1st Shift - Industrial Maintenance Technician - Reno, NV

Nordic Cold Chain; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 34,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Nordic Cold Chain in Reno, NV is seeking a skilled maintenance technician to keep production safe and reliable. You will perform preventive maintenance, troubleshoot complex mechanical and electrical faults, and support packaging and conveyor systems in a cold-storage environment.

You'll coordinate with the Plant Manager and Engineer to prioritize daily work, document actions in the CMMS, and mentor operators in routine equipment care to prevent unplanned downtime. Shift is 1st, M-Th 5am–3:30pm.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; 3+ years maintenance experience preferred.
• Practical mechanical and electrical troubleshooting; reading schematics.
• Experience with automated manufacturing machinery: motors, drives, sensors, pneumatics.
• Distinguish faults from setup/process problems; verify root cause.
• Basic computer and CMMS skills; reliable attendance; teamwork.
• Second shift: ability to troubleshoot independently with limited on-site help.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose and repair mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic faults using schematics and OEM manuals.
• Maintain packaging, sealing, and cutting systems, conveyors, and drives.
• Troubleshoot motor circuits, relays, sensors, VFDs, PLC I/O, and HMIs; support 480V equipment within scope.
• Maintain automated freezer handling equipment; coordinate with service providers.
• Execute scheduled inspections, lubrication, calibration, and preventive maintenance; identify deterioration and propose corrective work.
• Document work orders, failure causes, corrective actions, parts usage, and labor in CMMS.

Skills

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical troubleshooting

Hydraulic & Pneumatic

Reading schematics

Preventive maintenance

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

CMMS

Electrical diagnostic tools

VFD knowledge

PLC troubleshooting tools

Job description

Position overview

Maintain safe, reliable production through preventive maintenance, systematic troubleshooting, and durable repairs. Support Matrix and All Fill vertical form fill seal equipment, roll stock horizontal form fill seal equipment used to manufacture brick products, and related mixing, pumping, conveying, and automated freezer handling systems.

Reports directly to the Director of Engineering, with a strong dotted line to the local Plant Manager. The Director of Engineering provides technical direction, maintenance standards, and performance oversight. Coordinate daily priorities and production support with the Plant Manager; escape conflicting priorities promptly.

Core responsibilities

• Diagnose and repair mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and applicable hydraulic faults using schematics, OEM manuals, measurements, and a logical troubleshooting process.


• Maintain packaging film tracking, registration, sealing and cutting systems, machine timing, heaters, thermocouples, temperature controls, pumps, valves, bearings, belts, chains, gearboxes, and drives.


• Troubleshoot single-phase and three-phase motor circuits, control wiring, relays, contactors, sensors, VFDs, PLC inputs and outputs, and HMI alarms. Support 480V equipment only within demonstrated qualification and company authorization.


• Maintain automated freezer handling equipment, including conveyors, tower drives, actuators, sensors, and safety interlocks. Coordinate specialized refrigeration work with qualified service providers.


• Execute scheduled inspections, lubrication, calibrations, and preventive maintenance. Identify deteriorating conditions and recommend corrective work before failures occur.


• Investigate recurring failures and verify repairs restore safe operation, product quality, and established production speeds.


• Document work orders, failure causes, corrective actions, parts usage, and labor time in the CMMS. Flag critical spare-parts shortages and support reliability improvements.


• Coach operators in approved routine equipment care and early identification of abnormal conditions.

Safety and work practices

• Apply lockout/tagout and verify isolation of applicable electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, gravity, and stored-energy hazards before servicing.


• Follow guarding, electrical safety, PPE, work-at-height, hot-work, and confined-space procedures where applicable. Never bypass guards or interlocks to maintain production.


• Stop and upscale work that exceeds personal qualification, requires unavailable qualified assistance, or cannot be completed safely.


• Verify guards and safety devices are restored and coordinate a controlled return to service after maintenance.

Requirements

Required qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; demonstrated industrial production-equipment maintenance capability. Three or more years of relevant experience preferred; equivalent technical training and hands‑on capability considered.


• Practical mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills, including reading schematics and safely using appropriate diagnostic instruments.


• Experience maintaining automated manufacturing machinery, including motors, drives, sensors, and pneumatic systems.


• Ability to distinguish equipment faults from setup, material, or process problems and verify the underlying cause.


• Basic computer and CMMS skills, dependable attendance, clear communication, and effective collaboration with production teams.


• For second shift: Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot independently, manage competing breakdowns, and make sound repair‑versus‑escalation decisions without another maintenance technician on site.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with VFFS or HFFS packaging equipment; Matrix, All Fill, or comparable automated packaging systems. Exact‑brand experience is preferred, not required.


• Industrial electrical or controls troubleshooting, including tracing PLC inputs and outputs or reading ladder logic for diagnosis. Advanced PLC programming is not a core requirement.


• Industrial refrigeration or HVAC‑R experience, particularly low‑temperature production systems. These are industrial maintenance positions; HVAC‑R certification is not required for selection.


• Technical diploma, industrial maintenance certificate, or relevant trade apprenticeship; experience with root‑cause analysis and preventive maintenance improvement.

Work environment and physical requirements

Work in a manufacturing environment with moving equipment, noise, and varying temperatures, including cold areas as assigned. Essential tasks may require standing, walking, bending, kneeling, climbing, and safely handling items up to 50 pounds using appropriate assistance or lifting equipment. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodation. Work at heights or in confined spaces only when assigned, trained, and authorized.

1st Shift M-Th 5am - 3:30pm