Maintenance Group Lead: Uptime, Safety & Tech Excellence

Slate Auto LLC; Warsaw (IN); On-site; USD 108,877 - 163,316; Full time

Job summary

Slate Auto LLC is seeking an experienced and hands-on Maintenance Group Leader to oversee all aspects of our coatings operations, including thin film and electrocoat systems, conveyors, sealer systems, robotics, and vision systems. This role sets safety, efficiency, and reliability standards across equipment, machinery, and facility systems.

You will lead a skilled maintenance team to maximize production uptime, partner with production and engineering to minimize downtime, and drive continuous

Qualifications

• 8+ years of industrial maintenance with 2+ years in a supervisory or lead role.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (preferred) or relevant experience.
• Hands-on proficiency with conveyors, bearings, seals, shafts, hydraulics, pneumatics, and pipefitting.
• Proficiency in PLC systems, robotics, and electrical troubleshooting.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and technical manuals.
• Proven ability to coach, schedule, and manage multi-skilled trades teams.
• Knowledge of TPM, Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and CI practices with measurable impact on MTBF/MTTR.
• Experience in vendor management, budgeting, and capital improvement projects.
• Safety-focused, results-driven, and committed to operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead a maintenance team to support production uptime and equipment reliability.
• Partner with production, engineering, and plant leadership to minimize downtime and drive performance.
• Champion a culture of safety, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
• Supervise, coach, and develop a team of maintenance technicians, setting expectations and ensuring adherence to safe work practices (LOTO, PPE, SOPs).
• Plan, execute, and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Troubleshoot and repair systems including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, PLCs, robotics, and vision systems.
• Coordinate and oversee contractors, vendors, and capital project work to ensure safety, quality, and performance standards.
• Partner with Production to minimize downtime, lead root‑cause analysis (RCA), and implement corrective actions.
• Manage spare parts inventory, reorder points, and cost controls; recommend critical spares.
• Lead installations, rigging, alignments, rebuilds, and equipment upgrades.
• Review blueprints, schematics, and technical drawings to support repair and project work.
• Ensure accurate documentation of work orders, PMs, and downtime events; report on KPIs (MTBF, MTTR, backlog).
• Oversee vendor quotes, scheduling, quality checks, and contractor safety compliance.
• Drive housekeeping, 5S standards, and safety culture across the shop.
• Advise leadership on long‑term equipment reliability, capital investment, and facility upgrades.

Skills

Leadership

Maintenance

TPM/Lean

PLC/Robotics

Troubleshooting

Vendor management

Budgeting

Mentoring

Safety culture

Education

Bachelor's in Engineering

Job description

Slate Auto LLC is seeking an experienced and hands-on Maintenance Group Leader to oversee all aspects of our coatings operations, including thin film and electrocoat systems, conveyors, sealer systems, robotics, and vision systems. This role sets safety, efficiency, and reliability standards across equipment, machinery, and facility systems.

You will lead a skilled maintenance team to maximize production uptime, partner with production and engineering to minimize downtime, and drive continuous