Industrial Pump Repair Machine Shop Operations Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Industrial Pump Repair Machine Shop Operations Lead

Are you the leader who turns a stack of blueprints, a tight timeline, and a full WIP board into on-time, on-spec pump rebuilds? Do you thrive when you’re coordinating machinists, mechanics, and materials—while coaching a team and keeping safety non-negotiable?

Join Hydro, Inc., Chicago-based and globally trusted since 1969. We reengineer, repair, and support industrial pumps, partnering closely with customers to identify why systems degrade and to restore performance and reliability with unbiased engineering, meticulous workmanship, and rapid field response.

The challenge

You will run our 2nd shift (2:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) in the Aftermarket Pump Repair Shop, orchestrating machining alongside assembly, inspection, and welding. Picture this: a critical unit arrives late Friday. Materials are verified against the scope of work, Engineering signs off on tolerances, and you re-slot jobs to meet preset dates—without compromising safety or quality. You brief the team on drawings, confirm crane moves for large parts, and hand off to the next shift with a crisp status update.

How you’ll make it happen

• Lead with an employee-focused approach; set expectations, remove roadblocks, and coach performance.
• Plan, schedule, and publish detail-oriented job status reports tied to customer requirements.
• Control and monitor production across machining, assembly, inspection, and weld shop to meet or exceed goals.
• Collaborate daily with the Shop Manager for smooth shift transitions; proactively seek Engineer input on shop-floor issues.
• Ensure scope of work accuracy; provide Purchasing with correct materials lists and verify on-site availability before job start.
• Interpret and teach from complete blueprints; verify critical dimensions using advanced inspection and gauges.
• Mobilize resources for emergency weekend work when required.
• Champion safety—train, enforce, and model best practices.

What you bring

• 5+ years supervising machinists/mechanics in an industrial aftermarket environment.
• Equipment repair shop background; pumps or power generation preferred.
• Manual machining foundation, including large refurbished parts on horizontal boring machines and vertical boring machines.
• Machine setups for production runs; advanced inspection and gauge measurement; manual machining skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; ERP experience is a plus.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects under pressure; strong interpersonal and communication strengths.
• Good math skills and solid print reading.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate’s degree or higher a plus; equivalent experience/education combinations considered.

Tools & environment

• Overhead crane for large-part handling.
• Collaborative work with assembly, inspection, and welding cells.

Rewards & location

• Excellent compensation, complete benefits, and a company 401(k) match.
• Growth opportunities within a global engineering organization.
• West Loop location with free parking; steps from great restaurants, public transit, and expressways.

Ready to take the lead?

If leading people, processes, and precision work to deliver on-time pump rebuilds sounds like your next move, we’d love to hear from you.