Lead Maintenance Technician

Senior Maintenance Technician High-Speed Bottling & Injection Molding

This role provides advanced technical leadership in a highly automated, high-speed bottling and injection molding facility. You will diagnose and resolve complex equipment issues, lead overhaul and continuous improvement projects, and train operations and maintenance teams on technical procedures. The position focuses on maximizing equipment reliability and throughput while upholding the highest standards of safety, quality, and good manufacturing practices.

Responsibilities

• Champion and enforce the highest standards of safety and good manufacturing practices across the plant.
• Train and lead operators, mechanics, and supervisors on technical procedures related to high-speed bottle manufacturing, packaging, and injection molding.
• Work directly with plant leadership to develop and execute projects involving continuous improvement, equipment upgrades, and the resolution of recurring problems.
• Rapidly identify machine problems to minimize equipment downtime and conduct root cause analysis to prevent reoccurrence.
• Partner with other Senior maintenance technicians to resolve cross-functional equipment and process problems.
• Use available software systems and data to analyze and identify issues that impact throughput and performance, and implement corrective actions.
• Define requirements and lead overhaul efforts to rebuild equipment to like-new status during planned downtime.
• Create and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for troubleshooting machines and upload them to the BDA system, ensuring machine reliability and improved mean time between failures.
• Transfer knowledge to team members to develop operating and troubleshooting procedures for blow molding, including PET processing, machine set-up, mold changes, and quality inspection systems.
• Develop and share expertise in filling and capping, including beverage processing methods, cap feeding systems with light closures, vision inspection systems, laser date coders, sanitation and quality standards, and conveying systems.
• Support labeling operations, including roll-fed and/or cut-and-stack labeling technology, machine set-up, hot melt gluing systems, and associated conveying systems.
• Lead and support dry-end packaging operations, including case packers, case conveyors, conventional and robotic palletizers, and stretch wrappers, including machine set-up for all pack size changes.
• Work with common OEM production equipment such as Krones, Sidel, KHS, Sacmi, and Tech Long, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
• Transfer knowledge to team members on injection technology, including Husky injection molding machines with hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical systems.
• Support and troubleshoot auxiliary systems such as resin handling and blending, resin drying, dehumidification, vision inspection, conveying, and cooling systems.
• Maintain and troubleshoot mold systems, including internal hot runner and cold half maintenance, identification of component wear, and detailed inspection of produced products to ensure quality.
• Optimize plastic processing at high speeds while maintaining tight part tolerances and acceptable levels of acetaldehyde (AA).
• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance on mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and robotic systems to ensure equipment uptime.
• Interpret and work from electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and process and instrumentation diagrams to diagnose and resolve issues.
• Use shop equipment such as presses, bench grinders, drill presses, mills, lathes, and assorted power tools to fabricate and repair components.
• Apply precision measurement techniques using calipers, dial indicators, bore gauges, and depth gauges to ensure accurate repairs and adjustments.
• Perform cutting and welding (MIG, TIG, or stick) to fabricate and repair machine parts and structures as needed.
• Troubleshoot and repair electrical systems, including 480VAC and 24VDC power circuits, variable frequency drives, servo motors and controllers, communication systems (ASI-bus, CAN-bus, Profi-bus, Ethernet), PLC input/output cards, and safety modules.
• Program, troubleshoot, and modify PLCs and HMIs (including Siemens, Allen-Bradley, and Rockwell platforms) to improve equipment performance and reliability.
• Support refrigeration, HVAC, motors, and other process equipment as part of overall facility maintenance.
• Maintain regular and predictable attendance and participate in on-call rotations to ensure equipment and facility uptime.
• Stand or walk for extended periods in a manufacturing environment and safely lift up to 50 pounds as required by daily tasks.
• Provide and maintain a personal toolbox with basic tools necessary to perform maintenance and repair activities.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience as a maintenance technician in a highly automated industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Strong background in troubleshooting and repairing automated equipment, including mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed bottling, packaging, or injection molding equipment, including Krones, Husky, Sidel, or similar OEMs.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and process and instrumentation schematics.
• Proficiency in PLC troubleshooting and programming, including Siemens, Allen-Bradley, and Rockwell-based systems.
• Experience working with HMIs, robotics, and automated control systems.
• Skilled in electrical troubleshooting and maintenance, including 480VAC and 24VDC systems and industrial electrical components.
• Ability to troubleshoot and repair variable frequency drives, servo motors and controllers, and industrial communication networks such as ASI-bus, CAN-bus, Profi-bus, and Ethernet.
• Proficiency in preventive maintenance practices to improve equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
• Experience leading and developing others on equipment functionality, repair methods, and technical best practices.
• Ability to use precision measuring equipment such as calipers, dial indicators, bore gauges, and depth gauges.
• Capability to stand or walk for extended periods in a manufacturing environment and lift up to 50 pounds safely.
• Ownership of a personal toolbox with basic tools required for industrial maintenance work.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Skilled in the use of shop equipment, including hydraulic and mechanical presses, bench grinders, drill presses, mills, lathes, and assorted power tools.
• Fabrication skills, including cutting and welding using MIG, TIG, or stick processes.
• Experience with blow molding operations, including PET processing, machine set-up, mold changes, and quality inspection systems.
• Knowledge of filling and capping systems, beverage processing methods, cap feeding systems, vision inspection systems, laser date coders, and conveying systems.
• Experience with labeling technology, including roll-fed and cut-and-stack labelers, machine set-up, and hot melt gluing systems.
• Experince in dry-end packaging equipment such as case packers, case conveyors, conventional and robotic palletizers, and stretch wrappers, including changeovers for different pack sizes.
• Hands-on experience with Husky injection molding machines and their hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical systems.
• Familiarity with auxiliary injection systems such as resin handling and blending, resin drying, dehumidification, vision inspection, conveying, and cooling systems.
• Knowledge of mold systems, including internal hot runner and cold half maintenance, and the ability to identify component wear through product inspection.
• Understanding of plastic processing at high speeds with tight part tolerances and control of acetaldehyde (AA) levels.
• Ability and willingness to act as a technical leader and trainer within a specific plant area or machine center.
• Experience with refrigeration and HVAC systems in an industrial setting.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, highly automated environment and adapting to changing production priorities.

Why Work Here?

Employees benefit from comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, along with life and disability protection to support overall well-being. A competitive 401(k) plan with matching and additional financial benefits helps team members build long-term financial security. Generous paid time off, holidays, parental leave, and fertility and adoption support promote a healthy work-life balance and support families at every stage. The organization invests heavily in professional growth through leadership development programs, Six Sigma training, tuition assistance, and both hands-on and classroom learning opportunities. Internal advancement and cross-functional growth are strongly encouraged, creating clear pathways to expand skills and advance careers over time.

Work Environment

The facility is a highly automated, fast-paced, and clean manufacturing environment that is not climate controlled, so temperatures may vary with the seasons. Work involves frequent standing and walking