturing, such as biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, or fermentation.
• Ability to translate operational requirements into DCS specifications and interpret relevant engineering documentation.
• Strong spoken and written English, with the ability to work effectively with overseas technical experts.
• Proactive problem-solving, ownership, and strong internal and external stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work on site in Rayong, with flexibility to support project milestones and commissioning activities.