Project Manager, Innovation Engineering

Join UniFirst Corporation as a Project Manager, Innovation Engineering! 

Are you ready to lead high-impact innovation projects from initial concept through company-wide rollout? UniFirst Corporation is currently seeking a full-time Project Manager to join our expanding and high-performing Innovation Engineering Team. As the Project Manager, you will serve as the critical liaison between our Research & Development and Industrial Engineering functions, guiding projects through every stage of the Innovation Project Lifecycle. 

Your key contributions will include:

• Collaborating on pilot development and demonstration of proof of concept
• Leading resource assessment and funding/resource readiness analysis, engaging the Strategic Resource Office (SRO) and Procurement as needed
• Collaborating on ROI analysis to build the business case for promising pilots
• Leading pilot implementation and evaluation against defined success criteria
• Leading strategic alignment analysis and rollout installation/implementation for projects scaling beyond pilot
• Leading development of comprehensive support plans and determining ongoing support scope and team needs

• Collaborating on documentation, knowledge transfer, and training program development to ensure successful adoption 

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and enjoys shepherding ideas from initial concept through full-scale implementation. At UniFirst, you will help drive our Innov-E project portfolio — spanning equipment/systems innovation, process optimization, and sustainability initiatives. If you are driven by structured project execution, cross-functional collaboration, and turning innovative ideas into operational reality, this position offers a strong platform for career growth.

Job duties include:

• Serve as the primary liaison between Research & Development and Industrial Engineering throughout the innovation project lifecycle.
• Collaborate on pilot development, including demonstration of proof of concept and experimentation cycles.
• Lead resource assessment and assess funding/resource readiness, engaging the Strategic Resource Office (SRO) and Procurement as needed.
• Collaborate on ROI analysis to evaluate the business case for proposed solutions.
• Lead pilot implementation and evaluation, monitoring performance against established success criteria and escalating improvement needs.
• Lead strategic alignment analysis and rollout installation/implementation planning for projects transitioning from pilot to scale-up.
• Determine ongoing support scope and required teams; lead development of a comprehensive support plan.
• Collaborate on documentation and knowledge transfer to ensure a smooth transition to production, maintenance, and support teams.
• Collaborate on development of training programs for Engineering and Operations Team Partners.
• Coordinate with Procurement on vendor discussions, resource availability confirmation, and vendor negotiation for scale-up.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, IT, Production, and SRO teams to translate ideas into tangible equipment, technology, and services.
• Track and report on the Innov-E project portfolio, including active pilots and projects in the research/development pipeline.
• Maintain project schedules, budgets, and risk registers; provide regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders.
• Identify and capitalize on emerging technologies and market trends aligned with the team’s focus areas: equipment/systems innovation, process optimization, and sustainability initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred in Engineering, Business, or a related field

• 5+ years of project management experience, preferably within engineering, manufacturing, or industrial operations environments.

• PMP certification or equivalent project management training preferred.

• Experience with Agile/Scrum or hybrid project management methodologies.

• Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional projects involving R&D, Engineering, and Operations stakeholders.

• Experience with ROI/business case development and resource planning.
• Experience coordinating with Procurement and vendor management processes.
• Strong facilitation, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
•  Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects at varying lifecycle stages (pilot, implementation, rollout, support).
• Interpersonal and organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision (self-starter) and collaborate effectively across teams.
• Proficient with MS Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, OneNote, OneDrive, Visio) and project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Monday.com).
• Experience with Microsoft SQL, and Atlassian Jira is a plus.
• Ability to work calmly and constructively under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to convey necessary information accurately, listen effectively, and ask questions where clarification is needed.
• Demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness. Looks for ways to improve and promote quality and monitors own work to ensure quality is met.
• Must be able to travel up to 50% of the time.

Benefits & Perks
401K with Company Match, Health Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, Tuition Reimbursement, 30% Employee Discount, Employee Referral Bonuses.

The estimated salary for this position ranges from $90,000 - $125,000 yearly. Actual compensation will vary based on factors including but not limited to the candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Geographic differentials may also apply depending on the position’s location. There is no application deadline for this role; recruitment will remain open until the position is filled.

UniFirst is an international leader in garment & Uniform services industry. We currently employ over 14,000 team partners who serve 300,000 business customer locations throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

We were included in the top 10 of Selling Power magazine’s “Best Companies to Sell For” list and recognized on Forbes magazine’s “Platinum 400 – Best Big Companies” list. As an 80-year old company focused on annual growth, there’s never been a better time to join our team.

UniFirst is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment against any individual on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, or any other factor protected by anti-discrimination laws

UniFirst is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment against any individual on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, or any other factor protected by anti-discrimination laws.

If you require an accommodation during any part of the application process due to a disability or medical condition, please contact us by email at TalentAcquisition@unifirst.com or through our EthicsFirst portal at UniFirst.ethicspoint.com. You may also call the EthicsFirst Hotline at (800) 213-8979 to let us know the nature of your request.

UniFirst Recruiters and/or representatives will not ask job seekers to provide personal financial information when submitting a job application. Please be vigilant as such requests for information may be fraudulent.