Maintenance Technician - Berkeley Culinary Center

whitsonsculinarygroup; Berkeley (IL); On-site; USD 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Full benefits

401(k) with match

PTO

Job summary

Whitsons Culinary Group is seeking a Food Production Maintenance Technician to troubleshoot, repair and maintain advanced production equipment. You will work with PLCs, sensors, and control systems to ensure safety, sanitation, and quality standards are met.

This on-site role requires 2+ years of facility maintenance experience, strong electrical skills, and a proactive approach to continuous improvement. Competitive pay, benefits, and growth opportunities are provided.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Must complete Whitsons and government required training as necessary.
• 2+ years facility maintenance experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, repair, and maintain advanced food production equipment and machinery.
• Work with PLCs, sensors, and control systems in a production setting.
• Perform scheduled and emergency maintenance on conveyance systems and packaging lines.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and quality standards.
• Keep accurate maintenance records and equipment logs.
• Collaborate with internal teams for continuous process improvement.
• Monitor and fine-tune electrical components from prototype to field diagnostics.

Skills

Electrical maintenance

PLC troubleshooting

Sensor & control systems

Documentation

Safety compliance

Communication skills

Problem solving

English proficiency

Education

High school diploma

Whitsons training program

Tools

Electrical test equipment

PLC programming

SCADA/Control systems

Job description

Precision, Performance, and Passion — We’re Hiring a Food Production Maintenance Technician!

Do you thrive on solving technical challenges and ensuring everything runs like a well-oiled machine? If you’re passionate about food safety, equipment reliability, and high standards, this is your chance to join a dynamic culinary production environment where your skills keep everything moving.

What You’ll Do:

• Troubleshoot, repair, and maintain advanced food production equipment and machinery
• Work with PLCs, servo motors, sensors, pneumatic actuators, and other control systems
• Perform scheduled and emergency maintenance on conveyance systems, packaging lines, and culinary equipment
• Ensure that every system operates within food safety, sanitation, and quality compliance standards
• Keep accurate maintenance records and equipment logs
• Collaborate with internal teams to support continuous process improvement
• Monitor, test, and fine-tune electrical and electronic components — from prototype fabrication to field diagnostics
• Support facility operations while maintaining OSHA safety compliance and sanitation standards

What We’re Looking For:

• Strong experience with electrical/electronic maintenance in a production setting (food industry preferred)
• Proficiency with PLCs, sensors, control panels, and food manufacturing equipment
• Knowledge of HACCP, sanitation, and food safety protocols
• A problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced, high-quality production environment
• Ability to fabricate, analyze, and implement electrical test procedures and circuit board interfaces
• Excellent communication skills — both verbal and written
• Commitment to safety, accuracy, and continuous improvement

Why You’ll Love It Here:

• Competitive hourly pay + full benefits
• Paid time off and 401(k) with company match
• A collaborative team that values your expertise
• Growth opportunities in food manufacturing, engineering, and quality
• Clean, organized facility with top-tier tools and tech
• Mission-driven work with purpose — ensuring every meal is safely made and perfectly prepared

About Us:

At Whitsons Culinary Group, we believe great food starts with great people and precise execution. As a key member of our production team, your technical knowledge and attention to detail ensure the quality and safety of the meals we deliver. Join us in creating food that’s always safe, always consistent, and always made with care.

This position has direct responsibility to ensure that all work activities under its span of control are performed with attention to the highest standards of food quality, safe processes, compliance with allappropriate legalrequirements and a focus on continuous process improvement.

Starting at $28-$32/hour

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES:

Education:

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Must complete all Whitsons and government required training as necessary

Other Qualifications, Experience and Competencies:

• Minimum 2 years facility maintenance experience
• Ability to use electrical test equipment
• Strongcommunicationskills—must have sufficient computer skills and be comfortable operating computer to properly navigate company computer programs to perform tasks.
• Ability to speak, read and write English to understand and perform job assignments.
• Forklift experience or certifications are a plus
• Always present anoptimisticand professional image.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Be standing onfeetmajorityof the workday in addition to walking back and forth.
• Bending,climbingand crawling to access machinery, reaching into small spaces.
• Lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Lifting while turning side to side is sometimes necessary.
• Be able to travel,locally,whenrequired.
• Position may require extended hours including evenings and/or weekends

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The work is performed primarily in a manufacturing and warehouse environment, specifically the packing and warehousing areas
• Standing most of the workdayis required.
• Work requires movement in and out of storerooms, near heavy machinery and freezers
• Exposure to extreme temperatures (hot and cold) due to cooking and refrigeration equipment.
• The noise level in the work environment is moderate to loud.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of thevarious typesof work and duties that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position, and Whitsons reserves the right to addadditionalduties ormodifyexisting duties.