Maintenance Technician - 12 Hr Day Shift

Kerry; Rochester (MN); On-site; USD 45,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Paid time off

401(k) plan with company contribution

Employee Share Plan

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Accident insurance

Job summary

Kerry in Rochester, MN is seeking a Maintenance Technician to troubleshoot, repair, and maintain food processing and packaging equipment. The role focuses on maximizing uptime, production efficiency, equipment reliability, and food safety compliance, with an emphasis on hygienic systems and sanitary components.

You will work 12-hour rotating shifts, prioritize safety and GMP compliance, and contribute to continuous improvement and process reliability on a fermentation-focused site.

Qualifications

• HS Diploma or GED required; technical training or equivalent experience preferred.
• 3+ years industrial maintenance in food, beverage, dairy, pharma, CPG, or manufacturing.
• Experience with sanitary process equipment, pumps, valves, packaging, fermentation/drying systems.
• Strong mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and automation troubleshooting skills.
• Able to work independently, prioritize tasks, and support production environments.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
• Flexible for shifts, overtime, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Maintain hygienic processing systems and sanitary valves, actuators, seals, and manifolds.
• Repair and rebuild sanitary components and assist CIP/SIP operations.
• Troubleshoot and maintain pumps, seals, bearings, and mechanical components.
• Read mechanical drawings, P&IDs, and electrical schematics to diagnose issues.
• Perform preventive and predictive maintenance and document work in CMMS.

Skills

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical troubleshooting

Hydraulic troubleshooting

Pneumatic troubleshooting

Automation troubleshooting

Independent worker

Strong communication

Education

HS Diploma/GED

Tools

Sanitary process equipment

Pumps

Valves

Packaging systems

Fermentation/Drying systems

Job description

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

Requisition ID 67052

Position Type FT Permanent

Workplace Arrangement

Where you'll work

Rochester, MN location is part of Kerry's Applied Health and Nutrition Division, specializing in fermented ingredients for the bioscience industry. The site supports clean-label, natural products with a strong focus on freshness, quality, food safety, and plant reliability.

Shift

12-hour rotating schedule; postings should reflect Red Days and Blue Days.

What you'll do

The Maintenance Technician will troubleshoot, repair, rebuild, maintain, and improve food processing, fermentation, drying, liquid handling, material handling, and packaging equipment to maximize uptime, production efficiency, equipment reliability, and food safety compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and troubleshoot hygienic and aseptic processing systems, including SPX Flow/APV, GEA, Sharpe, and Südmo valves.
• Repair and rebuild sanitary valves, valve actuators, seats, seals, diaphragms, aseptic valve manifolds, and related wear components.
• Support CIP and SIP operations to ensure product quality, sanitation, and process reliability.
• Troubleshoot, repair, and maintain vacuum, centrifugal, positive displacement, rotary lobe, and process transfer pumps, including seals, bearings, shafts, impellers, alignment, vibration monitoring, and performance testing.
• Maintain rotary valves, rotary feeders, airlocks, drive systems, gearboxes, conveying equipment, and material handling systems.
• Perform maintenance on priority site equipment, including fermenters, evaporators, spray dryers, liquefiers, mixers, blending systems, liquid storage silos, heat exchangers, ingredient handling systems, and thermal/process systems.
• Troubleshoot and repair liquid and dry product packaging systems, filling equipment, bagging equipment, conveyors, labeling equipment, case packers, and palletizers.
• Respond quickly to equipment breakdowns, support production line startups and changeovers, and diagnose process interruptions while minimizing downtime.
• Troubleshoot motors, motor controls, VFDs, sensors, instrumentation, PLC-controlled equipment, and automated manufacturing systems.
• Read and interpret mechanical drawings, P&IDs, electrical schematics, equipment manuals, and technical drawings.
• Complete preventive and predictive maintenance, document work in the CMMS, participate in root cause analysis, and recommend improvements to increase safety, reliability, and efficiency.
• Follow all GMP, HACCP, SQF, OSHA, LOTO, food safety, sanitary design, and company safety requirements.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

Required Qualifications

• HS Diploma/GED; technical training or equivalent experience preferred.
• 3+ years industrial maintenance in food, beverage, dairy, pharma, CPG, or manufacturing.
• Experience with sanitary process equipment, pumps, valves, packaging, fermentation/drying systems.
• Strong mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and automation troubleshooting skills.
• Able to work independently, prioritize tasks, and support production environments.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
• Flexible for shifts, overtime, weekends, and holidays.

Preferred Experience

• Dairy, food processing, ingredient manufacturing, fermentation, aseptic processing, or spray drying.
• PLC (Allen-Bradley) and VFD troubleshooting.
• Class B boiler license, TIG welding/fabrication.
• Knowledge of GMP, HACCP, SQF, OSHA, LOTO, and food safety.

Physical Requirements

• Lift up to 50 lbs.
• Stand, walk, bend, climb, and perform physical work throughout shifts.
• Work around heat, steam, chemicals, noise, machinery, and at heights.
• Wear required PPE, including respirators.

Compensation Data

The pay rate for this position is $33.00 - 39.00 per hour.

Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance.

This job posting is anticipated to expire on December 1, 2026.

We may use artificial intelligence tools to support the review and assessment of applications and assist with scheduling interviews. We do not use AI to make decisions during the interview process. All candidate assessments and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment and leadership teams.

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at Know Your Rights Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov).