Lead Maintenance Tech

Aztalan Bio LLC; Jefferson (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Aztalan Bio LLC is seeking a Lead Maintenance Technician to lead the maintenance team on 2nd/3rd shifts, perform advanced maintenance, and guide technicians in troubleshooting production equipment. The role partners with the Maintenance Foreman and Planner to maximize uptime and ensure safe, compliant operations.

Responsibilities include directing daily work, performing preventative and corrective maintenance on pumps, conveyors, heat exchangers, and valves, and documenting all activities in the

Qualifications

• 4+ years of industrial mechanical maintenance experience in manufacturing.
• Experience leading or mentoring maintenance personnel.
• Trade certification or degree preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Welding/fabrication experience and certification where applicable.
• Experience with conveyors, pumps, valves, compressors, gearboxes, and other equipment.
• Ability to read mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic drawings.
• Knowledge of CMMS and MS Office applications.
• Forklift certification or ability to obtain.
• Strong troubleshooting, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and commitment to safety and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Perform preventative, predictive, and corrective maintenance on production and facility equipment.
• Assist in coordinating daily maintenance activities to minimize downtime.
• Provide day-to-day direction and mentorship to maintenance technicians.
• Lead technicians during assigned shifts and troubleshoot complex systems.
• Document work orders, inspections, and equipment history in the CMMS.
• Support plant shutdowns, installations, and process improvements.
• Promote safety policies and lockout/tagout procedures.
• Collaborate with Production, Engineering, contractors, and other departments.

Skills

Industrial maintenance

Leadership

Troubleshooting

CMMS

Reading schematics

Safety awareness

MS Office

Forklift cert

Conveyors

Education

Trade school cert

Tools

CMMS

Job description

The Lead Maintenance Technician is responsible for performing advanced maintenance and repair activities while providing day-to-day leadership and technical guidance to the maintenance team. This position serves as the primary point of contact for technicians during assigned shifts, coordinates daily maintenance activities, assists with work assignments, and ensures maintenance tasks are completed safely, efficiently, and with minimal impact to production. The Lead Maintenance Technician works closely with the Maintenance Foreman, Maintenance Planner, and Production personnel to support equipment reliability, maximize uptime, and maintain a safe working environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform all duties of the Maintenance Technician, including preventative, predictive, and corrective maintenance on production and facility equipment.
• Assist the Maintenance Foreman in coordinating daily maintenance activities to ensure maintenance goals are met and production downtime is minimized.
• Provide day-to-day direction, technical support, and mentorship to maintenance technicians, promoting teamwork and continuous development.
• Assign and prioritize daily work assignments as directed by the Maintenance Foreman, based on employee skills, workload, and production priorities.
• Serve as the lead technician during assigned shifts and assist in troubleshooting complex mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, steam, gas, water, and air system issues.
• Perform immediate analysis of equipment failures and coordinate repairs while ensuring all Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) requirements are followed.
• Assist with planned maintenance activities, plant shutdowns, equipment installations, and process improvements to improve safety, quality, and equipment reliability.
• Troubleshoot, disassemble, repair, and rebuild plant equipment including but not limited to: Pumps, Heat exchangers, Conveyors, slides, and spouts, Vehicles, Grain processing equipment, Agitators, Valves, Blowers, compressors, and fans.
• Make necessary equipment adjustments including alignment, balancing, vibration analysis, and lubrication to maintain process specifications.
• Ensure maintenance work orders, repairs, inspections, and equipment history are accurately documented within the CMMS.
• Participate in the facility’s on-call rotation, serving as a maintenance contact for approximately one week every eight weeks to support operational needs outside of normal working hours.
• Identify maintenance concerns, equipment deficiencies, and opportunities for continuous improvement, communicating recommendations to the Maintenance Foreman and Maintenance Manager.
• Assist in training technicians and operators on maintenance procedures, safe work practices, and basic equipment care.
• Promote and enforce compliance with all company safety policies, lockout/tagout procedures, and housekeeping standards.
• Coordinate with Production, Engineering, contractors, and other departments to support maintenance activities and maximize equipment availability.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area, ensuring tools and equipment remain in good working condition.
• Serve as the acting maintenance lead in the absence of the Maintenance Foreman, escalating personnel or operational issues as appropriate.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years of industrial mechanical maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably chemical or food manufacturing.
• Previous experience providing work direction, mentoring, or informal leadership to maintenance personnel preferred.
• Certification or degree from a trade school preferred; equivalent mechanical maintenance experience considered.
• Welding and fabrication experience and certification (as applicable).
• Experience working with conveyors, pumps, valves, compressors, gearboxes, and other industrial processing equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic drawings and schematics.
• Working knowledge of Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and Microsoft Office applications.
• Forklift certification or ability to obtain certification.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership, teamwork, and decision-making abilities.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment while maintaining attention to detail.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

Noise level in the work environment is moderate. Occasional exposure to high noise levels

Employee may be exposed to work near moving mechanical parts

Occasional exposure to chemicals used in the process

Humid conditions and outdoor weather conditions including extreme heat and cold

Personal Protective Equipment such as safety glasses, steel-toed boots, flame-resistant clothing, and hearing protection will regularly be required (or may be required)

Regularly required to walk, sit, talk, and hear.

The employee is occasionally required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and may occasionally be required to climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and may occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The employee will be required to do some walking/climbing stairs and occasional use of ladders

The employee must be able to climb ladders.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.