Automation Technician

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Automation Technician / Packaging Mechanic

Job Description

This role supports high-speed food production lines by troubleshooting, repairing, and fine-tuning automated packaging and processing equipment. The Automation Technician / Packaging Mechanic ensures that cartoners, flow wrappers, form-fill-seal systems, and related machinery run efficiently, safely, and consistently to meet production, quality, and food safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform preventive, corrective, and emergency maintenance on high-speed packaging equipment, including cartoners, horizontal and vertical form-fill-seal (HFFS/VFFS) systems, tray sealers, and conveyors.
• Maintain and repair food processing equipment such as mixers, forming systems, and cooking/cooling systems, as well as utilities and plant support systems.
• Execute precision mechanical setups, adjustments, and calibrations to optimize machine performance, including alignment and parallelism of machine components, carton size and product fit adjustments, and infeed, transfer, and insertion timing.
• Set, verify, and maintain proper mechanical and electronic zeroing of equipment during setups and product changeovers.
• Diagnose and resolve issues related to carton forming and feeding, product insertion and handling systems, and sealing and closing mechanisms to ensure consistent package quality.
• Troubleshoot and repair mechanical systems including bearings, chains, belts, and drives, as well as pneumatics, sensors, and servo-driven components.
• Perform basic troubleshooting of electrical and control systems using schematics, manuals, and technical drawings to identify faults and restore equipment operation.
• Identify root causes of downtime and implement corrective actions that improve long-term equipment reliability and reduce unplanned stops.
• Support equipment changeovers and line setups to minimize downtime and ensure efficient transitions between products and formats.
• Continuously monitor equipment performance during production, making real-time adjustments to maintain high-speed efficiency, product quality, and package integrity.
• Assist with the installation, commissioning, and startup of new packaging and processing equipment, ensuring proper integration with existing lines and systems.
• Use a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to document maintenance activities, track work orders, and manage parts usage and inventory.
• Ensure all work complies with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HACCP, and SQF standards, as well as Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and other safety protocols.
• Collaborate closely with Production, Quality Assurance, and Sanitation teams to support safe, efficient, and compliant operations across all shifts.
• Follow all plant policies and procedures and perform other related duties as assigned to support production and maintenance goals.

Essential Skills

• At least 2 years of experience maintaining high-speed packaging equipment in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with packaging equipment such as cartoners, flow wrappers (HFFS), and vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) systems.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting skills with the ability to perform precision adjustments, alignments, and calibrations on high-speed machinery.
• Working knowledge of pneumatics and sensors used in automated packaging and processing equipment.
• Experience with servo motors and automated systems, including their integration into packaging lines.
• Understanding of conveyors and packaging line integration, including infeed, transfer, and discharge systems.
• Basic exposure to programmable logic controllers (PLCs), preferably Allen-Bradley or Siemens platforms.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, schematics, manuals, and technical drawings for mechanical and electrical systems.
• Mechanical maintenance experience including repair of bearings, chains, belts, drives, and related components.
• Basic electrical troubleshooting skills, including familiarity with industrial electrical systems, 3-phase power, and reading electrical schematics.
• Experience performing preventive maintenance and using structured maintenance practices in an industrial environment.
• Ability and willingness to work flexible shifts, weekends, and overtime as needed to support production demands.

Why Work Here?

The company offers a stable and growing environment with a strong track record of avoiding layoffs, giving employees confidence in long-term job security. Team members receive benefits and paid time off, with additional details available upon request, supporting work-life balance and personal well-being. The organization continues to expand, including the opening of a third plant, creating ongoing opportunities for professional growth, exposure to new technologies, and advancement within a modern, industry-leading operation.

Work Environment

This role is based in a state-of-the-art, industry-leading food processing and manufacturing facility of over 100,000 square feet, with an additional 25,000 square feet recently added and another 100,000 square foot building available for future expansion. The environment is extremely clean and designed with a special ventilation system that removes dust from products, helping maintain a comfortable and hygienic workspace. The site features cutting-edge production lines and a modern research and development lab, with extensive use of automated machinery including baggers, conveyors, packaging systems, mixers, blenders, tapers, labelers, scales, metal detectors, chillers, and boilers. Work hours may include flexible shifts, weekends, and overtime to support continuous production in a high-speed, highly automated environmen

This is a Permanent position based out of Bartlett, IL.

The pay range for this position is $70720.00 - $76960.00/yr.

full benefits package including health vision and dental

This is a fully onsite position in Bartlett,IL.

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 25, 2026.

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meets their goals, skills and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role solving for companies’ construction, manufacturing and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meet their goals, skills, and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role in solving companies’ construction, manufacturing, and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are-everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.

Company Description

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meet their goals, skills, and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role in solving companies’ construction, manufacturing, and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are-everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.