Maintenance Technician Lead - Level 6 - B-Shift Electrode

Overview

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Maintenance Technician Lead? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!
Responsibilities

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

The Maintenance Technician Lead - Level 6 is an expert multi-craft technician responsible for leading advanced maintenance operations, coordinating daily work activities, and ensuring consistent execution of maintenance standards across the team. This role combines deep technical expertise with frontline leadership responsibilities to support equipment reliability, minimize downtime, and drive continuous improvement initiatives. The Lead Technician serves as the primary on-shift technical resource, providing direction, prioritization, and mentorship to technicians while collaborating closely with Maintenance Planning, Engineering, and Operations. This position plays a critical role in optimizing maintenance execution and developing team capability within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Essential Duties:

Functional Operations:

• Perform advanced maintenance and repair activities on complex production equipment and systems with minimal supervision
• Lead diagnosis and resolution of critical mechanical and electrical issues using diagnostic tools, precision instruments, and technical documentation
• Coordinate daily maintenance activities and prioritize work assignments to support production needs and minimize downtime
• Ensure completion of preventive maintenance tasks in accordance with Maintenance Process Instructions (MPIs), OEM guidelines, and engineering standards
• Oversee equipment repair activities including disassembly, rebuilding, alignment, and reassembly to ensure proper function and reliability
• Monitor equipment performance and identify risks affecting uptime, reliability, and safety
• Support escalation and resolution of high-impact equipment failures
• Operate and maintain tools and equipment in assigned areas

Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement:

• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and drive corrective and preventive actions to eliminate recurring failures
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve equipment reliability, efficiency, and safety
• Partner with Maintenance Planning and Engineering to improve preventive maintenance strategies and optimize MPIs
• Support and contribute to plant-wide reliability and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) initiatives
• Drive standardization of maintenance practices, procedures, and documentation
• Analyze maintenance data and trends to support decision-making and continuous improvement efforts
• Promote proactive maintenance practices to reduce unplanned downtime

Training & Team Support:

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to Level 3, 4, 5, and peer Level 6 technicians to enhance technical skills and performance
• Support onboarding and training of new team members to ensure readiness and consistency
• Reinforce adherence to SOPs, maintenance standards, and safety practices
• Serve as the primary technical resource for troubleshooting support during assigned shifts
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and safety-focused team environment
• This role does not have direct authority to hire, transfer, suspend, promote, or discipline employees

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication:

• Collaborate closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Maintenance Planning to prioritize work and resolve equipment issues
• Serve as the key point of contact for on-shift maintenance coordination and technical escalation
• Partner with vendors, contractors, and technical advisors (including OEM or specialized support teams) to resolve complex issues
• Communicate equipment status, priorities, risks, and completed work clearly across shifts and departments
• Ensure effective shift handoffs through detailed communication of ongoing work and system conditions

Quality, Safety, & Compliance:

• Ensure full compliance with all safety regulations, SOPs, and company quality policies across maintenance activities
• Maintain accurate and complete CMMS documentation, including work orders, AARs, and maintenance records
• Uphold and drive 6S workplace organization standards and ensure a clean, safe working environment
• Enforce adherence to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures and all maintenance safety requirements
• Utilize and reinforce proper use of PPE and safe work practices
• Support audits, inspections, and compliance activities by ensuring documentation accuracy and procedural adherence
• Proactively identify and mitigate equipment-related safety risks

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None
• Provides work coordination, prioritization support, and technical leadership; does not have authority for hiring, performance management, or disciplinary actions

Travel Requirement:

• None

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required :

• High school diploma, GED, or 2 years of prior experience in functional area

Preferred :

• Associate degree or higher in a technical discipline (e.g., Industrial Maintenance, Mechatronics, Electrical Technology)
• Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt
• Journeyman Certification
• PECNA-approved Technical Training
• Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) Certification

Essential Qualifications:

• 5+ years of relevant maintenance or technical work experience
• Advanced knowledge of mechanical and electrical systems, including strong electrical theory fundamentals
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex troubleshooting and resolve critical equipment issues
• Proven experience coordinating work and prioritizing maintenance activities in a production environment
• Strong experience with CMMS systems for work order management, tracking, and reporting
• Ability to lead root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions
• Strong leadership, communication, and team collaboration skills
• Ability to work independently and make decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, and overtime as required
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in maintenance within a manufacturing environment
• Experience leading or coordinating maintenance teams in a lead or senior technician capacity
• Advanced experience with PLC troubleshooting and system diagnostics
• Strong understanding of reliability programs, TPM, and preventive maintenance strategy development
• Experience in high-spec manufacturing environments (e.g., battery, semiconductor, cleanroom)
• Demonstrated experience driving process improvements and maintenance standardization

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure health and safety in the workplace and for employee protection, wearing PPE is required and includes equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. A respirator fit test will be required based on functional area.

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 10%
• Walk: 40%
• Stand: 50%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Occasional

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job. In addition, employees are expected to participate in cross-training and may be assigned responsibilities in other areas as business needs evolve.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.

This is an exciting time to join us as we expand our operations to De Soto, Kansas and build the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. We will provide you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count on your professional journey.

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Highly inclusive and class-leading healthcare options to include family planning, mental health, and pet insurance
• Employee assistance programs that support total well-being with complimentary session offered each and every month
• Company-matched and fully vested 401K retirement program that starts immediately from date of enrollment
• Annual bonus program, High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Simplified access to self-guided and representative-supported short and long-term financial wellness and retirement planning
• Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program
• Inclusion programs and associated employee resource groups that promote representation and belonging
• Leadership, career, and mentorship development programs opportunities at all levels across the organization
• Collaborative and motivating culture that is rooted in continuous personal and professional growth and much more.

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.

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