Director Engineering Technical Support
Lamb Weston · Kennewick, WA
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $164k–$247k
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 15+ years
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 16 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at Lamb Weston (food & beverage) in Kennewick, WA. A major responsibility of this position is to bring the Technical Support team to bear to consult on design for strategic as well as plant projects to assure adherence to standards, promote technical strategic direction, and support execution of projects’.
- They ask for
- 15+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Automation, Casting
- Base pay
- $164k–$247k
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Washington: typical posted base $103k–$145k. This one lists $164k–$247k.
Median of the low and high ends of 23 live postings that list pay, out of 38 manufacturing engineer openings in Washington, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Washington plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 37 other live manufacturing postings in Washington.
- Base pay
- About 75% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (15+ vs 3+)
Typical $100k–$135k, from 20 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 3+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Tooling 61%
- Root cause 47%
- ✓ Automation 39%
- Lean 32%
- New product launch 32%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 24%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Casting, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Lamb Weston
We found 4 people at this company and state: 4 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Scott → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Lamb Weston in Kennewick
No other open roles at this site right now · 4 people we found in manufacturing roles at Lamb Weston.
Full description from Lamb WestonAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
· Direct management of the Technical Support department teams.
· Maintain the necessary levels of technical talent within the department. Prepare and maintain a talent succession plan to ensure business continuity as the workforce ages out and new talent fill positions.
· Direct Technical Support SMEs in developing reliability strategies, standards, and technical support processes that improve equipment uptime, reduce operational risk, and ensure reliable plant operations across Electrical, Automation & Controls, Packaging, Utilities, and other critical manufacturing systems
· Create and maintain long-term strategic direction for technical areas of responsibility.
· Prepare a department budget and be responsible for forecasting and spending within budgeted guidelines.
· Take a key role in the annual capital planning activities to develop phased approaches to solve plant technical obsolescence and project challenges.
· Serve as primary liaison between the Technical Support group, the I/T organization, and the rest of the Global Engineering team. IT-OT Convergence is an initiative for which this position plays a key role.
Essential Skills
· Visionary Leadership - Displays vision and inspiration to engender respect and trust and motivate others to fulfill the company’s vision. Exhibits confidence in self and others and leads to create a culture in which trust, individual purpose, and team building are core tenants.
· Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively.
· Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively with the ability to vary writing style to match the audience.
· Presentation – Ability to present effectively to all levels of the organization. Must be able to present technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
· Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions and exhibits sound and accurate judgment. Supports and explains reasoning for decisions and includes appropriate people and ideas in the decision-making process.
· Strategic Planning - Keep abreast of technologies, timing, and adoption strategies. Maintain a running 5-year strategic plan for Technical Engineering disciplines.
· Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities and uses time efficiently. Ability to set goals and objectives, organize competing priorities, and develop realistic action plans.
Basic &
Education/ Certifications: (Required & Preferred)
· Bachelor’s level degree in Engineering, Management, or a related discipline is required.
· Minimum of 15 years of experience with project, engineering or operations management is required.
· Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, technical documentation, P&IDs, drawings, and procedure manuals.
· Ab
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Title: Director Engineering Technical Support
Location: Kennewick, WA
Job Requisition ID: Req-271918
Time Type: Full time
About Lamb Weston
You’ve probably enjoyed our fries without even knowing it! As a leading manufacturer in our industry, we inspire and bring people together with foods they love and trust. Our customer base includes international food service providers, restaurants, and households in over 100 countries around the world.
A highly innovative global corporation with a start-up mindset, we empower every individual to make a genuine difference. You’ll gain access to hands-on training to fuel your growth and success, explore opportunities for new solutions, and you’ll join a winning team of 10,000+ people all dedicated to raising the bar – together.
If you have a strong drive for results, a desire to help us bring the world together through our fries, and are ready for a fresh challenge, we want to hear from you.
Job Description Summary
The Director - Engineering Technical Support shall demonstrate skills in managing Engineering Technical SMEs (Subject Matter Experts). This position requires knowledge of the technical engineering disciplines used in Lamb Weston manufacturing facilities (Electrical, Automation & Controls, Packaging, Boilers & Refrigeration, and Wastewater Treatment) as well as how those technical disciplines support operations and long-term growth.
This position is instrumental in creating asset management plans aimed at maintaining and updating aged technologies and equipment, ensuring proper maintenance, and setting strategies that properly respond to obsolescence, market trends and forces, and internal company initiatives. A major responsibility of this position is to bring the Technical Support team to bear to consult on design for strategic as well as plant projects to assure adherence to standards, promote technical strategic direction, and support execution of projects’ technical areas.
This position also provides leadership and direction for technical SMEs and other engineering disciplines, to develop and execute strategies that improve asset reliability, operational availability, and sustainable plant performance. The Technical Support organization serves as a key partner to plant operations by providing subject matter expertise, standards, troubleshooting support, and long-term reliability improvements that enable safe and reliable manufacturing operations.
This role works hand in hand with other internal business units as well as outside contractors and support groups. Strong interpersonal skills when working with non-technical partners is a must, as is the ability to communicate both horizontally and vertically throughout the organization.
In the area of strategic planning and development, this role directs the Technical Support team to discover, test, and implement new technologies aimed at improving manufacturing processes and efficiencies as well as engaging in ongoing support of existing legacy systems. Consulting, informing, and planning long term strategies in the capital improvement process is a critical function of this position
Job Description