Reliability Engineer

James Hardie is the industry leader in exterior home and outdoor living solutions, with a portfolio that includes fiber cement, fiber gypsum, composite and PVC decking and railing products. Our family of trusted brands includes Hardie®, TimberTech®, AZEK® Exteriors, Versatex®, fermacell®, and StruXure®.


With over 8,000 employees and our U.S. operating entities headquartered in Chicago, we boast 31 operating sites, 6 recycling facilities, and 6 research and development centers globally. Powered by a dynamic workforce, we're united by our purpose of Building a Better Future for All™ through sustainable innovation, a Zero Harm culture, and a commitment to empowering our people and communities.


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Summary

The Reliability Engineer II is responsible for improving equipment reliability, maintainability, and overall asset performance across manufacturing operations. This role partners closely with maintenance, production, engineering, and leadership teams to develop and implement reliability-centered maintenance strategies that reduce unplanned downtime, increase asset effectiveness, and optimize maintenance costs. The Reliability Engineer II leads root cause investigations, preventive and predictive maintenance initiatives, CMMS development, and continuous improvement efforts to maximize equipment availability and operational efficiency.

What You'll Do:

• Support manufacturing operations through the execution of Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) strategies to reduce and eliminate unplanned equipment failures.
• Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) investigations to identify and eliminate recurring equipment failures, production losses, and maintenance costs.
• Develop engineering solutions to repetitive failures and operational issues impacting safety, quality, productivity, cost, and regulatory compliance.
• Establish and implement best practices that improve equipment reliability, maintainability, and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF).
• Analyze asset utilization, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), reliability trends, and maintenance performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve preventive maintenance (PM) and predictive maintenance (PdM) programs.
• Utilize predictive maintenance technologies including vibration analysis, thermal imaging, acoustic monitoring, and other condition-monitoring tools.
• Identify equipment failure modes and develop proactive maintenance strategies using reliability tools such as RCM, FMEA, Criticality Analysis, and RCFA.
• Support the development, population, and optimization of the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), including:
• Equipment identification and asset hierarchy development
• Creation of equipment Bills of Materials (BOMs)
• Development of material lists and spare parts recommendations
• Creation and maintenance of preventive maintenance procedures and frequencies
• Maintenance of equipment documentation and drawing updates
• Design and implement maintenance process improvements to maximize equipment availability and asset productivity.
• Establish, monitor, and report key reliability and maintenance metrics.
• Collaborate with production, maintenance, engineering, and plant leadership to resolve chronic equipment issues and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical expertise and support to maintenance teams, engineers, and operations personnel.

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's degree required in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Chemical, or related Engineering discipline preferred.
• 3-5 years of experience in a manufacturing maintenance, reliability engineering, or continuous-process production environment.
• Experience working in a high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing environment preferred.
• Strong understanding of Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), and Criticality Analysis.
• Experience developing and implementing preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Knowledge of predictive maintenance technologies, including vibration analysis, thermal imaging, and acoustic monitoring.
• Experience with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), such as Infor EAM, SAP, Maximo, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and increase asset performance.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret maintenance and reliability data.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and effectively influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and data analysis tools.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) certification.
• Experience with reliability metrics such as MTBF, MTTR, and OEE.
• Project management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, TPM, or other continuous improvement methodologies.

What You'll Receive:

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay scale for this position is $85k to $105k. Placement in the range depends on several factors such as experience, skills, geography and internal equity and may change over time. This position qualifies for benefits and you will be eligible to participate in a bonus plan.

At James Hardie, we recognize that our success depends on our people. We've worked hard to build a generous and competitive benefits program that demonstrates our commitment to our employees.

• Compensation: competitive salary and bonus eligibility
• Insurance: day-one health coverage medical, dental, vision, life insurance
• Paid Time Off: vacation and company holidays
• Retirement: 401(k) with 6% match
• Investments: Employee Stock Purchase plan (ESP)
• Work-Life Balance: parental leave, wellness programs
• Purpose. Impact. Community: Sustainability Initiatives | James Hardie

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James Hardie Building Products Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, veteran's status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or any other basis protected by law.


James Hardie will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, in accordance with its plans and policies.


The position responsibilities outlined above are in no way to be construed as all encompassing. Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be required and/or assigned as necessary.