Ethanol plant maintenance operator

Maintenance Operator — Distillery & Production

Location: King Ferry, NY

Facility: King Ferry Distilled Spirits Plant

Department: Maintenance / Operations

Employment: Full-Time, Hourly

Schedule: Rotating 8-hour or 12-hour shifts | 24-hour plant operation

Starting Pay: $25.00+ per hour , based on experience and qualifications

POSITION SUMMARY

Cayuga Ingredients is seeking a skilled, hands-on Maintenance Operator to help maintain and operate the equipment supporting our 24-hour distilled spirits production facility.

This is an industrial maintenance position focused on keeping critical plant equipment safe, reliable, and operational. The position will work directly with pumps, motors, piping, valves, plumbing, boilers, compressors, centrifuges, reverse-osmosis systems, distillation equipment, and electrical systems.

The successful candidate should be mechanically strong, comfortable troubleshooting equipment, and able to work independently as well as with the Production team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Preventive & Routine Maintenance

• Perform scheduled preventive and routine maintenance on plant equipment.
• Conduct maintenance rounds and identify equipment problems before failures occur.
• Grease and lubricate pumps, motors, bearings, and rotating equipment.
• Perform oil and filter changes and replace belts, seals, bearings, valves, and other wear components.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and communicate equipment conditions between shifts.

Mechanical Repair & Troubleshooting

• Diagnose and repair pumps, motors, gearboxes, valves, piping, and process equipment.
• Remove, repair, replace, and install pumps and motors.
• Troubleshoot equipment failures, alarms, and error codes.
• Perform basic root-cause troubleshooting of recurring equipment problems.
• Work with Production to minimize equipment downtime.

Boiler, Steam & Utility Systems

• Perform routine maintenance and troubleshooting on the steam boiler and associated equipment.
• Maintain boiler feedwater systems, steam piping, valves, pumps, and related components.
• Maintain and troubleshoot the plant air compressor and compressed-air systems.
• Support maintenance of plant utility systems.

Process Equipment

Maintenance responsibilities include:

• Distillation columns and associated equipment
• Centrifuges
• Reverse-osmosis water purification system
• Process and transfer pumps
• Motors and rotating equipment
• Tanks, valves, piping, and process systems
• Air compressors
• Boiler and steam systems

Welding, Piping & Fabrication

• Perform stainless-steel welding and fabrication.
• TIG/MIG welding experience is highly valued.
• Repair and modify stainless-steel process piping.
• Perform pipe fitting, plumbing, valve replacement, and equipment modifications.
• Fabricate brackets, supports, and other maintenance components.

Electrical & Controls

• Perform basic electrical troubleshooting and repairs.
• Work with single- and three-phase equipment.
• Troubleshoot motors, starters, disconnects, breakers, fuses, and basic controls.
• Diagnose equipment error codes and control-system issues.
• Assist with electrical and equipment upgrades within the employee's training and authorization.

PLANT PROJECTS & UPGRADES

The Maintenance Operator will also participate in equipment installation, replacement, and plant improvement projects, including:

• Pump replacements and installations
• Piping modifications
• Boiler and utility upgrades
• Equipment installation and relocation
• Stainless-steel fabrication
• Plumbing modifications
• Electrical modifications
• Process equipment upgrades
• Equipment startup and commissioning

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED.
• Industrial maintenance, mechanical, millwright, manufacturing, utilities, or similar experience.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting ability.
• Experience working with pumps, motors, valves, and piping.
• Ability to safely use hand and power tools.
• Ability to read basic mechanical drawings, equipment manuals, and piping diagrams.
• Ability to work independently and make sound maintenance decisions.
• Strong safety awareness and reliable attendance.
• Willingness to work rotating shifts, nights, weekends, and overtime.
• Ability to work around operating industrial equipment and perform physical maintenance work.
• Ability to lift approximately 50 lbs. and work on ladders, platforms, and around industrial equipment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates with the following experience will be strongly considered:

• 2-year technical/associate degree or trade-school training
• 3+ years of industrial maintenance experience
• Pump and mechanical-seal repair
• Three-phase electrical troubleshooting
• Stainless-steel TIG/MIG welding
• Industrial plumbing and pipefitting
• Boiler maintenance or operation
• Air compressor maintenance
• Centrifuge maintenance
• Reverse-osmosis or water-treatment equipment
• Distillery, ethanol, food/beverage, chemical, or other process-plant experience
• PLC, DCS, or automated process-control experience
• P&ID, mechanical drawing, or electrical schematic experience
• Preventive maintenance or CMMS experience

WORK SCHEDULE

Cayuga Ingredients operates 24 hours per day , requiring maintenance coverage across all shifts.

• Full-time position
• Rotating 8-hour or 12-hour shifts , depending on plant requirements
• Day and night shifts
• Weekend and holiday coverage as required
• Overtime opportunities
• Employees must be willing to change or swap shifts when necessary to maintain plant coverage
• Night-shift bonus/differential

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Starting Pay: $25.00+ per hour

Starting pay will reflect experience, technical qualifications, and demonstrated ability. Candidates with strong industrial maintenance, welding, electrical, boiler, pump, or troubleshooting experience may qualify for a higher starting rate.

Benefits include:

• Paid lunch
• Paid vacation
• Personal days
• Paid holidays
• Night-shift bonus/differential
• Overtime opportunities
• On-the-job training
• Opportunities for advancement based on demonstrated skills and performance

NEW-HIRE TRIAL PERIOD

All new employees will complete a two-month introductory/trial period .

Performance will be evaluated based on attendance, reliability, safety, mechanical ability, troubleshooting skills, quality of work, teamwork, and ability to perform maintenance independently.

SAFETY & WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Follow all plant safety procedures and SOPs.
• Follow Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), hot-work, and other applicable safety procedures.
• Properly use required PPE, tools, and safety equipment.
• Maintain a clean and organized maintenance area.
• Work around steam, heat, water, chemicals, process equipment, and operating machinery.
• Work indoors and outdoors in varying conditions.
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, kneeling, climbing, and working on ladders/platforms.
• Lift up to approximately 50 lbs.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERCayuga Ingredients is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to legally protected characteristics.