Injection Molding Maintenance Mechanic

Injection Molding Maintenance Mechanic Job Description (Night)

This position reports to: Maintenance Manager

Alternate: Plant Manager

POSITION SCOPE

The Injection Molding Maintenance Mechanic is responsible for the preventive and corrective maintenance of injection molding machines (IMMs) and associated auxiliary equipment. This position ensures maximum machine uptime, optimal performance, and safe operation through proactive maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair activities. The role requires strong mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic skills, along with the ability to work independently and respond quickly to equipment failures to minimize production downtime.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

Preventative Maintenance:

• Attend regularly scheduled team meetings to review and outline machine and production safety, new customers and customer requirements;

• Perform scheduled preventive maintenance on all four assigned IMMs according to manufacturer specifications and company PM schedule (Upkeep);
• Conduct daily inspections of machines to identify potential issues before they cause breakdowns;
• Lubricate moving parts, check hydraulic oil levels and quality, and replace filters as scheduled;
• Inspect and maintain mold clamp systems, injection units, and ejection systems;
• Maintain detailed maintenance logs and documentation in Upkeep/NetSuite for all PM activities;
• Monitor and document machine operating parameters including temperatures, pressures, and cycle times;
• Replace worn components proactively to prevent unscheduled downtime;
• Coordinate with production schedule to minimize impact of PM activities on production output.

Troubleshooting and Repairs

• Respond immediately to machine breakdowns and failures to minimize production downtime;
• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic issues using systematic troubleshooting approaches;
• Repair or replace defective components including valves, motors, heaters, sensors, and control systems;
• Troubleshoot and repair machine control systems, PLCs, and HMI interfaces;
• Work with mold technicians to diagnose and resolve mold-related issues affecting machine performance;
• Maintain accurate records of all repairs, parts used, and time spent on each job;
• Communicate equipment status and estimated repair times to production supervisors and management;
• Ensure no machine remains down for extended periods without management notification and action plan.

Parts & Inventory Management

Maintain adequate stock of critical spare parts and consumables for assigned machines;

• Order replacement parts through NetSuite and coordinate with purchasing for timely delivery;
• Research and source parts from OEM suppliers and approved vendors;
• Organize and maintain parts inventory in designated storage areas;
• Track parts usage and costs for each machine to support maintenance budgeting;
• Recommend additions to spare parts inventory based on failure history and criticality;
• Properly dispose of defective parts and maintain cleanliness in maintenance work areas.

Machine Performance and Optimization:

• Monitor machine performance metrics including cycle times, downtime, and efficiency;
• Analyze equipment failures to identify root causes and implement corrective actions;
• Make mechanical and control adjustments to optimize machine performance and product quality;
• Work with production team to address quality issues related to machine conditions;
• Recommend equipment upgrades or modifications to improve reliability and performance;
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to reduce downtime and maintenance costs;
• Document best practices and lessons learned for knowledge sharing with maintenance team.

Quality and Safety:

• Follow all company safety protocols, LOTO (Lockout/Tagout) procedures, and OSHA requirements;
• Ensure all machine guards, safety devices, and emergency stop systems are properly functioning;
• Wear required personal protective equipment including hair net, beard net, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, gloves and hearing protection;
• Maintain clean and organized work areas to prevent safety hazards;
• Report all safety concerns, near-misses, and incidents to management immediately;
• Support food safety requirements and SQF compliance in production environment;
• Participate in safety meetings and training programs;
• Ensure all maintenance work meets electrical codes, pressure vessel requirements, and safety standards.

• Inspect finished products to ensure quality standards are met;
• Follow all company safety protocols and food safety requirements and enforce production team adherence to machine safety;
• Ensure safe and accurate shift hand-off.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This position requires medium to heavy physical activity including:

Frequency of Physical Activities:

• Frequent: Standing, walking, bending, kneeling, squatting, reaching, climbing ladders;
• Frequent: Use of hand tools, power tools, and precision measuring instruments;
• Occasional: Working in confined spaces, elevated work platforms, and awkward positions.

Lifting and Carrying:

• Frequent lifting of 10-50 lbs (parts, tools, equipment);
• Occasional lifting of 50-75 lbs (motors, pumps, machine components);
• Use of hoists, cranes, and material handling equipment for heavy components;
• Carrying items up to 200 feet within facility.

Other Physical Demands:

• Vision adequate to read technical drawings, schematics, and equipment displays;
• Hearing adequate to detect abnormal machine sounds and communicate with team;
• Manual dexterity for precise adjustments and assembly work;
• Ability to work in hot environments near machine heaters and hydraulic systems;
• Ability to work standing/walking on concrete surfaces for extended periods;
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and on-call as needed.

TOOLS REQUIRED

I also understand the following tools/instruments will be required for this job:

• Hand tools (wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers)
• Power tools (drills, grinders, impact wrenches, saws)
• Multimeter and electrical testing equipment
• Hydraulic pressure gauges and testing equipment
• Temperature measurement devices (infrared thermometer, pyrometer)
• Torque wrenches and precision measurement tools (calipers, micrometers)
• Laptop/Computer for PLC programming and machine diagnostics
• NetSuite for work order management and Upkeep for parts ordering
• Technical manuals, wiring diagrams, and hydraulic schematics
• Lockout/Tagout devices and safety equipment
• Material handling equipment (pallet jack, forklift, hoist)
• Welding equipment (as qualified)
• Company-issued cell phone for emergency communication