Maintenance Lead

Aerotek; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 48,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Paid holidays

PTO

Job summary

Aerotek is seeking a Maintenance Lead for 1st shift in Chicago, IL. You will supervise a small maintenance team while actively diagnosing and repairing production equipment to keep lines running at peak performance.

The role requires 5+ years of industrial maintenance, strong mechanical/electrical troubleshooting, and experience with PLCs and CMMS. This is a hands-on leadership position with a clear path to greater responsibility in a GMP, food-manufacturing setting.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of industrial maintenance experience.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.
• Experience replacing motors, drives, bearings, conveyors, and production equipment components.
• Working knowledge of PLCs and electrical controls.
• Experience with CMMS systems and maintenance planning.
• Understanding of GMP environments and food manufacturing standards.
• Leadership experience or a strong desire to move into a lead role.
• Knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, and preventive maintenance programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small maintenance team while remaining hands-on with troubleshooting and repairs.
• Diagnose and resolve mechanical and electrical issues on production equipment.
• Maintain conveyors, ovens, mixers, packaging equipment, motors, drives, and related systems.
• Support equipment reliability through preventive and predictive maintenance.
• Perform basic PLC troubleshooting and assist with controls-related issues.
• Coordinate daily maintenance priorities to minimize downtime and support production goals.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards, including Lockout/Tagout procedures.
• Utilize a CMMS to track work orders, maintenance activities, and equipment history.
• Support facility systems including HVAC, boilers, lighting, and general building maintenance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment performance and efficiency.

Skills

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical troubleshooting

PLCs & electrical controls

Leadership experience

Maintenance planning

GMP knowledge in food manufacturing

Hydraulics & Pneumatics

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Maintenance Lead (1st Shift)

Join a premium food manufacturer known for quality, craftsmanship, and a team-first culture. We're looking for a hands-on Maintenance Lead who enjoys solving problems, keeping equipment running at peak performance, and leading by example. This is an opportunity to step into a visible leadership role where your impact is recognized every day.

What You'll Do

• Lead a small maintenance team while remaining hands-on with troubleshooting and repairs.
• Diagnose and resolve mechanical and electrical issues on production equipment.
• Maintain conveyors, ovens, mixers, packaging equipment, motors, drives, and related systems.
• Support equipment reliability through preventive and predictive maintenance.
• Perform basic PLC troubleshooting and assist with controls-related issues.
• Coordinate daily maintenance priorities to minimize downtime and support production goals.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards, including Lockout/Tagout procedures.
• Utilize a CMMS to track work orders, maintenance activities, and equipment history.
• Support facility systems including HVAC, boilers, lighting, and general building maintenance.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment performance and efficiency.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of industrial maintenance experience.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.
• Experience replacing motors, drives, bearings, conveyors, and production equipment components.
• Working knowledge of PLCs and electrical controls.
• Experience with CMMS systems and maintenance planning.
• Understanding of GMP environments and food manufacturing standards.
• Leadership experience or a strong desire to move into a lead role.
• Knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, and preventive maintenance programs.

Preferred Experience

• Food, beverage, bakery, confectionery, pharmaceutical, or consumer packaged goods manufacturing.
• Previous maintenance lead or supervisor experience.
• Experience supporting facility systems such as HVAC and boilers.

Why You’ll Want This Role

• Stable first-shift schedule with excellent work-life balance.
• Highly visible position with the opportunity to influence operations and equipment performance.
• Strong benefits package, paid holidays, and PTO.
• Supportive leadership and a collaborative team environment.
• Opportunity to grow your leadership skills while remaining hands-on.
• Clean, well-maintained production facility with a strong focus on quality and employee retention.

Schedule

1st Shift | Monday-Friday

Flexible start time between 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Work Environment

You’ll work in a modern food manufacturing facility alongside production and operations teams. This role offers a mix of equipment maintenance, project work, troubleshooting, and team leadership. The environment is fast-paced enough to stay engaged but structured enough to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

If you’re a maintenance professional who enjoys leading from the front, troubleshooting complex equipment, and making a real impact on plant performance, we’d love to talk with you.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Chicago, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $45.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your jobclassification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may besubject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefitsavailable for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & visionCritical Illness, Accident, and Hospital401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions availableLife Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)Short and long-term disabilityHealth Spending Account (HSA)Transportation benefitsEmployee Assistance ProgramTime Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 22, 2026.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.