Maintenance Lead

The Maintenance Lead is the working technical leader of the maintenance team. This role directs daily maintenance activities, serves as the primary escalation point for complex equipment issues, and is accountable for the quality, safety, and effectiveness of maintenance work in a food manufacturing environment.

The Maintenance Lead is expected to make real-time decisions during breakdowns, lead root cause analysis for repeat failures, and ensure problems are fixed correctly and plan future solutions.

Core Responsibilities

·         Direct and prioritize daily maintenance work based on production needs, safety risks, and equipment condition

·         Act as the technical escalation point for mechanical, electrical, and troubleshooting issues

·         Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for repeat failures and significant downtime events

·         Make real-time decisions during breakdowns, including stopping work or production when safety, food safety, or equipment integrity is at risk

·         Verify repair quality before equipment is released back to production

·         Ensure preventive maintenance is executed correctly and not pencil-whipped

·         Coach and develop technicians through hands-on guidance and example

·         Hold technicians accountable to workmanship, GMP, and safety standards

·         Communicate equipment risks, chronic issues, and reliability concerns to the Maintenance Manager

·         Maintain a clean, organized, and audit-ready maintenance environment

·         Other duties as assigned

General Maintenance Requirements          

·         Employee safety is everyone’s responsibility

·         Cleanliness is requirement. Work on production floor is not done until maintenance materials are cleaned up. Shop should be picked up at completion of each shift.

·         CMMS must be used. Work orders will be used to let the management know what our challenges are. Parts need to be tracked as reliably as possible, communicate when issues arise in work completed.

·         Do not ignore issues, at minimum create a work order. When possible correct issues as discovered.

·         We win or learn together. Communicate respectfully, look to solve problems. Lead the way in finding success for the entire EMPWR team.

Leadership Expectations      

·         Directs priorities for assigned crew on a shift basis

·         Ensures pass down to following shift is completed each day

·         Sets the standard for maintenance discipline, urgency, and professionalism

·         Ensure equipment breakdowns are communicated appropriately through proper channels

·         Does not allow repeat failures without corrective action

·         Leads by example on the floor

Food Safety Responsibilities

·         Empowered and expected to act immediately on food safety concerns

·         Enforces GMP compliance during all maintenance activities

·         Ensures equipment is clean, inspected, and approved prior to production restart

·         Coordinates with Quality and Operations when maintenance work impacts food safety

·         Stops work or production when food safety cannot be assured

Physical Requirements

·         Frequently required to talk, hear and communicate with others in English.

·         Frequent sitting, walking, bending, and squatting. (up to 13 hours)

·         Ability to sit and perform work on a computer or at a desk.

·         Able to continually bend, stoop, twist, use arms, wrists, and hands (including grasping and squeezing) throughout shift.

·         Able to occasionally kneel, reach above the shoulder, work at heights, and climb steps.

·         Use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

·         Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

·         Able to maneuver full drums of chemicals using a dolly/forklift for assistance.

Minimum Qualifications

·         High school diploma or GED preferred.

·         Basic mechanical aptitude.

·         Basic math skills.

·         Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.

·         Ability to safely operate hand and power tools.

·         Ability to work any shift and overtime as required.

Preferred Qualifications

·         Previous industrial maintenance experience.

·         Food manufacturing experience.

·         Experience with electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and mechanical systems.

·         Welding and fabrication experience.

·         Experience with preventive maintenance programs and CMMS systems.