Mechanical Planner

Job Summary

The Mechanical Planner is responsible for planning, coordinating, and preparing mechanical maintenance work to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution of maintenance activities in an industrial environment. This role develops detailed job plans, coordinates materials and labor resources, and works closely with operations, maintenance teams, and contractors to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Planning

• Develop detailed work plans for mechanical maintenance activities including repairs, preventative maintenance, and equipment replacements.
• Review work requests and convert approved requests into executable job plans.
• Define labor requirements, tools, materials, permits, and equipment needed for each job.
• Create job packages that include:
• Scope of work
• Procedures
• Drawings
• Safety requirements
• Parts lists

Equipment Planning

Plan maintenance activities for equipment such as:

• Pumps
• Compressors
• Motors
• Heat exchangers
• Valves
• Piping systems
• Conveyors
• Rotating equipment
• Boilers and pressure vessels

Scheduling & Coordination

• Coordinate with operations to schedule maintenance activities.
• Support weekly scheduling meetings and outage planning.
• Assist with turnaround/shutdown planning activities.
• Coordinate contractor resources when required.

Material & Inventory Coordination

• Identify required parts and materials for planned work.
• Coordinate with warehouse and procurement teams to ensure materials are available before scheduled work begins.
• Track critical spare parts and inventory levels.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all job plans include applicable safety procedures:
• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
• Confined space requirements
• Hot work permits
• Support compliance with OSHA and site-specific safety requirements.

Documentation & Systems Management

• Maintain accurate maintenance records and planning documentation.
• Update CMMS systems such as:
• SAP
• IBM Maximo
• Track backlog work orders and planning metrics.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve maintenance efficiency and reduce downtime.
• Analyze recurring equipment failures and recommend improvements.
• Support reliability initiatives and root cause analysis efforts.

Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or GED required
• Technical degree or trade certification preferred
• Mechanical engineering degree preferred (depending on employer)

Experience

• 5+ years of mechanical maintenance experience in:
• Refineries
• Petrochemical plants
• Manufacturing facilities
• Power plants
• Food Manufacturing
• Heavy industrial environments
• Prior planning experience preferred.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong understanding of mechanical systems and rotating equipment
• Ability to read:
• P&IDs
• Isometric drawings
• Mechanical drawings
• Strong organizational and scheduling skills
• CMMS experience
• Strong communication skills

Preferred Certifications

• API certifications (if applicable)
• NCCER Mechanical certifications
• OSHA 30
• TWIC Card (for refinery access)

Work Environment

• Industrial plant/refinery/manufacturing environment
• Combination of field and office responsibilities
• May require outage, turnaround, or emergency maintenance support