Production Maintenance Technician

Production Maintenance Technician
Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair thermoforming machines used to manufacture plastic food containers.
Perform scheduled preventive maintenance on production machinery, auxiliary equipment, and related manufacturing systems.
Respond promptly to equipment breakdowns and production maintenance requests to minimize downtime.

Job description
Client is seeking an experienced Maintenance Mechanic / Technician with hands-on thermoforming experience to support the maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and optimization of production equipment used to manufacture plastic food containers.

The ideal candidate will have a strong mechanical and technical background in industrial manufacturing, particularly thermoforming machinery, plastic processing equipment, heating systems, molds, pneumatic systems, and production line troubleshooting.

This is a hands-on position requiring the ability to diagnose equipment failures, perform preventive maintenance, minimize unplanned downtime, and keep production machinery operating safely and efficiently.

Candidates must have practical experience maintaining or repairing thermoforming equipment. Experience in plastic food packaging, disposable food containers, or similar plastics manufacturing operations is strongly preferred.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Thermoforming Equipment Maintenance

• Troubleshoot, maintain, and repair thermoforming machines used to manufacture plastic food containers.

• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and heating-related equipment problems within the employee's training and authorization.

• Troubleshoot heating elements, temperature controls, forming stations, cutting systems, molds, vacuum systems, and compressed-air systems.

• Assist with mold changes, machine setup, equipment adjustments, and production changeovers.

• Identify recurring equipment failures and implement corrective actions to improve reliability.

• Support proper machine operation to maintain consistent production quality and minimize downtime.

2. Preventive and Corrective Maintenance

• Perform scheduled preventive maintenance on production machinery, auxiliary equipment, conveyors, and related manufacturing systems.

• Inspect equipment for wear, damage, leaks, overheating, vibration, and other signs of potential failure.

• Respond promptly to equipment breakdowns and production maintenance requests.

• Replace worn or damaged mechanical components, bearings, belts, motors, sensors, valves, and other parts as qualified.

• Maintain maintenance logs, work orders, repair records, and preventive maintenance schedules.

• Recommend equipment improvements to reduce downtime and extend machinery service life.

3. Mechanical and Technical Troubleshooting

• Troubleshoot mechanical assemblies, motors, gearboxes, drives, pneumatic cylinders, pumps, and related components.

• Read and interpret equipment manuals, mechanical drawings, schematics, and technical documentation.

• Use appropriate diagnostic tools to identify equipment problems and verify repairs.

• Coordinate with production personnel to identify the root cause of machine failures and recurring operational issues.

• Escalate complex electrical, controls, or other specialized repairs when they exceed the technician's qualifications or authorization.

4. Production Support and Equipment Reliability

• Work directly with production operators and supervisors to resolve equipment issues and minimize production interruptions.

• Respond to maintenance calls based on urgency, safety risk, and production impact.

• Assist with machine startup, shutdown, setup, and changeover activities as required.

• Support equipment trials, process adjustments, and continuous improvement projects.

• Maintain equipment in a condition that supports consistent output, product quality, and safe operation.

5. Food Packaging Quality and Safety

• Follow all company safety procedures, machine-specific requirements, and applicable lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures.

• Never bypass machine guards, interlocks, or other safety devices.

• Maintain appropriate cleanliness and housekeeping when working on equipment used to manufacture food-contact packaging.

• Protect product-contact surfaces and production materials from grease, oil, metal fragments, tools, and other potential contaminants.

• Follow applicable sanitation, maintenance, and foreign-material prevention procedures.

• Report unsafe conditions, equipment defects, and potential product contamination immediately.

6. Maintenance Documentation and Parts Control

• Complete maintenance work orders and document repairs accurately.

• Track replacement parts and communicate spare-parts needs to management.

• Assist with maintaining an organized maintenance shop and inventory of critical components.

• Provide updates on equipment status, outstanding repairs, and maintenance concerns.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Proven experience as an industrial maintenance mechanic, maintenance technician, or equivalent in a manufacturing environment.

• Hands-on experience maintaining, troubleshooting, or repairing thermoforming machinery is required.

• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and repair skills.

• Working knowledge of pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, motors, drives, bearings, gearboxes, and industrial machinery.

• Familiarity with heating systems, temperature controls, vacuum systems, and cutting or forming equipment.

• Ability to use hand tools, power tools, measuring instruments, and appropriate diagnostic equipment.

• Ability to read equipment manuals, technical drawings, and mechanical schematics.

• Knowledge of preventive maintenance practices and equipment reliability.

• Understanding of industrial safety practices, including LOTO.

• Ability to work independently, prioritize urgent repairs, and collaborate with production teams.

• Strong attendance, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience manufacturing plastic food containers, disposable cups, bowls, trays, lids, or similar packaging products.

• Experience with sheet-fed or roll-fed thermoforming equipment.

• Familiarity with mold installation, changeovers, forming temperatures, vacuum pressure, cooling systems, and trimming equipment.

• Experience with PLC-controlled machinery and industrial sensors.

• Basic electrical troubleshooting skills within appropriate training and authorization.

• Technical training, vocational education, or an industrial maintenance certification.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work in an active plastic food packaging manufacturing facility.
Regularly walk throughout production and maintenance areas.
Stand, bend, kneel, reach, and work around industrial equipment as needed.
Lift and handle tools, parts, and materials within applicable safety requirements.
Work around operating machinery, heat, noise, and other normal manufacturing conditions while wearing required PPE.
Follow all applicable safety, hygiene, and food-contact packaging requirements.