Senior Maintenance & Reliability Manager | Food Manufacturing | Indianapolis, IN

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

Work Arrangement: 100% onsite

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent

Experience Level: Senior Plant Leadership

Travel: Occasional

Relocation Assistance: Available

Security Clearance: Not required

Visa Sponsorship: Not available

Position Overview

A leading global food and beverage manufacturer is seeking an accomplished Senior Maintenance & Reliability Manager to lead the full Maintenance and Reliability organization at a major Indianapolis production facility.

The role owns equipment uptime and asset life across manufacturing equipment, facilities and utilities. It requires deep consumer-packaged-goods experience, strong engineering and financial acumen, and a record of improving OEE, reducing breakdowns and building high-performing technical teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead maintenance managers, supervisors, engineers, planners and technicians.

• Own uptime, reliability and lifecycle performance across production lines, utilities and facilities.

• Develop the plant-wide maintenance and reliability strategy and annual operating plan.

• Establish preventive, predictive, planned and condition-based maintenance programs.

• Improve planning, scheduling, calibration, lubrication, spares and tool-management practices.

• Eliminate recurring failures through root-cause analysis and sustainable corrective action.

• Improve OEE, MTBF, MTTR, availability, planned-maintenance compliance and schedule adherence.

• Control maintenance costs, downtime, waste and yield losses.

• Champion Integrated Lean Six Sigma, TPM, 5S and zero-loss principles.

• Strengthen operator ownership and autonomous maintenance.

• Lead technical capability building, succession planning and performance management.

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Safety and Supply Chain.

• Manage budgets, contractors, capital improvements and reliability investments.

• Communicate performance, risks and actions to plant and supply-chain leaders.

Required Qualifications

• Significant maintenance and reliability leadership experience in food, beverage or CPG manufacturing.

• Experience leading a large multidisciplinary maintenance organization.

• Strong knowledge of preventive, predictive and planned-maintenance systems.

• Demonstrated success improving OEE and reducing equipment losses.

• Lean, Six Sigma, TPM or continuous-improvement expertise.

• Strong engineering, financial, budgeting and project-management capability.

• Experience using CMMS and maintenance-performance data.

• Strong people-development and change-leadership skills.

• Ability to work onsite in Indianapolis.

• Current U.S. work authorization without sponsorship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Engineering or related technical degree.

• IL6S or advanced TPM implementation experience.

• High-speed automated production or packaging experience.

• Utilities, facilities and capital-project experience.

Benefits may include medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, incentive compensation and professional development.

Equal Opportunity

The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants without discrimination based on any status protected by applicable law.

Maintenance Mechanic – Manufacturing | Packaging Equipment & SAP-PM | Chicago, IL

Maintenance Mechanic – Manufacturing

📍 Chicago, Illinois
💰 $38.77 per hour
🕒 Second or Third Shift
💼 Full-Time | Union Position
🏭 Onsite – Manufacturing/Bakery Facility
👥 Three Openings
🚫 No Visa Sponsorship
🚚 No Relocation Assistance

Position Overview

A leading manufacturing organization is seeking three experienced Maintenance Mechanics to support a high-speed production and packaging facility in Chicago.

This hands-on position is responsible for maintaining the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of processing, packaging, and facility equipment. Working with limited supervision in a team-based environment, the Maintenance Mechanic will perform preventive maintenance, troubleshoot breakdowns, complete mechanical repairs, and help minimize production downtime.

Candidates must be available to work either second or third shift.

Key Responsibilities

Preventive Maintenance and CMMS

• Complete scheduled preventive maintenance activities across production and facility equipment.

• Document maintenance work, work orders, repairs, and equipment improvements using SAP Plant Maintenance.

• Maintain accurate equipment and maintenance records within the plant’s computerized maintenance management system.

• Use condition-monitoring equipment, including thermography cameras and ultrasound tools.

• Identify potential equipment failures before they interrupt production.

Mechanical Troubleshooting and Repair

• Diagnose, repair, and replace defective components on high-speed processing and packaging equipment.

• Troubleshoot pumps, hydraulics, pneumatics, mechanical drives, and foundational electrical systems.

• Perform basic machining, welding, fabrication, and mechanical adjustment work.

• Complete root-cause analysis for recurring equipment failures.

• Respond quickly to live breakdown calls and restore equipment performance safely.

• Follow the correct testing and diagnostic sequence for complex processing equipment.

Technical Documentation

• Read and interpret:

• Mechanical and electrical schematics

• Piping and instrumentation diagrams

• Blueprints

• Block diagrams

• Equipment drawings and sketches

• Use technical documentation to support equipment diagnostics, repairs, and improvements.

Collaboration and Continuous Improvement

• Work alongside engineers, electricians, boiler room personnel, production teams, and technical specialists.

• Communicate equipment status and outstanding maintenance requirements during shift handovers.

• Help identify and resolve recurring operational problems.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives involving TPM, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies.

• Share technical knowledge and contribute to the development of other team members.

Safety and Equipment Operation

• Follow all Lockout/Tagout, Hot Work, and Confined Space procedures.

• Work in accordance with NEC and NFPA requirements.

• Safely operate forklifts, man lifts, ladders, scaffolding, and other material-handling equipment.

• Comply with GMP, HACCP, QCMS, health-code, and food-safety requirements.

Minimum Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.

• At least two to four years of hands-on experience as a Maintenance Mechanic within a manufacturing environment, or successful completion of an approved apprenticeship or technical training program.

• Strong mechanical knowledge covering:

• Pumps

• Hydraulics

• Pneumatics

• Mechanical drives

• Basic machining

• Welding

• Hand and power tools

• Foundational electrical systems

• Ability to diagnose equipment problems and perform root-cause analysis.

• Ability to work effectively with limited supervision.

• Strong teamwork and communication skills.

• Willingness and ability to work second or third shift.

• No visa sponsorship is available.

Preferred Qualifications

• Maintenance experience involving high-speed processing or packaging lines.

• Experience within food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.

• Familiarity with SAP-PM or another computerized maintenance management system.

• Knowledge of TPM, Lean Manufacturing, or Six Sigma principles.

• Familiarity with AutoCAD and technical file-management software.

• Experience training, mentoring, or sharing technical knowledge with colleagues.

• Knowledge of condition-based monitoring methods.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds independently.

• Ability to climb stairs and work from ladders, lifts, and scaffolding.

• Ability to crawl over, under, or inside manufacturing equipment when completing maintenance work.

• Ability to maintain balance while working around industrial machinery.

• Comfortable working in environments with significantly varying temperatures.

First 30, 60 and 90 Days

First 30 Days

• Complete plant safety onboarding.

• Obtain required lift-equipment certifications.

• Complete training on the facility’s autonomous and progressive maintenance standards.

First 60 Days

• Develop familiarity with the plant’s equipment and machinery layouts.

• Begin independently completing scheduled preventive maintenance activities within the CMMS.

First 90 Days

• Respond confidently to live equipment breakdowns.

• Independently diagnose and repair common mechanical failures.

• Collaborate effectively across departments and shifts to minimize production downtime.

Compensation and Benefits

• $38.77 per hour.

• Equivalent to approximately $80,642 annually based on a standard 40-hour working week.

• Healthcare coverage.

• Retirement benefits.

• Paid time off.

• Benefits are provided in accordance with the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement and may be subject to eligibility requirements.

• No bonus or commission.

• No relocation assistance or interview travel reimbursement.