Dairy Plant Maintenance Engineer – Reliability & Safety

Synlait; Dunsandel; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Matua parental leave

B Corp certification

Social Club

Job summary

Synlait is seeking a skilled Maintenance Engineer to join our Central engineering team in Dunsandel, Canterbury. This hands-on role keeps our dairy processing plant and equipment running safely and efficiently, with a strong focus on preventative maintenance and rapid fault fixing.

You will work with production and quality teams, applying root-cause analysis and continuous improvement to minimise downtime and uphold health, safety and food safety standards.

Qualifications

• Trade qualification, minimum level 4 as a Mechanical Fitter or equivalent.
• Experience in dairy, food manufacturing, or processing environments is advantageous.
• Strong mechanical fault-finding and diagnostic skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene standards, and quality systems.
• Flexibility to work day and night shifts.

Responsibilities

• Carry out planned preventative maintenance across dairy processing and plant equipment.
• Diagnose and repair mechanical faults quickly to minimise production downtime.
• Troubleshoot breakdowns and resolve issues both independently and as part of the engineering team.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across plant reliability and performance.
• Ensure all maintenance work complies with health & safety and food safety standards.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and documentation.
• Work closely with production, quality, and engineering teams to support smooth plant operations.
• Participate in root cause analysis and problem-solving to prevent recurring issues.

Education

Trade qualification (Mechanical Fitter)

Job description

Synlait is seeking a skilled Maintenance Engineer to join our Central engineering team in Dunsandel, Canterbury. This hands-on role keeps our dairy processing plant and equipment running safely and efficiently, with a strong focus on preventative maintenance and rapid fault fixing.

You will work with production and quality teams, applying root-cause analysis and continuous improvement to minimise downtime and uphold health, safety and food safety standards.