Lubrication Technician

Packaging Corporation of America; Gladstone (VA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental and vision benefits •

Life, AD&D and disability coverage

Job summary

Packaging Corporation of America is seeking a Lubrication Technician at our Riverville Mill to drive equipment uptime through precision lubrication, contamination control, and proactive condition monitoring. Reporting to the Reliability Team, you will ensure lubrication of rolls, gearboxes, bearings, and other rotating assets.

You will perform oil sampling, route lubrication programs, and update CMMS records.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Must possess or be able to rapidly obtain MLT-1 (Machinery Lubrication Technician) and MLT-2 (Machinery Lubricant Analyst) certifications from ICML.

Responsibilities

• Precision Lubrication: Execute daily, weekly, monthly, and annual outage lubrication routes as scheduled.
• Contamination Control: Manage lubricant storage, handling, and dispensing per ICML and PCA best practices.
• Oil Sampling & Analysis: Pull routine oil samples and prepare for analysis; identify basic causes of wear.
• Condition Monitoring: Conduct inspections including temperature checks and basic vibration screening.
• Program Development: Update lubrication tagging, routes, and CMMS procedures.
• PM Optimization: Adjust lubrication frequencies and volumes based on conditions and history.
• Housekeeping & Safety: Follow safety policies and maintain 5S standards.

Skills

Industrial maintenance experience

Mechanical aptitude

Data logging

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

MLT-1 certification

MLT-2 certification

Job description

As a Fortune 500 company, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is an ideas and solutions company. Our corrugated packaging business seeks to be the leader in helping our customers — large and small — package, transport and display products of all kinds. Our white paper business delivers Paper With Purpose by providing the highest level of customer service and operational excellence. We have approximately 15,000 team members in more than 100 locations in the United States that strive to meet the local needs of our customers. Our mission is to serve the needs of our customers, today and tomorrow, with products and services that exceed expectations for performance and environmental responsibility.

People Customers Trust

Position Summary

The Lubrication Technician will drive equipment uptime and reliability at the Riverville Mill through precision lubrication, contamination control, and proactive condition monitoring. Reporting directly to the Reliability Team, the Lube Tech ensures that all rotating equipment, rolls, machinery, gearboxes, and bearings receive the precise type, amount, and frequency of lubrication required to optimize equipment life in a heavy-duty continuous manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities:

• Precision Lubrication: Execute daily, weekly, monthly, and annual outage lubrication routes as scheduled. Ensure absolute accuracy in oil and grease application to prevent over-greasing and bearing starvation.
• Contamination Control: Manage lubricant storage, handling, and dispensing according to ICML (International Council for Machinery Lubrication) and PCA best practices. Maintain absolute cleanliness of transfer carts, filter carts, and top-up containers.
• Oil Sampling & Analysis: Pull routine oil samples from critical assets, properly label them, and prepare them for analysis. Interpret basic results and assist in identifying root causes of lubricant degradation or wear.
• Condition Monitoring: Conduct primary equipment inspections, including visual checks, temperature assessments, and basic vibration screening during routes to identify early signs of equipment failure.
• Program Development: Continuously update machine-specific lubrication tagging, routes, and procedures in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
• PM Optimization: Work closely with mill operations and mechanical maintenance teams to adjust lubrication frequencies and volumes based on operating conditions and equipment history.
• Housekeeping & Safety: Adhere to all mill safety policies (e.g., LOTO, confined space entry, PPE). Maintain top tier 5S standards in all lubrication storage and work areas.

Qualifications:

Education & Certifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Must possess or be able to rapidly obtain MLT-1 (Machinery Lubrication Technician) and MLT-2 (Machinery Lubricant Analyst) certifications from the ICML.

Experience/ Skills:

• Minimum of 2 to 3 years of industrial maintenance, lubrication, or reliability experience—ideally within the paper, packaging, or heavy continuous process manufacturing industries.
• Strong mechanical aptitude, basic computer skills for data logging, and a highly detail-oriented mindset. Must be able to work independently and safely across the vast physical footprint of the Riverville site.

Physical & Work Environment

• Manufacturing environment with exposure to noise, dust, heat, and varying temperatures
• Ability to walk production areas, climb stairs and ladders, and work around operating equipment
• Ability to lift 50 pounds
• On-site role; may require off-hours or weekend support.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Starting salary for position: $31.63 per hour. MLT 1 - $35.33; MLT 2 - $43.58
• Paid Vacation: 2 weeks per calendar year. Pro-rata Vacation during the initial year of hire based upon start date within the calendar year.
• Paid Holidays.
• Within the first 30 days of employment, an employee (and their dependents) is eligible to enroll in certain benefit coverages -- medical, dental, and vision – and are automatically enrolled in life, AD&D, and disability coverages.
• Upon hire, an employee is automatically enrolled in the 401k plan. The plan offers both pre-tax and Roth contribution options along with employer provided matching contributions.
• Disclaimer: The Compensation and Benefits information in this posting represents PCA’s good faith and reasonable estimate of what it may pay for this position. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

PCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer