Automation Maintenance Lead – Allen-Bradley / Siemens PLCs & VFDs

Sora Resource Group; Brown Deer (WI); On-site; USD 43,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Sora Resource Group is seeking an Automation Maintenance Lead for a premier Greater Milwaukee manufacturing facility. You will own real-time diagnostics, troubleshoot Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLCs, and supervise high-speed automation lines in a high-autonomy, zero-layoff environment.

We offer a 3-shift structure, competitive hourly pay up to $38 with bonuses, profit sharing, and full corporate benefits. This role requires hands-on expertise and a local 45-minute commute.

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on maintenance of high-speed production machinery or heavy industrial equipment.
• Automation & PLC diagnostic skills in real-world environments.
• Schematic and electrical literacy for reading blueprints and diagrams.
• Proven tenure and reliability with strong attendance and safety record.
• Residence within 45-minute drive of Greater Milwaukee, WI.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose automated production lines with real-time mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic diagnostics.
• Interface with Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLCs to trace faults and clear stoppages.
• Trace schematics and drawings for emergency repairs and preventative maintenance sequences.
• Maintain fluid power systems, including pneumatic valves and distribution lines.
• Service AC/DC drives and power distribution up to 480V, including VFDs and low-voltage control circuits.
• Perform light fabrication (welding/torching) to modify or repair equipment.

Skills

Industrial maintenance

PLC diagnostics

Schematic reading

Electrical literacy

Local commute

Compliance & legal authorization

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLC

Siemens PLC

VFDs

Job description

Automation Maintenance Lead – Allen-Bradley / Siemens PLCs & VFDs

Up to $38.00/hr + Shift Differentials & Bonuses Greater Milwaukee, WI All Shifts Available Direct-Hire

• Pay & Incentives: Baseline starting pay up to $38.00/hour (scaling directly with technical depth) + competitive shift differentials, multiple corporate performance bonuses throughout the year, profit sharing, and full corporate benefits package.
• Work Pattern/Schedule: Choice of traditional shifts (Monday – Friday): 1st Shift (7:00 AM – 3:00 PM), 2nd Shift (3:00 PM – 11:00 PM), or 3rd Shift (11:00 PM – 7:00 AM).
• Environment & Company Profile: Direct-hire seat with an established market leader in Greater Milwaukee; high-tech, collaborative facility featuring a high-autonomy, non-micromanaged shop floor culture, exceptional employee appreciation, and a zero-layoff history.
• Core Functional Scope: Real-time mechanical/electrical/pneumatic diagnostics, Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLC fault-tracing, robotics, AC/DC electrical up to 480V, VFDs, pneumatics, and schematic/ladder logic tracing.
• Strict Requirements & Authorization: Requires 3+ years of hands‑on industrial equipment maintenance, US work authorization (U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder), and a local commute within 45 minutes of Greater Milwaukee, WI.

If you are an industrial maintenance professional looking for a stable, high-autonomy career home where your trade skills are respected and micromanagement is left at the door, this is your ideal destination. Operating out of a premier manufacturing facility in the Greater Milwaukee area, this market leader has built a reputation for being genuinely employee-friendly, collaborative, and financially rock-solid.

This role provides a rare opportunity to secure the exact work schedule that fits your life, with openings actively available across all three traditional Monday-through-Friday shifts. You won't just be swapping parts; you will take true technical ownership of complex automation lines, advanced robotic cells, and high-speed processing machinery. Backed by regular profit sharing, performance bonuses, and a history of zero layoffs, this is an environment where technicians regularly plant roots and stay for decades.

What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)

• Diagnose Automated Production Lines: Execute real-time mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic diagnostics to keep automated machinery, processing lines, and robotic cells running at peak efficiency.
• Navigate PLC Logic & Controls: Interface directly with Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLCs to trace input/output faults, isolate software/hardware errors, and clear production line stoppages.
• Trace Schematics & Drawings: Utilize complex electrical blueprints, ladder logic, and mechanical drawings to perform emergency breakdown repairs and structured preventative maintenance sequences.
• Maintain Fluid Power Systems: Service, rebuild, and optimize heavy‑duty pneumatic valves, cylinders, regulators, and distribution lines.
• Service AC/DC Drives & Power Distribution: Work safely with industrial power systems up to 480V, electric motors, variable frequency drives (VFDs), sensors, and low-voltage control circuits.
• Execute Machinery Fabrication: Perform light structural welding, torching, and metal fabrication to adapt, modify, or repair production equipment components.

What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)

• 3+ Years Industrial Maintenance Depth: Verifiable hands‑on track record servicing and repairing high-speed production machinery, custom automation, or heavy industrial equipment.
• Automation & PLC Diagnostic Skills: Demonstrated familiarity working around automated equipment, including basic navigation, I/O monitoring, and error tracing in PLC environments.
• Schematic & Electrical Literacy: Proficiency reading electrical schematics, mechanical blueprints, and hydraulic/pneumatic fluid power diagrams without hand-holding.
• Proven Tenure & Reliability: Solid, stable work history showing strong daily attendance, safety dedication, and long-term commitment with previous employers.
• Local Commute: Residence within a comfortable 45‑minute daily drive of the Greater Milwaukee, WI area.
• Compliance & Legal Authorization: Must be a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder).

Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)

• Industrial Robotics: Hands‑on experience with FANUC, ABB, or Yaskawa robotic arms, teach pendants, or end‑of‑arm tooling (EOAT).
• Fabrication & Welding: Welding certifications or strong proficiency in MIG/TIG welding for shop equipment modifications.
• Predictive Maintenance: Exposure to thermal imaging, vibration analysis, or computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS).