Area Maintenance Technician

Job Description:
Role: Maintenance Shift Technician
Shift: Days and or Nights
Location: Fort Smith, Arkansas
Company: Mars Pet Nutrition
Purpose of Role:
The Shift Technician is responsible for the efficient, safe and reliable operating condition of complex process and high-speed food processing equipment. The Shift Technician must be multi-crafted (mechanical/electrical) and mainly focused on providing equipment troubleshooting and breakdown maintenance. As troubleshooting requirements are accomplished, the Shift Technician will change focus toward preventive maintenance activities as assigned by the day-based System Maintenance Technician thru planned work orders. They must systematically repair, adjust and maintain processing, filling, conveying, and packaging machinery as assigned using established maintenance reliability practices, consistent observation, repair, and follow-up of operational effectiveness. Other duties include participating in continuous improvement teams, working on new project activities and continuous training.
Principal Accountabilities:

• Maintain, troubleshoot, test, modify, and program automated, electromechanical equipment to include:
  • Refrigeration systems
  • Meat processing equipment
  • Dry product handling and conveying systems
  • Pressurized fluid systems
  • Raw product material handling
  • Mixers and vessels
  • Flexible filling and sealing equipment
  • Batch retort steam pressure-cooking vessels
  • Robotic packaging and cassette handling cells
  • Packaging printing, labeling, and conveying systems
  • Case packers and palletizing equipment
• Apply engineering principals with mechanical and electrical knowledge to eliminate production problems and improve efficiency and reliability
• Develop, track, and communicate maintenance specific metrics to identify reduce and eliminate recurring issues on equipment and improve system reliability.
• Apply predictive maintenance technologies and condition-based monitoring to equipment (oil analysis, vibration analysis, motor circuit analysis).
• Participation in continuous improvement activities (Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen).
• Perform Root Cause Failure Analysis on major unplanned breakdowns and recurring problems.
• Develop and implement Preventive Maintenance Procedures for each equipment item.
• Maintain equipment and assembly drawings and schematics, document maintenance activities, and maintain historic records.
• Design, implementation and completion of reliability and cost reduction projects on equipment.
• Provide design input and maintenance support to engineering on major project concept, implementation, commission, validation and start-up
• Be the system expert and a resource for knowledge in operation, controls, set-up, and complex maintenance procedures.
• Provide equipment specific training to shift maintenance and operations associates to assure compliance with assembly, operating and safety procedures.
• Procure and maintain replacement parts inventory for assigned equipment
• Rebuild and restock spare parts assemblies for equipment or systems
• Manage personal work schedule and planned work orders to maintain system reliability and optimize run time.
• This position and all site associates are responsible for quality and food safety.

Mission Critical Competencies:

• Knowledge of electrical systems including single and 3-phase controls and distribution systems 600 Volts AC and less.
• Maintain and troubleshoot AC and DC variable speed and servo controls in processing, filling, robotics, thermal processing, and packaging systems.
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and modify close-tolerance mechanical systems, mechanically timed equipment, hydraulic and pneumatic controlled and powered systems and components.
• Interpret Blueprints, perform machining to include Mill and Lathe, metal fabrication and repair using mechanical forming equipment and MIG, TIG and Stick welding skills.
• Management of area assets, equipment maintenance schedules, improvement projects, downtime personnel and resources, and equipment historical data.

Key Functional Skills/Knowledge

• Precision instrumentation, repair and calibration (flow meters, pressure transducers, capacitance, inductance and ultra-sonic sensors, vision systems, temperature controls, microwave position sensors, digital/analog devices, Dolphin and AMS software)
• Programmable Logic Controller, troubleshooting, repair and adjustment (Allen Bradley)
• Hydraulic and pneumatic control and powered systems
• Robotics operation, repair, and programming
• Machining, mill and lathe
• Steel fabrication and repair
• Mechanical maintenance
• Welding (MIG, TIG and stick)
• Blueprint reading
• Thermal processing instruments and controls
• Proper use of hand and power tools
• Food Manufacturing experience and knowledge of food safety
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices

Desired Skills

• Electrical/Electronics-install and repair (some explosion proof environments)
• Single and 3-phase powered equipment (troubleshoot, test, and repair)
• AC and DC control systems (troubleshoot, test, and repair)
• AC variable speed and servo drives (troubleshoot, replace, program)
• Fiber optic devices and cabling (repair, replace, set-up)
• Operate electronic test equipment (multi-meter, meg-ohm meter, amp probe, Hart Communicator, oscilloscope, power analyzer)

Key Experiences

• 5+ years experience maintaining mechanical systems on complex process and/or high-speed production equipment.
• Demonstrated experience troubleshooting, testing, and repairing instrumentation devices.
• Welding
• Machining
• Mechanical maintenance

Desired Education

• HS Diploma or equivalent
• Associates degree or equivalent in mechanical or electro-mechanical engineering
• Technical training from an accredited school and/or military experience in related fields
• Electrical safe work practices
• Confined space entry
• Working at heights
• Forklift operation
• FDA Better Process Control certification
• Filling, seaming, packaging and labeling equipment maintenance training

#MaintenanceTech
What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.