Plant Engineer Jobs in California
Plant Engineer jobs in California are in strong demand, concentrated in the state's manufacturing, oil and gas refining, semiconductor fabrication, and food processing sectors, with openings at every level from entry-level maintenance to senior process engineering roles. The most active hiring metros are Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Inland Empire, where established employers such as Chevron, Intel, and Procter and Gamble have long-running operations requiring plant engineering talent. The most sought-after specialties in California are process optimization, utilities management, and reliability engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Performs various maintenance task and repairs most equipment and machinery utilized in the Medical Center. Operates machines vital to performing of maintenance and repair. Operates, maintains, modifies and repairs a variety of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Upholds Kaiser Permanentes Policies and Procedures, Principles of Responsibilities and applicable state, federal and local laws.
- Performs various maintenance tasks such as replacing filters, lubricating bearings, repairing cabinets.
- Performs electrical repairs such as bed lamps, non-complex electrical devices, changing balsas, repairing electrical line cords, fixing light switches, isolating electrical problems and replacing fuses.
- Conducts electrical safety test on equipment, electrical plugs and outlets.
- Unclogs pipes and plumbing fixtures and related equipment as necessary.
- Performs routine repairs on such equipment as stethoscopes, otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, vacuum units, cart washers, autoclaves, oxygen outlets, air outlets, suction pumps, hospital beds, sinks, toilets and other associated hospital plant equipment.
- Completes work assignments to include routine installations of plant equipment, hanging of signs and pictures, adjusting and maintaining time clocks.
- Determines type and extent of equipment malfunction, adjusting, disassembling, repairing or replacing of parts and components; reassembles and tests equipment for safe and proper operations by reading blueprints, diagrams and repair manuals.
- Performs preventative maintenance to include cleaning, oiling, painting, calibration and other related services to extend the life cycle of equipment, or to maintain a clean, safe, hygienic environmental work area.
- Through on-the-job train assists skilled maintenance persons in trade tasks in which employee is not certified.
- Repairs and maintains air conditioning and refrigeration equipment to include related electrical circuit analysis.
- Troubleshoots and repairs related equipment to include but not limited to thermostats, ice machines, air dampers and other associated equipment.
- Repairs complex electrical devices and components requiring the use of schematic and wiring diagrams.
- Performs circuit analysis to localize, isolate and identify defective electrical components using precision test equipment to include volt, ohm meters and oscilloscopes to repair circuit boards and transistorized components, replacing defective components, restoring equipment to operation state and performing calibration and electrical safety tests.
- Repairs or modifies equipment or plant structures by welding using both electrical or oxygen-acetylene equipment, cuts, brazes and solders all types of metal materials.
- Performs locksmithing tasks to include cutting keys, fitting and installing locks and maintains a key control system.
- Performs other related duties as required to include driving trucks or vans to outlying clinics or remote areas to facilitate or expedite maintenance requirements.
- Promotes, ensures, and improves customer service to internal/external customers by demonstrating skills which are consistent with the organizations philosophy or providing extraordinary customer relations and quality service.
- Assumes other activities and responsibilities from time to time as directed.
Basic Qualifications:
- This position requires meeting two (2) of the following skill levels: 1) San Bernardino County - Possession of the LA
- Unlimited Steam Engineers License and EPA Rule 608 Universal Certification or for the Riverside Medical Center -Possession of the LA Unlimited Steam engineers License or the 500 HP LA City Steam License and EPA Rule 608 Universal Certification. Extensive knowledge of HVAC systems, ability to troubleshoot electrical and mechanical systems required. Working knowledge of applicable federal, state and local codes required. ** All -Plant Operators- must possess the appropriate steam license as indicated above. If one of the two required skills that the individual possesses is the steam license as indicated above, the representative duties shall also include the following: Items 1, 2, 3, 6, 13, 14, and 19 from the Plant Engineer III Job Description.
- N/A
- N/A
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- Four (4) years experience in building plant operations and maintenance preferred.
- Three (3) years experience in a hospital setting preferred.
Notes:
Schedule to include rotating weekends, holidays and floating within the established seniority section.
PrimaryLocation : California,Riverside,Riverside Medical Center/Medical Offices 1
HoursPerWeek : 40
Shift : Day
Workdays : Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon
WorkingHoursStart : 06:45 AM
WorkingHoursEnd : 03:15 PM
Job Schedule : Full-time
Job Type : Standard
Employee Status : Regular
Employee Group/Union Affiliation : B05|USW|Local 7600
Job Level : Individual Contributor
Job Category : Facility Services & Materials Management
Department : Riverside Med Center - Prop/Fac-Facility Maintenance - 0801
Travel : No
Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status.
For jobs where work will be performed in unincorporated LA County, the employer provides the following statement in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
- Consistently supports compliance and the Principles of Responsibility (Kaiser Permanente's Code of Conduct) by maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of information, protecting the assets of the organization, acting with ethics and integrity, reporting non-compliance, and adhering to applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, accreditation, and licensure requirements (where applicable), and Kaiser Permanente's policies and procedures.
- Models and reinforces ethical behavior in self and others in accordance with the Principles of Responsibility, adheres to organizational policies and guidelines; supports compliance initiatives; maintains confidences; admits mistakes; conducts business with honesty, shows consistency in words and actions; follows through on commitments.
- Job duties with at least occasional or possible access to: (1) patients, the general public, or other employees; (2) confidential protected health information and other confidential KP information (including employee, proprietary, financial or trade secret information); (3) KP property and assets, for example, electronic assets, medical instruments, or devices; (4) controlled substances regulated by federal law or potentially subject to diversion.
See All 44 Plant Engineer Jobs in California
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Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Plant Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Chemicals & Materials
- Staffing & Recruiting
- Electronics & Hardware
- Construction & Real Estate
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in plant engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical, chemical, or industrial engineering from an accredited program
- Professional Engineer license issued or recognized by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
- Experience with process improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma in a manufacturing environment
- Proficiency in AutoCAD, PLC programming, or CMMS platforms used for plant maintenance management
- Knowledge of California OSHA Title 8 regulations and Process Safety Management requirements
- Strong project management skills with experience coordinating capital improvement or equipment upgrade projects
Plant Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a plant engineer in California?
Most plant engineer roles in California require a bachelor's degree in mechanical, chemical, or industrial engineering from an ABET-accredited program. California additionally recognizes the Professional Engineer credential, which is administered by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists and requires passing the Fundamentals of Engineering and Professional Engineering exams. Gaining the PE license significantly strengthens candidacy for senior roles, particularly in regulated industries such as refining and utilities.
How much do plant engineers make in California?
Plant engineers in California earn a median of about $124,600 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $77,900 for the lowest 10% to over $172,870 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire plant engineers in California?
Employers hiring plant engineers in California right now include Kaiser Permanente, Granite Construction, and Mainspring Energy, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of refineries, semiconductor fabs, and large-scale food and beverage manufacturers means plant engineering demand is spread across multiple industry sectors statewide.
Which California cities have the most plant engineer jobs?
Riverside, San Diego, and Menlo Park are the California cities with the most plant engineer openings. Los Angeles anchors hiring through its dense concentration of aerospace, food manufacturing, and consumer goods facilities, while the Bay Area draws demand from semiconductor and technology manufacturing campuses, and the Inland Empire has grown into a logistics and light manufacturing hub that relies on plant engineers to keep large distribution and production sites running.
Are there remote plant engineer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Plant engineering is fundamentally hands-on work tied to physical equipment and production floors, so most roles require on-site presence. About 13% of plant engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, and those tend to cover project engineering, capital planning, or technical documentation work that can be done off-site while the core operations role remains in person.
How can I get hired as a plant engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an internship or co-op with a California manufacturer during your engineering degree, which frequently converts to a full-time offer. Large California employers in refining and aerospace run structured new-graduate programs that bring in junior engineers with no prior plant experience. Lateral entry from maintenance technician, process technician, or manufacturing engineer associate roles is also common, and candidates who pass the Fundamentals of Engineering exam through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists signal readiness for advancement from day one.
Where can I find and apply to plant engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to plant engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Search for roles that match your experience level and target industry, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 44 Plant Engineer Jobs in California
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