Mechanical Fitter – Plant Operations & Quality Lead

Elecsome Pty Ltd; Kilmany; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership role

Solar PV recovery

Career growth

Scale-up plant

Competitive pay

Collaborative team

Circular economy impact

Job summary

ElecSome is transforming end-of-life solar PV panels at the Kilmany facility in Victoria. We seek a hands-on Mechanical Fitter & Plant Operations Lead to keep the plant running safely and reliably while growing into broader production, quality, and operational leadership roles.

The role involves proactive maintenance, equipment upgrades, SOP development and cross-functional collaboration to scale our circular economy process.

Qualifications

• Mechanical trade qualification or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience maintaining industrial processing, manufacturing, recycling, mining or similar equipment.
• Strong fault-finding and preventative maintenance capability.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings and equipment manuals.
• Experience supervising operators, contractors or small teams.

Responsibilities

• Carry out preventative, corrective and breakdown maintenance across the processing plant.
• Maintain conveyors, crushers, screens, feeders, separation equipment, motors, bearings, gearboxes and other mechanical systems.
• Identify mechanical issues early and minimize unplanned plant downtime.
• Support equipment installation, commissioning, modification and continuous improvement.
• Maintain maintenance schedules, records and spare-parts requirements.
• Work with external contractors and equipment suppliers when required.

Skills

Mechanical trade

Fault-finding

Maintenance planning

People supervision

Education

Mechanical trade qualification

Tools

Conveyors

Crushers

Screens

Bearings

Gearboxes

Hydraulics

Pneumatic systems

Job description

Mechanical Fitter – Plant Operations & Quality Lead

Position: Mechanical Fitter & Plant Operations Lead –

ElecSome Kilmany Facility

Location: Kilmany, Victoria

ElecSome is leading the way in circular economy innovation, transforming end-of-life solar PV panels into valuable resources. Our Australian-developed technology recovers valuable materials including glass, aluminium, copper, silicon and silver, creating a higher-value pathway for solar panel waste.

We are now seeking a hands‑on Mechanical Fitter & Plant Operations Lead to join our Kilmany facility. This is an important role for someone who is technically strong, practical and wants to grow into a broader plant management position as we scale our operations.

You will be responsible for keeping the plant running safely and reliably, while progressively taking greater responsibility for production, quality, maintenance, people and operational planning.

Key Responsibilities

Mechanical & Maintenance

• Carry out preventative, corrective and breakdown maintenance across the processing plant.
• Maintain conveyors, crushers, screens, feeders, separation equipment, motors, bearings, gearboxes and other mechanical systems.
• Identify mechanical issues early and minimize unplanned plant downtime.
• Support equipment installation, commissioning, modification and continuous improvement.
• Maintain maintenance schedules, records and spare‑parts requirements.
• Work with external contractors and equipment suppliers when required.

Plant Operations

• Support and progressively take ownership of day‑to‑day plant operations.
• Ensure the facility operates safely, efficiently and consistently to production requirements.
• Monitor throughput, equipment performance, recovery rates and downtime.
• Support production planning to ensure customer supply commitments are achieved.
• Develop and improve SOPs, operating procedures and maintenance systems.
• Help establish reliable processes for continuous, repeatable plant operation as ElecSome scales.

Quality & Material Recovery

• Monitor the quality and consistency of recovered glass, aluminium, copper, silicon and silver streams.
• Identify contamination, process variations and equipment issues affecting product quality.
• Maintain production and quality records.
• Work with the R&D and operations teams to optimise recovery rates and product quality.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across the plant.

Team & Operational Leadership

• Work closely with operators and contractors and provide practical day‑to‑day leadership.
• Assist with training operators in safe and efficient plant operation.
• Help build a culture of safety, accountability, ownership and continuous improvement.
• Progressively take responsibility for production planning, shift coordination and operational reporting.
• Support the Plant Manager in scaling the facility and building a capable operational team.

Safety, Compliance & Sustainability

• Ensure maintenance and operational activities comply with WHS requirements.
• Follow and enforce isolation, lock‑out/tag‑out and safe work procedures.
• Support environmental and regulatory compliance.
• Maintain a strong focus on resource recovery and maximising the value recovered from every solar PV panel processed.

About You

We are looking for someone who is more than a traditional mechanical fitter.

You may be a Mechanical Fitter, Maintenance Fitter, Leading Hand or technically strong tradesperson who has started taking responsibility for people, production or plant operations.

You will ideally have:

• Mechanical trade qualification or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience maintaining industrial processing, manufacturing, recycling, mining, quarrying or similar equipment.
• Strong mechanical fault‑finding and preventative maintenance capability.
• Experience with conveyors, crushers, screens, bearings, gearboxes, hydraulics and pneumatic systems.
• Ability to read mechanical drawings and equipment manuals.
• Strong practical problem‑solving skills and a "fix it and improve it" mindset.
• Some experience supervising operators, contractors or small teams.
• Understanding of production KPIs, maintenance planning and quality control.
• Strong safety awareness and commitment to safe work practices.
• Good communication and organisational skills.
• Ability and willingness to work hands‑on in a growing processing facility.

Highly Desirable

• Experience in recycling, resource recovery, waste, manufacturing, mining or materials processing.
• Welding and fabrication skills.
• Experience commissioning or modifying industrial equipment.
• Experience developing SOPs and maintenance systems.
• Forklift, EWP or other relevant plant tickets.
• Experience working in a start‑up or rapidly scaling industrial operation.

The Opportunity

This is not a role where you will simply maintain equipment and go home.

You will have the opportunity to grow with the plant and progressively take responsibility for mechanical maintenance, production, quality, operators and operational performance.

As ElecSome moves from pilot operations towards continuous commercial production and larger processing capacity, this role can develop into a senior operational leadership position.

We are looking for someone who wants to be part of building the plant, solving problems, improving processes and helping establish a reliable operation capable of processing consistently and supplying customers at scale.

What We Offer

• A hands‑on leadership opportunity in a pioneering Australian Cleantech company.
• The opportunity to work with innovative solar PV recovery technology.
• A genuine pathway into broader Plant Management and Operations leadership.
• The opportunity to help build and scale a new industrial operation.
• Competitive salary and performance incentives.
• A practical, collaborative and entrepreneurial working environment.
• The opportunity to contribute to Australia's circular economy and renewable energy future.

Ready to help build and scale Australia's next‑generation solar resource recovery facility?

ElecSome is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.