Senior Maintenance Engineer

The Sr. Maintenance & Reliability Engineer will serve as the facility's subject matter expert for preventive maintenance (PM) program design, optimization, and validation. This role is accountable for ensuring that PM tasks are executed efficiently, effectively, and are continuously improved based on equipment performance data and root cause analysis (RCA) findings. The position requires deep CMMS Plant Maintenance expertise to manage work order quality, scheduling, and reporting, and a strong ability to lead cross-functional RCA efforts with maintenance and operations teams. The ideal candidate combines technical rigor with a collaborative mindset to drive measurable improvements in maintenance schedule adherence, equipment reliability, and overall maintenance effectiveness. Responsibilities PM Program Optimization & Validation Evaluate task frequency, scope, and task quality to ensure PMs are optimized for risk, cost, and equipment criticality. Establish and lead a PM validation process to verify that scheduled maintenance tasks are being completed correctly, on time, and are delivering the intended reliability outcomes. Conduct field audits of PM execution; provide structured feedback to the maintenance supervisor on compliance, quality, and technique. Use failure data, MTBF trends, and RCA findings to modify, add, or eliminate PM tasks — shifting the program toward a living, data-driven strategy. Develop and implement PM task standards, including labor estimates, required parts, step-by-step procedures, and acceptance criteria. Lead PM rationalization efforts — identify redundant, ineffective, or over-specified tasks and replace them with value-adding work. Support transition from time-based PMs to condition-based and predictive maintenance tasks where data supports it. Advise on CMMS task lists, maintenance plans, and scheduling parameters to ensure PM plans accurately reflect the optimized program. RCA Coordination & Maintenance Effectiveness Lead and facilitate root cause analysis (RCA) for significant and recurring equipment failures, coordinating participation from maintenance, operations, and engineering. Ensure RCA findings are translated into actionable corrective actions — PM changes, procedural updates, spare parts additions, or design modifications. Track corrective action closure and validate effectiveness of implemented solutions against equipment performance data. Partner with operations and maintenance leadership to integrate RCA insights into the weekly maintenance schedule, prioritizing work based on criticality and risk. Attend and support cross-functional maintenance planning meetings to review PM compliance, open corrective actions, and upcoming work order priorities. Champion a reliability-centered mindset across the maintenance team — build capability in failure analysis, PM thinking, and data-driven decision making. Analyze downtime trends and maintenance cost data to identify systemic gaps in the PM program and prioritize improvement efforts. General Reliability Monitor reliability KPIs (MTBF, MTTR, PM compliance, schedule adherence, cost of unreliability) with a focus on continuous improvement. Support implementation and expansion of condition monitoring technologies (vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis) and connect findings to PM strategy. Assist in equipment criticality assessments to inform PM frequency, spare parts stocking levels, and maintenance resource allocation. Ensure new equipment is onboarded with appropriate PM plans, CMMS task lists, and BOM structures prior to startup. Mentor Engineer I and II staff in reliability principles, PM methodology, and PM usage. Requirements Engineering degree preferred (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or related), though equivalent experience will be considered. 5+ years of experience in reliability, maintenance, or manufacturing engineering, ideally in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods. Strong experience building and improving preventive maintenance (PM) programs. Proficiency with CMMS systems (SAP preferred), including work orders, maintenance plans, scheduling, and reporting. Experience leading Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and driving equipment reliability improvements. Working knowledge of reliability tools such as FMEA, PM optimization, MTBF/MTTR, and failure analysis. Experience managing PM compliance, maintenance schedules, and backlog reduction. Familiarity with predictive and condition-based maintenance technologies. Ability to analyze equipment data and turn insights into action. Strong communication skills with the ability to influence across maintenance and operations teams. Professional certifications such as CMRP, CRE, or Lean Six Sigma are a plus. #J-18808-Ljbffr