Plant Superintendent Richmond, TX

Job Description

Plant Superintendent - Richmond TX

Position Summary:
The Plant Superintendent is responsible for leading the safe reliable and efficient operation of the cottonseed crush and solvent extraction facility. This role provides operational leadership across production process safety management (PSM) engineering coordination reliability quality and continuous improvement initiatives. The Plant Superintendent drives operational excellence by ensuring compliance with environmental health safety food safety and regulatory standards while optimizing plant performance product yields asset reliability and team capability development.
This position also serves as a key operational leader for Total Process Safety (TPS/PSM) initiatives and partners closely with Engineering Maintenance Quality EH&S and Performance Excellence teams to support sustainable plant operations and strategic business objectives.

Job Responsibilities:
Operations Leadership & Production Execution
Lead daily operations of the plant including preparation pressing extraction meal handling and oil extraction processes to safely achieve production targets yield performance and operational KPIs.
Coordinate manpower equipment utilization and raw material flow to execute the production plan efficiently and safely.
Monitor plant performance troubleshoot operational issues and implement corrective actions to minimize downtime and process variability.
Ensure compliance with operating procedures process parameters and operational standards across all production areas.
Lead daily operational meetings shift turnover reviews and operational escalation processes.
Process Safety Compliance & Risk Management
Serve as a site leader for Total Process Safety (TPS) and Process Safety Management programs within the solvent extraction operation.
Ensure compliance with OSHA PSM requirements NFPA standards fire protection systems combustible dust prevention practices and company process safety standards.
Lead or support Management of Change (MOC) Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR) incident investigations and corrective action tracking.
Drive process safety culture through employee engagement audits risk assessments and continuous improvement activities.
Partner with EH&S and Engineering teams to ensure safe operation of solvent extraction systems utilities and critical process equipment.
Maintain emergency response readiness and ensure compliance with fire protection and emergency systems inspection requirements.
Engineering Maintenance & Reliability
Collaborate with Engineering Maintenance and Corporate COE teams on capital projects process optimization equipment upgrades and plant modernization efforts.
Support root cause analysis (RCA) activities and implement corrective actions to improve safety equipment reliability process efficiency quality and food safety performance.
Coordinate planned shutdowns annual overhauls inspections and maintenance activities to minimize operational disruptions.
Review and prioritize maintenance and engineering work requests based on operational risk and business impact.
Support implementation of predictive and preventive maintenance strategies.
Quality Food Safety & Regulatory Standards
Ensure all areas and processes meet customer specifications GMP requirements HACCP standards and food/feed safety regulations.
Support implementation and sustainment of quality systems sanitation standards and product traceability requirements.
Continuous Improvement & Performance Management
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety reliability productivity cost reduction energy optimization and waste elimination.
Utilize KPIs trend analysis and operational data to drive fact-based decision-making and operational improvements.
Promote standard work layered process audits Gemba walks visual management and operational discipline throughout the facility.
Budgeting Cost Control & Business Planning
Manage department operating costs inventories and production yields to support annual business objectives.
Monitor material consumption chemical usage maintenance spending and operating efficiency metrics.
Support budgeting processes capital planning and fixed asset management activities.
People Leadership & Workforce Development
Lead coach and develop salaried and hourly operations personnel in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.
Establish clear performance expectations accountability systems and employee development plans.
Promote a culture of teamwork ownership engagement and operational discipline aligned with company values.
Support workforce training initiatives focused on safety process operations troubleshooting and technical capability development.
Foster strong cross-functional collaboration between Operations Maintenance Engineering Quality EH&S and Supply Chain teams.

Day in the Life
A typical day for the Plant Superintendent begins with reviewing production performance staffing operating conditions safety priorities maintenance needs and key process metrics across the cottonseed crush and solvent extraction operation. The superintendent may lead or participate in daily operational meetings shift turnover reviews and escalation discussions to align teams around production goals safety expectations and operational priorities.
Throughout the day this role stays closely connected to plant operations partnering with Operations Maintenance Engineering Quality EH&S Supply Chain and Performance Excellence teams to troubleshoot issues support process safety requirements evaluate equipment reliability and ensure customer GMP HACCP food/feed safety and regulatory expectations are met.
The role requires strong leadership technical judgment and practical problem-solving. One part of the day may involve coaching operations leaders or hourly team members while another may involve reviewing KPI trends supporting MOC or PHA activity prioritizing maintenance work addressing process variability or advancing continuous improvement and capital project initiatives.