Superintendent, Maintenance Refrigeration

Maintenance Superintendent

Location – Owensboro, KY

The SFG Maintenance Superintendent (Refrigeration) oversees the operation, maintenance, safety, and regulatory compliance of industrial ammonia refrigeration systems, boilers, and related utilities in a food‑processing environment. This role supervises refrigeration and boiler technicians while supporting hands‑on technical work, preventive maintenance planning, troubleshooting, and coordination with Production to ensure safe, reliable operations and minimal equipment downtime. The Maintenance Superintendent (Refrigeration) combines technical expertise, leadership, and planning to support continuous operations while ensuring compliance with OSHA, EPA, and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Lead and supervise refrigeration and boiler technicians, including scheduling, assigning daily work, and providing training and performance feedback.
• Coach team members on safety, quality/SQF, efficiency, and cost improvement initiatives.
• Complete annual performance evaluations and identify training needs.
• Attend roll call to assign work, address questions, and deliver daily safety reminders.
• Enforce PPE, Lockout/Tagout, GMP/SQF, confined space, hot work, and safety requirements.
• Oversee the safe operation, inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting of ammonia refrigeration systems, boilers, air compressors, HVAC, wastewater, and associated utilities.
• Develop, manage, and audit preventive maintenance programs for refrigeration, boilers, wastewater, and plant utilities to minimize downtime.
• Assign work, review and audit PMs, and follow up with team members to ensure quality and completeness.
• Monitor radio calls and respond to equipment breakdowns within assigned areas.
• Troubleshoot complex issues involving compressors, evaporative condensers, pumps, controls, and steam/boiler equipment.
• Develop work lists, ensure required parts are available, and schedule work including weekends and overtime as needed.
• Ensure strict adherence to ammonia safety procedures and all OSHA/EPA, USDA, HACCP, SQF, and local regulatory requirements.
• Maintain and update regulatory documentation including PSM/RMP, inspections, logs, and records for refrigeration and boiler systems.
• Complete Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and 5‑Minute Downtime Forms daily and submit to AMS.
• Participate in and, when required, lead incident investigations, root‑cause analysis, and corrective actions related to utilities and refrigeration systems.
• Coordinate refrigeration and utility activities with Production to support throughput while minimizing disruption.
• Communicate downtime, corrective actions, and follow‑up to AMS, Supervisors, Crew Leads, Maintenance Supervisors, and Department Managers.
• Provide carryover items and weekend task lists and meet with AMS or Maintenance Supervisor on duty at the end of each shift.
• Collaborate with management on capital projects, upgrades, and improvements to refrigeration, boiler, and utility systems.
• Assist in developing and managing department budgets for repairs, maintenance, and utilities.
• Perform other duties as needed or required.

• Minimum of 5 years of industrial ammonia refrigeration and boiler or utilities experience, often including prior lead or supervisory responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of ammonia refrigeration systems, compressors, evaporative condensers, boiler operations, and plant utility systems.
• Familiarity with OSHA/EPA regulations, PSM/RMP requirements, and ammonia safety programs.
• Ability to read schematics and blueprints and effectively use a CMMS.
• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Proficient with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Strong communication, leadership, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Ability to multitask in a fast‑paced food‑processing environment and work around raw meat.
• Results‑driven, safety‑focused, and employee‑oriented.
• Willingness to attend training or classes as required.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand; use hands to…