Electrician/Technician, Maintenance

Electrical Technician Position

The essential functions of the electrical technician position include responsibilities and essential duties that include:

Tasks:

• Perform hands-on electrical, electronic, and controls troubleshooting, repair, and preventive maintenance on production and general plant equipment, working alongside the shift maintenance crew to keep the lines running.
• Possess strong hands-on knowledge of industrial electrical and electronic systems, motor controls, instrumentation, and industrial automation, with the ability to diagnose and repair them directly on the floor.
• Complete assigned work orders and preventive maintenance tasks issued by the Maintenance Manager, and document all work performed in the CMMS.

Principal responsibilities - core competencies - working knowledge of the electrical, control, and drive systems on the following production equipment:

• Standalone spiral freezers (Messer, Linde)
• Tunnel Freezers
• Depositors - Fillers
• Portioners
• Grinders
• Unifiller 400
• Unifiller 1000
• Unifiller 600, 601 Multistation
• Handtmann 608, 808
• Vemag 520
• GEA Optiflour
• GEA Multiformer
• GEA Crumbmaster
• Rheon Rounder
• Rheon Portioner
• Tromp Laminating Lines
• Dough Sheeting
• Urschel Grinder
• Mixers (Escher, AMFEC, Hobart, Handtmann, Tonelli)
• PD Pumps (Graco, UNIBLOC)
• Cooking Equipment
• Tilt Skillets - Cleveland Kettles
• Blentech Cooker
• Chester Jensen
• Ovens (Middleby Marshall, Revent)
• Fryers (Heat and Control Mastermatic)
• Packaging Equipment
• Flow Wrappers (Sleek 65, Weighpack)
• Cartoners (ADCO) - X-Ray (Ishida, Novus, JBT)
• Metal Detectors - Tape Sealers - Cleaning Equipment
• Viking Sanitation Cars
• Rackwashers (Somengil)
• Industrial Automation
• ABB Robots
• Fanuc Robots
• Self-Motorized Pulleys (Interroll) Demonstrated hands-on competency in the following electrical and controls disciplines:
• Power distribution and building electrical: 480V/240V/208V three-phase and single-phase systems, transformers, panelboards, disconnects, breakers, and branch circuits.
• Motor controls: across-the-line and reversing starters, contactors, overload relays, control transformers, VFDs, and servo drives including parameter setup, fault code diagnosis, and drive replacement.
• PLC and HMI systems: ability to go online with the controller, monitor ladder logic, force and trace I/O, and troubleshoot to the failed device (Allen-Bradley and Siemens platforms).
• Field devices and instrumentation: photo eyes, proximity and capacitive sensors, encoders, limit switches, RTDs and thermocouples, pressure, level and flow transmitters, load cells, and checkweigher/metal detector sensing.
• Machine safety circuits: E-stops, safety relays and safety PLCs, light curtains, interlocked guarding, and gate switches verified and restored to OEM design, never bypassed.
• Conduit and wiring: EMT and rigid conduit layout and bending, wire pulling, cable tray, terminations, wire labeling, and panel building to NEC standards.
• Reading, interpreting, and red-lining electrical schematics, ladder diagrams, wiring diagrams, and P&IDs, and keeping drawings current after modifications.
• Refrigeration and freezer control systems, oven and fryer temperature control, burner controls and flame safety devices, and coordination with OEM technical support when required.
• Work hands-on alongside the maintenance crew and Production to keep the lines running, without compromising safety, food quality, or reliability.
• Personally perform and complete preventive maintenance work orders and corrective repairs on the shift, following the preventive maintenance program set by the Maintenance Manager.
• Troubleshoot and repair electrical, electronic, controls, and automation faults on production equipment to restore operation as quickly as possible, and assist with mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic repairs as needed.
• Support and document Root Cause Analysis (RCA) on electrical and controls failures, and escalate recurring or major issues to the Maintenance Manager.
• Carry out the safe repair, replacement, wiring, installation, and startup of production equipment during the shift.
• Support on-site electrical and automation contractors during the shift, and report any work that does not meet safety or quality standards to the Maintenance Manager.
• Identify critical electrical spare parts and repair needs, and communicate them to the Maintenance Manager for ordering and vendor follow-up.
• Support the spare parts program by pulling, using, and logging parts, and by helping maintain min/max levels for critical electrical components.
• Be a first responder to emergency electrical issues, equipment failures, facility-related incidents, and major breakdowns during the shift, and act promptly to resolve them.
• Available to attend to work on requested weekends, based on the needs of the organization.
• Use the CMMS system daily to receive, complete, and close work orders, and to log labor, parts, and equipment history accurately.
• Attend plant huddles and daily follow-ups with the crew, and work the floor to carry out repairs and scheduled preventive maintenance.
• Ensure a smooth shift-to-shift transition by communicating open issues, in-progress repairs, and equipment status to the incoming shift and the Maintenance Manager.
• Complete and submit end-of-shift reports daily upon completion of the shift.
• Share electrical knowledge with maintenance technicians and support their development on equipment operation, repair procedures, and safe electrical work practices.
• Ensure all maintenance work complies with food safety (GMP), sanitation, and applicable regulatory requirements, including the safe use of food-grade materials and lubricants.
• Follow safety procedures, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), NFPA 70E arc flash requirements, and the correct use of electrical PPE and insulated tools, and comply with OSHA and company safety standards.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED required; completion of an electrical apprenticeship, trade program, or technical degree in Electrical, Electronics, Mechatronics, or Industrial Maintenance preferred.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on industrial electrical maintenance experience; food or beverage manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot 480V three-phase systems, motor controls, VFDs, and PLC-controlled equipment independently.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, ladder logic, and equipment manuals in English.
• NFPA 70E arc flash training required; must be completed or obtained within 90 days of hire.
• New Jersey electrical license, journeyman card, or apprentice registration is a plus.
• Powered industrial truck, scissor lift, and aerial lift certification is a plus; must be able to obtain.
• Comfortable working in wet, cold (freezer), and hot (oven and fryer) environments, at heights, and in confined areas.
• Reliable attendance for the assigned shift, with availability for overtime and occasional weekend coverage.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.