Reliability Engineer

Who we are

Skjodt-Barrett is a world-class manufacturer of food solutions and custom ingredients for North America's most beloved and trusted brands. We take pride in working closely with our customers to understand their unique needs and create innovative, individualized solutions that deliver joy to their customers.

A family-founded company started over 40 years ago, we are backed by the investment company Axel Johnson Inc (AJI). With their investment and support, we are well-positioned to foster growth and explore new opportunities.

Our customers, blue-chip international brands and mid-sized producers alike, are why we exist. Our teams of innovators, communicators, and managers are the people who meet their needs, build trust, and exceed their expectations.


Who we need

Reporting to the Maintenance Manager, we are hiring a Reliability Engineer to provide the technical expertise, leadership, and hands-on problem solving needed to support the reliability, performance, and efficiency of a complex food manufacturing operation. As the new Reliability Engineer, you will serve as a senior technical resource within the Maintenance team, supporting equipment troubleshooting, reliability improvement initiatives, maintenance strategy execution, and cross-functional coordination across Production, Quality, Engineering, and Maintenance.

This is an onsite position based in our plant in Lebanon Indiana.

What's in it for you

Impact. You will play a critical role in maintaining and improving the reliability, efficiency, and performance of complex food processing and packaging equipment within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Your technical expertise and problem-solving abilities will directly influence uptime, operational performance, food safety, and overall plant effectiveness.

Transformation and ownership. This is a newly created role introduced as part of a broader operational transformation initiative within the organization. You will have the opportunity to help shape reliability practices, maintenance standards, troubleshooting approaches, and continuous improvement initiatives while acting as a trusted technical lead across Maintenance, Production, Quality, and Engineering. Your ideas, technical insight, and hands-on leadership will directly contribute to how the plant evolves and operates moving forward.

Exposure and development. You will gain hands-on exposure to a wide range of automated processing and packaging systems while contributing to reliability improvements, capital projects, equipment installations, and operational initiatives. You will work alongside an experienced cross-functional team in an environment that values practical problem solving, collaboration, and continuous learning.

What you will do:

• Troubleshoot and resolve issues. You will provide hands-on mechanical expertise to troubleshoot and resolve complex equipment issues across food processing and packaging operations. You will support maintenance technicians during breakdowns and repairs, acting as a senior technical resource to ensure timely resolution and minimal downtime.
• Drive reliability improvements. You will lead and participate in root cause analysis (RCA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and other reliability initiatives designed to improve equipment performance, operational efficiency, and plant reliability. You will identify recurring issues, recommend corrective actions, and implement sustainable solutions.
• Develop standards and processes. You will create and maintain maintenance standards, standard operating procedures (SOPs), Management of Change (MOC) documentation, Bills of Materials (BOMs), and technical drawings. You will support the evolution of maintenance practices as part of broader operational transformation initiatives across the plant.
• Partner across teams. You will collaborate closely with Maintenance, Production, Quality, Engineering, vendors, and contractors to coordinate repairs, installations, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement initiatives. You will act as a trusted technical lead, helping align teams around operational priorities and equipment performance goals.
• Support projects and operational changes. You will contribute to capital projects, equipment installations, commissioning activities, and reliability improvement initiatives. You will help ensure smooth transitions from project execution into day-to-day operations while supporting the plant through ongoing operational and process improvements.
• Coach and support technicians. You will provide day-to-day technical guidance, informal leadership, and knowledge sharing to maintenance technicians, helping build consistency, technical capability, and strong troubleshooting practices across the team.
• Ensure compliance and operational excellence. You will support compliance with food safety standards, GMP requirements, occupational health and safety policies, and maintenance best practices. You will contribute to an environment focused on safety, accountability, quality, and continuous improvement.

What you bring to the role:

• The experience. You have experience working in a manufacturing or industrial environment supporting complex processing, packaging, or automated production equipment. You have a strong background in troubleshooting mechanical issues, improving equipment reliability, and supporting maintenance operations in fast-paced production environments. Experience within a GMP-regulated industry such as food or pharmaceutical manufacturing would be considered a strong asset.
• The technical expertise. You bring strong mechanical knowledge and hands-on problem-solving capabilities across equipment such as pumps, valves, sanitary systems, CIP systems, blending systems, pasteurizers, and automated packaging equipment. You have experience with root cause analysis (RCA), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), maintenance planning, and continuous improvement initiatives. You are comfortable working with CMMS platforms, technical drawings, schematics, Bills of Materials, and maintenance documentation.
• The leadership approach. You are a collaborative technical leader who enjoys coaching and supporting maintenance technicians while working cross-functionally with Production, Quality, Engineering, and external vendors. You can guide teams through equipment issues and operational challenges while fostering accountability, consistency, and practical problem solving on the plant floor.
• The drive. You are energized by solving complex equipment and reliability challenges in a fast-paced environment. You are motivated by continuous improvement and take pride in identifying opportunities to improve uptime, efficiency, cost management, and operational performance. You are adaptable, hands-on, and comfortable managing competing priorities in an evolving manufacturing operation.
• The interpersonal skills. You have strong verbal and written communication skills and can translate technical information clearly for both technical and non-technical audiences. You build trust quickly, collaborate effectively across teams, and know how to influence and support others through a calm, solutions-focused approach.

Why join?

We've got great taste. We care deeply about fostering a culture of transparency, responsibility, and integrity. It's what drives us to make great-tasting, convenient, and healthy ingredients and finished products that our customers depend on. With a focus on nurturing and growing our employees' careers and professional satisfaction, we believe in open communication, idea sharing, and knowledge building. Skjodt-Barrett is committed to building an inclusive culture that helps to create longevity, growth, and innovation in the food industry.

We are working towards a sustainable future. We believe that what's good for people and the planet is good for profit. It is everyone's responsibility to do their part. We recognize the growing need to prioritize sustainability in manufacturing, and we continue to take steps to evolve. We strive to accelerate the adoption of sustainable packaging and food products to be a responsible partner for our customers and for the greater good. We take our role as a supply chain partner to heart and adhere to a strict Supplier Code of Conduct to ensure that our vendors uphold the integrity and values we live by.

We believe actions speak louder than words. Every day, we come together to exceed the expectations of our customers, each other and ourselves, inspired by our values:

• We care. About family, honesty, and respect.
• We communicate. Across every level, often, effectively, and clearly.
• We Empower. With trust, integrity, and accountability.
• We Deliver. Every time, through teamwork, innovation, and results.

Apply now.

At Skjodt-Barrett, we aim for diversity, equality, accessibility and inclusion in all of our operations and interactions. We welcome and appreciate candidates with a range of backgrounds and experiences. If you have 70% of the qualifications we are looking for and want to play an integral role in delivering innovative food product solutions, apply to express your interest.


What you can expect from our interview process:

1. A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor to discuss your interest in the role and to learn more about the organization. The conversation will be recorded using BrightHire, an AI-powered video interview tool. More details will be shared when you are invited to interview.
2. A virtual interview with the Maintenance Manager. This will be an opportunity to review your experience and learn more about our production and maintenance schedules.
3. An in-person interview with the Plant Manager and a Plant Tour. This will be a chance to see the plant setup first hand, understand current needs, and ask any additional questions you may have.

Skjodt-Barrett welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Please let us know what accommodations you require across the selection process.

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