Mechanical Maintenance Engineer Steelmaking

Liberty-Steel-; Bartonville (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 106,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Paid time off

401(k) with company match

Career growth

Job summary

Liberty Steel USA in Peoria, IL is seeking a Mechanical Maintenance Engineer to support Operations across the Arc Shop, Rod Mill, and Wire Mill. You will troubleshoot equipment, perform preventive and predictive maintenance, and lead improvements to motors, drives, instrumentation, PLCs, HMIs, and electrical distribution.

This on-site role requires 3+ years in heavy industry, a BS in Mechanical Engineering or Tech, and experience reading drawings in AutoCAD.

Qualifications

• Experience in heavy industry mechanical maintenance.
• Knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, lubrication, bearings, gearing, alignment, pumps, piping, and mechanical power transmission.
• Ability to read and revise mechanical drawings using AutoCAD.

Responsibilities

• Direct work assignments during maintenance activities, outages, or projects.
• Coordinate contractor activities and technical work within assigned authority.
• Develop and execute improvements to motors, drives, instrumentation, PLCs, HMIs, and electrical distribution systems.
• Perform mechanical engineering design, calculations, equipment evaluations, and field troubleshooting.
• Plan mechanical work for down days and major outages, including furnace outages, mill repairs, and equipment rebuilds.
• Prepare scopes of work, technical specifications, cost estimates, schedules, and funding requests for capital and expense projects.

Skills

Experience with steelmaking equipment

Industrial automation experience

Motor drives & electrical reliability

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Word & Excel

Maintenance Management System (CMMS)

Job description

Mechanical Maintenance Engineer Steelmaking

Location: Peoria, IL (on-site, rotating shift)

Reports to: Manager, Engineering

Employment type: Full-time

Salary grade: SG24 (average starting range $70,365 - $105,548)

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Medical, dental, vision, additional voluntary benefits (accident insurance, critical illness, and employee, spouse, and child whole life). Flexible spending account (healthcare and dependent daycare), long term disability, and participation in employee assistance program (EAP).

Paid Time Off - vacation, sick leave, personal, holidays

Retirement Plans- 401(k) with company match. Eligible: 1st of the month following date of hire or immediate if date of hire is first of the month.

Career Growth - Opportunities for advancement and continuous learning.

Organizational Overview

Liberty Steel USA is a leading American steel manufacturer grounded in sustainability, innovation, and community. We forge steel that supports critical infrastructure and industrial growth while honoring a long-standing tradition of craftsmanship and an unwavering commitment to safety.

We strive to be the employer and supplier of choice in American steelmaking, driven by empowered people, advanced technology, and continuous improvement. Steelmaking has always evolved, and we view change as an opportunity to strengthen our operations, invest in our workforce, and improve how we work.

Safety is not a policy-it is a promise. In every decision, we prioritize the well-being of our people. We believe our strength lies in one another and in the communities we serve. Through responsible stewardship, we are committed to sustainable practices that protect our environment, support our workforce, and ensure long-term vitality for future generations.

Position Overview

Provide mechanical engineering and reliability support for Operations and Maintenance across the Arc Shop, Rod Mill, and Wire Mill. Improve equipment safety, availability, and service life through troubleshooting, failure analysis, preventive and predictive maintenance, engineered repairs, and equipment improvement projects.

Core Responsibilities:

• Direct work assignments to employees during maintenance activities, outages, or projects.
• Coordinate contractor activities and technical work within assigned authority.
• Develop and execute improvements to motors, drives, instrumentation, PLCs, HMIs, and electrical distribution systems serving Steelmaking equipment.
• Perform mechanical engineering design, calculations, equipment evaluations, and field troubleshooting to support daily production and maintenance in all three operating areas.
• Support Arc Shop mechanical systems, including furnace mechanisms, cooling water systems, hydraulic equipment, material handling systems, and overhead cranes. Coordinate engineered repairs and required inspections with qualified personnel.
• Support Rod Mill equipment, including reheat furnace mechanical systems, skid piping, rolling stands, gearboxes, bearings, couplings, shears, pinch rolls, cooling systems, and rod handling equipment.
• Support Wire Mill equipment, including wire drawing machines, capstans, drives and gearboxes, lubrication and cooling systems, straightening and cutting equipment, spoolers, take-ups, and material handling systems.
• Investigate recurring failures and unplanned downtime using equipment history, field inspections, and operating data. Lead root cause analysis and track corrective actions to completion.
• Develop and refine preventive and predictive maintenance tasks, inspection criteria, lubrication practices, and equipment condition monitoring with Maintenance and Operations. Evaluate task effectiveness and adjust intervals based on findings.
• Plan mechanical work for down days and major outages, including furnace outages, mill repairs, and equipment rebuilds. Define scope, materials, labor, contractor needs, schedules, and return-to-service checks.
• Prepare scopes of work, technical specifications, cost estimates, schedules, and funding requests for capital and expense projects. Coordinate installation, repair, upgrades, commissioning, and project closeout.
• Maintain mechanical drawings, equipment records, bills of material, and repair specifications. Identify critical spares, evaluate replacement components, and address equipment obsolescence.
• Coordinate with electricians, controls engineers, planners, purchasing, contractors, and equipment suppliers to resolve equipment issues and execute work safely. Follow site hazardous energy control and engineering change procedures.
• Track downtime, repeat failures, maintenance effectiveness, and project results. Provide technical guidance and perform other related duties as assigned.
• Interpret technical manuals, drawings, specifications, and procedures.
• Prepare reports, repair scopes, and maintenance instructions. Communicate effectively with Operations, Maintenance, managers, contractors, and vendors.
• Apply engineering mathematics to evaluate loads, torque, power, flow, pressure, tolerances, and equipment performance. Analyze data, evaluate alternatives, and draw sound conclusions.
• Interpret written instructions, calculations, and diagrams.

Qualifications

Candidates interested in this role should have the following qualifications:

Preferred:

• Experience supporting steelmaking equipment, industrial automation, motor drives, and electrical reliability improvements
• Experience in a unionized environment
• Experience using a computerized maintenance management system

Required:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology
• 3+ years of mechanical or maintenance experience in heavy industry
• Working knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, lubrication, bearings, gearing, alignment, pumps, piping, and mechanical power transmission
• Ability to read and revise mechanical drawings using AutoCAD and maintain manually drafted drawings as needed.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel and working knowledge of project scheduling software Proficiency with AutoCAD and Microsoft Office; experience with maintenance management systems
• Strong analytical, technical writing, communication, and project coordination skills
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills under pressure

Success In This Role

Success in this role requires strong mechanical engineering expertise and the ability to troubleshoot equipment, identify root causes of failures, and implement corrective actions that improve reliability and production across the Arc Shop, Rod Mill, and Wire Mill. The individual must proactively improve preventive and predictive maintenance, effectively plan outages and equipment repairs, and manage engineering projects from initial scope through completion. Strong organization, practical engineering judgment, accurate documentation, and effective collaboration with Operations, Maintenance, skilled trades, and contractors are essential. The role also requires prioritizing competing demands, following through on solutions, maintaining a strong commitment to safety, and responding to urgent equipment issues outside normal working hours as needed.