Forklift PIV Lead Technician

Fork Lift PIV Lead Technician

The Powered Industrial Vehicle (PIV) Lead Technician is responsible for leading the maintenance, repair, inspection, and reliability of all powered industrial vehicles throughout the facility. This position provides technical leadership to the maintenance team, coordinates repairs and preventive maintenance, ensures compliance with safety regulations, and works closely with operations to maximize equipment uptime.

Job Duties:

• Lead the maintenance and repair of all powered industrial vehicles, including electric and internal combustion forklifts, reach trucks, pallet jacks, order pickers, tow tractors, and other material handling equipment.
• Diagnose and troubleshoot electrical, hydraulic, mechanical, and control system failures.
• Plan, prioritize, and assign daily repair activities to ensure equipment availability.
• Develop and maintain preventive maintenance schedules to improve fleet reliability.
• Perform root cause analysis on recurring equipment failures and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Coordinate with vendors for warranty work, major repairs, and technical support.
• Manage parts inventory and recommend critical spare parts to minimize downtime.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, work orders, and equipment history.
• Ensure all repairs comply with OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, and company safety standards.
• Support and mentor maintenance technicians by providing technical guidance and hands-on training.
• Assist with budgeting, equipment replacement planning, and fleet improvement initiatives.
• Participate in equipment evaluations and recommend upgrades that improve safety, reliability, and efficiency.
• Respond to equipment breakdowns as needed to support production.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required; technical degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Five or more years of experience maintaining powered industrial vehicles or material handling equipment.
• Previous leadership or lead technician experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of electrical systems, hydraulic systems, motors, drive units, steering systems, braking systems, and battery-powered equipment.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, hydraulic diagrams, and service manuals.
• Experience using computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS).
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, organization, and leadership abilities.
• Ability to work independently while supporting a team environment.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand, kneel, climb, bend, and work in confined spaces.
• Comfortable working at heights and in varying environmental conditions.
• Ability to respond to emergency equipment failures during scheduled shifts or call-ins as required.

Level of Proficiency:

• Working knowledge of department safety, quality, and operational procedures; training manuals; and company policies and procedures is required.
• Understanding of various types of environmental and manufacturing processes, to avoid non-conformance to company, EPA, or OSHA compliance.

Attendance and Work Schedule:

• Daily attendance and punctuality must be maintained; absenteeism will cause hardship for other team members.
• Overtime is determined on a daily basis according to production schedules and workload.
• Overtime is communicated as needed. Workload is per production schedule with departments' specific standards.
• Some travel for training and meetings may be required.
• There is one 15-minute break, a 30-minute lunch and one additional 10-minute break.
• Shift Schedules 1st shift, 3rd shift and Weekend shift.
• Weekday shift schedule is 10 hours per day, 4 days per week, Monday through Thursday.
• Weekend shift schedule is 12 hours per day, 3 days per week, Friday through Sunday.