Maintenance Manager (Indoor Automated Vertical Farm)

Oishii; Phillipsburg (NJ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, 401(K)

100% Employer Paid Life Insurance + LT

Paid Parental leave, Paid Time Off, -S

Paid Training & 7 Paid Holidays

Office social events

Job summary

Oishii seeks a Maintenance Manager for the 2nd shift to ensure 100% uptime of indoor farming systems. You will lead a team, manage daily maintenance via CMMS, and drive improvements across electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and automation systems in our state-of-the-art facility.

You will collaborate with farm operations, engineering, and plant science to optimize performance, safety, and efficiency while meeting regulatory requirements and project milestones.

Qualifications

• 8 to 10 years of progressive technical maintenance experience in manufacturing, industrial, food production, or commercial environments.
• 5+ years leading maintenance technician teams of 8+ employees and managing critical projects across electrical, plumbing, mechanical, controls, and facility systems.
• Experience with CMMS software, maintenance engineering analytics and reporting.
• OSHA 10/30 certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead all people-management responsibilities, including hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, performance management, and fostering a safety-focused culture.
• Communicate expectations clearly and apply company policies consistently.
• Coordinate and manage daily maintenance operations during Second Shift (Tue–Sat; 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM) using CMMS.
• Develop, implement, and improve maintenance systems and SOPs.
• Oversee equipment repairs, vendor relationships, and contractor support activities.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and safety requirements.
• Respond quickly to maintenance issues and troubleshoot failures.
• Support facility commissioning and documentation of improvement opportunities.

Skills

People management

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Problem-solving under pressure

Prioritization & communication

Education

Bachelor's or Associate's degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing/HVAC engineering

OSHA 10/30 certification

Tools

CMMS

Automation/Controls knowledge

Job description

Job Details: Job Location: Phillipsburg, NJ 08865, Position Type: Full Time, Salary Range: $100,000.00 - $110,000.00 Salary, Travel Percentage: Negligible, Job Shift: Any, Job Category: Production Operations, We grow the world’s BEST Strawberries & that wouldn’t be possible without our Maintenance Team!

As an essential part of the Production Engineering team, Maintenance Manager (2nd Shift) ensures Oishii's innovative indoor vertical farming technologies experience 100% uptime, operate at peak efficiency, and guarantee plant and worker safety. You will be responsible for executing standard operating procedures for systems maintenance and work on broad and diverse plumbing, electrical, mechanical, electro-mechanical and automation systems. You will collaborate cross functionally with farm operations, engineering, and plant science to drive key initiatives in our new state of the art facility.

What you’ll be responsible for:

• Lead all people-management responsibilities, including hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, performance management, employee development, scheduling, attendance/timecard management, conflict resolution, disciplinary actions, and fostering a positive, accountable, safety-focused culture
• Clearly communicate expectations, provide timely feedback, lead difficult conversations, and ensure consistent application of company policies and procedures
• Utilize CMMS to coordinate and manage daily maintenance operations during Second Shift (Tuesday - Saturday; 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM)
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve maintenance systems, operating procedures, and equipment SOPs
• Oversee equipment repairs, vendor relationships, and contractor support activities
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory and safety requirements
• Respond quickly to maintenance issues, troubleshoot system failures, and drive timely resolution
• Support facility commissioning, escalations, and documentation of facility improvement opportunities

Qualifications: Who will love this job: Individuals who identify with our Core Values and exhibit skills within those values will thrive at Oishii.

One Team, One Fight!

• Ability to quickly shift priorities to meet deadlines and effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, clearly, concisely and with purpose at various levels of the organization.
• Ability to work cross functionally at all levels including across locations, and collaborate with a focus on supporting & understanding the evolving business needs of a startup environment.
• Ability to lead through others and develop teams with a diverse level of experience to succeed.

Focus.

• Ability to remove obstacles in order to prioritize which could include problem solving, working through ambiguity and using fact based or sound judgment in the absence of process or policy. We are building it, but need to manage through the process with good judgment and a bias for action.
• Ability to synthesize information quickly to aid in the troubleshooting process.

GSD (Get Sh** Done!)

• Possessing an entrepreneurial mindset with the tenacity to develop ideas, process, and policy and implement them rapidly.
• Capable of prioritizing tasks and considering the resources available when doing so.
• A bias for action! Ability to hold yourself accountable and take ownership of driving results that impact company outcomes.
• Track record of effectively handling complex employee relations issues, and addressing sensitive information and difficult situations with tact, discretion, and confidentiality.

What we’re looking for in a Maintenance Manager:

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree, or equivalent trade/technical training in Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, or HVAC engineering
• 8 to 10 years of progressive technical maintenance experience in manufacturing, industrial, food production, or commercial production environments
• 5+ years leading maintenance technician teams of 8+ employees and managing critical projects across electrical, plumbing, mechanical, controls, and facility systems
• Experience with CMMS software, maintenance engineering analytics and reporting
• OSHA 10/30 certification preferred

Shift/schedule: Tuesday-Saturday (2pm - 11pm)

Available on at least 1 weekend day per week

Ability to lift up to 30 lbs

Hand dexterity and ability to climb a ladder, crouch or kneel, reach and stretch

Comfortable in an active non sedentary role for lengths of up to 5 to 6 hours at a time

MUST NOT be allergic to bees

There may be times where you may have to respond to emergencies or issues off hours that impact the facility or your team.

Must have a valid Drivers License

Perks at Oishii:

• Compensation: $100,000-$110,000 with Equity
• Medical, dental, vision, 401(K)
• 100% Employer Paid Life Insurance + Long Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Parental leave, Paid Time Off, Paid Sick Time
• Paid Training & 7 Paid Holidays
• Office social events including team lunches, parties, and community service projects
• Employee activity groups for basketball players, Yoga Enthusiasts, runners…

About Us:

Oishii (which means “delicious” in Japanese) is the innovative company behind the world’s largest indoor vertical strawberry farm. On a mission to transform the agriculture industry through the power of smart farming, Oishii harmoniously marries nature with state-of-the-art technology to create the ideal elements—rain, air, heat, light, nourishment and natural bee pollination—for growing in-season produce all year round. Oishii’s beloved Omakase, Koyo and Nikko Berries are grown in pesticide-free vertical farms in the U.S. and proudly bear the Non-GMO Project Verified seal. Founded in 2016, Oishii’s investors include SPARX Group, NTT, Yaskawa, McWin Capital Partners and Resilience Reserve. Oishii was recognized as one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” in 2022.

Today, Oishii operates farms and research facilities across the United States and Japan, bringing together expertise from both countries to advance the future of agriculture. As a Japanese-founded company with global ambitions, we are building a world-class team dedicated to transforming how premium produce is grown and delivered. For more information, visit www.oishii.com.