Equipment Reliability Engineer

Company DescriptionAt Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands: Jack Link’s, Lorissa’s Organic Snacks, Golden Island, BiFi, Peperami and KOOEE! to name a few, there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.Job DescriptionThe Reliability Engineer is responsible for improving the reliability, maintainability, operational performance, food safety integrity, and lifecycle management of manufacturing assets across the facility. This role serves as the technical leader for failure elimination, asset health management, equipment-based food safety risk reduction, startup excellence, preventive maintenance optimization, and reliability improvement initiatives.The Reliability Engineer works closely with Operations, Maintenance, Controls, FSQ, Sanitation, and Operational Excellence to improve asset performance, reduce losses, eliminate repeat failures, and increase operational stability.The Reliability Engineer is expected to spend significant time in production areas identifying equipment losses, validating root causes, and implementing sustainable corrective actions.Primary ResponsibilitiesAsset Reliability Management Lead reliability efforts for critical manufacturing assetsOvensPackaging EquipmentMaterial Handling SystemsDetection SystemsUtilitiesResponsibilities include:Asset health monitoringReliability strategy developmentFailure trend analysisLife cycle managementEquipment criticality assessmentsFailure Elimination Lead structured problem-solving for recurring failures.Responsible for:Root Cause Analysis (RCA)Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)Repeat failure investigationsCorrective action implementationExpected Results:Reduced downtimeIncreased MTBFElimination of repeat failuresAsset Criticality Program Develop and maintain criticality rankings for all plant assets.Identify:Critical AssetsEquipment impacting:Food safetyThroughputSafetyRegulatory complianceDevelop risk-based maintenance strategies based on asset criticality.Preventive Maintenance Optimization Evaluate and improve PM effectiveness.Responsibilities include:PM optimizationPM frequency evaluationCondition-based maintenance developmentPredictive maintenance deploymentEnsure PMs address actual failure modes.Food Safety & Quality Reliability Partner with FSQ to develop and maintain an Equipment-Based FSQ Prevention Program. Focus Areas:Product Contact EquipmentBeltsConveyorsRollersGuidesPackaging SystemsSeal systemsVacuum systemsDetection systemsEnvironmental SystemsRefrigerationAir handlingCondensation controlDevelop controls that prevent food safety risks from equipment deterioration.Startup Excellence ProgramSupport and improve startup performance across all assets. Responsibilities include:Startup readiness auditsStartup failure analysisStartup loss trackingStartup standardizationTarget:Right First Time Startup >95%Reliability Data AnalysisAnalyze equipment performance data. Monitor:MTBFMTTROEE lossesDowntime driversPM compliancePM effectivenessFailure frequencyGenerate actionable recommendations based on data analysis.Predictive Maintenance Program Support development and expansion of predictive maintenance initiatives.Technologies may include:Vibration analysisThermographyUltrasonicsOil analysisMotor circuit testingAssist in identifying deteriorating equipment before failure occurs.Asset Team Participation: Serve as technical reliability leader on Asset Teams.Provide:Failure analysisReliability planningEquipment risk assessmentCapital recommendationsCapital Planning Support: Support Engineering and Maintenance leadership in developing capital plans.Identify opportunities related to:Reliability improvementsObsolescence risksCapacity constraintsFSQ risk reductionDevelop business cases and ROI analyses.Controls and Automation Reliability: Partner with Controls Engineering to improve automation reliability.Focus Areas:Sensor failure reductionNetwork reliabilityPLC stabilityDetection systemsStartup controlsContinuous Improvement: Support TPM and Operational Excellence initiatives.Lead improvements in:Reliability systemsEquipment performanceLoss eliminationEquipment ownershipLeadership Expectations: Although not a direct supervisory role, the Reliability Engineer is expected to influence and lead through technical expertise.Expected to:Drive accountabilityChallenge ineffective practicesInfluence cross-functional teamsFacilitate technical decision makingLead reliability initiativesKey Performance Indicators (KPIs) Reliability MetricsMTBF improvementMTTR reductionDowntime reductionRepeat failure eliminationAsset PerformanceOEE improvementThroughput improvementStartup reliabilityMaintenance PerformancePM effectivenessPredictive maintenance effectivenessPlanned maintenance percentageFood SafetyEquipment-related FSQ incidentsForeign material eventsEquipment-related quality deviationsFinancialMaintenance cost reductionReliability project ROICapital project effectivenessQualificationsRequired Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Reliability Engineering, or a related technical discipline3 + years manufacturing reliability experienceExperience with industrial production equipmentExperience leading root cause investigationsExperience with PM optimizationRoot Cause AnalysisFMEAReliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)Asset Criticality AnalysisCMMS SystemsReliability MetricsPreferred Qualifications: 7 + years manufacturing reliability experienceFood manufacturing experienceRTE manufacturing experienceTPM implementation experiencePM/PdM development experienceSAP PM, MMFiixEAM SystemsPower BIVibration AnalysisThermographyAdditional InformationThe starting salarie for this role is $100,000.00 - $115,000.00. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Link Snacks Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Link Snacks provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.While performing the duties of this job the Team Member is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The Team Member is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or more up to twenty-five pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.WORK ENVIRONMENTThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant/office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. However, the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled office. Travel may be required.EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Link Snacks provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.E-VERIFY: Link Snacks is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E-Verify program, please visit: All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.SummaryType: Full-timeFunction: EngineeringExperience level: Mid-Senior LevelIndustry: Facilities Services