Maintenance Technician Burrito Factory

Maintenance Technician – Food Manufacturing (Burrito Production)

Location: Vernon, CA Shift: Early morning / day / weekend flexibility required Pay Range: Competitive hourly pay + overtime (DOE)

The Maintenance Technician is responsible for hands-on troubleshooting, repair, and preventive maintenance of production and packaging equipment in a high-volume frozen burrito manufacturing facility. This role requires strong mechanical aptitude, welding and fabrication skills, and experience working on conveyors, ovens, fillers, and automated packaging equipment.

This is a floor-based, hands-on role supporting continuous production in a fast-paced USDA-regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

Equipment Troubleshooting & Repair

• Troubleshoot and repair packaging equipment, including:
• Horizontal form-and-seal machines
• Fillers and portioning equipment
• Conveyors, transfer systems, and accumulation tables
• Perform repairs on ovens, kettles, and heating systems used in burrito production.
• Diagnose mechanical, pneumatic, and basic electrical issues impacting production uptime.
• Respond quickly to line stoppages and production breakdowns.

Welding & Fabrication (Critical Requirement)

• Perform MIG/TIG welding and basic fabrication to repair:
• Conveyor frames and supports
• Guards, brackets, chutes, and structural components
• Oven and filler-related hardware
• Modify and fabricate parts to improve reliability, safety, and performance.
• Read basic drawings or fabricate from measurements as needed.

Conveyor & Material Handling Systems

• Maintain and repair:
• Belt conveyors
• Overhead conveyors
• Chain and roller conveyors
• Adjust tracking, tension, bearings, sprockets, and drive components.
• Identify root causes of recurring conveyor failures and recommend improvements.

Preventive Maintenance

• Perform scheduled PMs on:
• Packaging lines
• Ovens and fillers
• Conveyors and motors
• Pneumatic systems
• Document completed work accurately in the CMMS.
• Identify worn or failing components before breakdowns occur.

Food Safety, Safety & Compliance

• Follow USDA, GMP, and food safety requirements during all maintenance activities.
• Maintain proper sanitation, tool control, and foreign material prevention.
• Follow Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), PPE, and safe work practices at all times.
• Work closely with QA and Sanitation teams during repairs and startups.

Team & Shift Support

• Work closely with production operators, leads, and supervisors.
• Communicate clearly with maintenance leadership regarding issues, repairs, and recommendations.
• Support weekend or off-shift work as required for PMs, repairs, or production support.

Qualifications & Skills

Required

• 3+ years of experience as a Maintenance Technician / Industrial Mechanic in food or manufacturing.
• Strong welding and fabrication skills (MIG/TIG preferred).
• Proven experience troubleshooting packaging equipment and conveyor systems.
• Experience working on ovens, fillers, or cooking equipment.
• Strong mechanical skills (bearings, chains, sprockets, gearboxes, drives).
• Ability to read basic schematics, manuals, and drawings.
• Ability to work in cold (freezer) and hot (oven) environments.

Preferred

• Experience in frozen food or USDA-regulated facilities.
• Basic electrical troubleshooting (sensors, motors, VFD fault identification).
• Pneumatic and hydraulic system experience.
• Bilingual English/Spanish a plus.
• CMMS experience.

Physical & Work Environment

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Frequent standing, bending, climbing, and working around moving equipment.
• Exposure to cold, heat, wet environments, and production noise.

Why Join Us

• Stable, high-volume production environment
• Hands-on role with real impact on uptime
• Opportunities for overtime and skill growth
• Work on complex food production and packaging equipment
• Be part of a team that values reliability, safety, and craftsmanship