CJ Schwan’s, a U.S. affiliate of the global lifestyle brand CJ CheilJedang Corporation, is a leader in manufacturing and marketing quality foods enjoyed nationwide. We have beloved brands like Red Baron®, Tony’s®, Big Daddy’s®, Villa Prima™ and Freschetta® pizzas; bibigo®, Pagoda® Asian-style snacks and we can’t forget Mrs. Smith’s® and Edwards® pies!

Our brand-new, 700,000-square-foot Asian-style food manufacturing facility in Sioux Falls, SD, is taking shape — and we’re ramping up hiring for key roles. This is your chance to be part of something from the ground up. We’re building a strong, experienced team ready to bring this new site to life and shape its future together. Relocation assistance available.

We are seeking an experienced and proven Refrigeration (Ammonia) Manager to provide hands-on leadership for our 60,000 lbs ammonia refrigeration and HVAC systems. This role ensures and requires safe, compliant, and efficient system performance while leading continuous improvement in reliability and uptime.

What You Will Do

Oversee the safe operation, maintenance, and compliance of all plant refrigeration (ammonia) and HVAC systems.
Lead, develop, and manage a team of skilled Supervisors and Technicians, ensuring staffing, training, safety, and performance align with production goals.
Ensure compliance with PSM, HazMat, OSHA, Lockout/Tagout, and all local, state, and federal safety/environmental regulations, while promoting a safe and efficient work environment.
Direct maintenance activities that support production efficiency, including equipment installation, preventative maintenance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Monitor and report on key operational metrics such as safety, production uptime, maintenance cost, and asset management, ensuring goals are met at the lowest cost.
Drive process improvement and cost-effective solutions through Lean Manufacturing practices (TPM, TPS) and active participation in capital planning and project execution.

What We Look For

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, with 8+ years of related experience with industrial ammonia maintenance management.
Proven leadership experience, including managing teams and collaborating with corporate partners. Certifications such as CMRP, Six Sigma, or Lean are a plus.
Strong technical expertise in ammonia refrigeration and PSM.
Experience in food manufacturing and familiarity with USDA/FDA regulations preferred.
SAP experience is beneficial.

What We Offer

The base salary range for this position is $104,625 to $174,375 annually with eligibility for a 15% annual incentive bonus, that is based on organizational performance. The pay range represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to educations, skills, work experience, certifications, geography etc. As such, starting pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range.

Beyond base salary, we offer a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a strong foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support programs.

CJ Schwan’s and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Employers. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran status, national origin, or any other protected characteristic. We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs. For accommodation requests or assistance with the application, please email career.search@schwans.com.

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Refrigeration/Ammonia Manager