Reliability Engineer

Unilever; Jonesboro (AR); On-site; USD 89,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

Unilever is seeking a Reliability Engineer in the United States to drive asset reliability and loss elimination across the plant. You will lead RCA, develop reliability strategies, and work with Maintenance and Operations to convert from reactive to preventive/predictive maintenance.

You will analyze downtime data, oversee PM optimization, and ensure sustained improvements through standards and CMMS-driven tasks. Strong data skills and CAD familiarity are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering: Mechanical, Chemical, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of related experience in FMCG, chemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical or automotive industry
• Strong understanding of maintenance and reliability fundamentals (breakdown analysis, failure modes, RCA, FMEA, bad-actor analysis)
• Experience using data to drive decisions
• Experience with preventive and predictive maintenance
• Familiarity with CMMS systems
• CAD experience (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD)
• 3D printing or rapid prototyping experience
• Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance experience
• Experience using digital tools or analytics

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize chronic losses and bad actor assets using downtime, cost, and defect data
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and implement permanent solutions to eliminate repeat failures
• Develop and maintain reliability strategies for critical equipment
• Use data to validate improvements and track results
• Drive prioritization of reliability efforts based on business impact (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery)
• Ensure solutions are sustained through standards, PMs, and procedures
• Define and optimize maintenance strategies (PM, PdM, run-to-failure) based on failure modes and asset criticality
• Improve PM effectiveness through failure-mode-driven tasks
• Drive continuous improvement of maintenance plans using CMMS data and feedback
• Eliminate non-value-added PMs and improve maintenance efficiency
• Ensure maintenance strategies prevent repeat failures
• Develop SMPs and standards
• Work directly on the plant floor to validate failures and root causes
• Coach maintenance and operations teams in RCA and reliability thinking
• Partner with Operations to reduce misuse and avoidable losses
• Support implementation of practical, sustainable improvements
• Support capital projects related to fixed equipment, process improvement, utilities, and facilities
• Apply structured improvement methodologies (TPM/WCM, focused improvement)
• Embed reliability improvements into daily operations
• Collaborate across Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and Operations
• Maintain reliability data to support decision-making
• Apply condition monitoring techniques (vibration, thermography, oil analysis)
• Support development of predictive maintenance strategies
• Use data and analytics to improve asset performance

Skills

Data-driven decisions

Preventive & predictive maintenance

CMMS familiarity

CAD (SolidWorks/AutoCAD)

3D printing

Condition monitoring

Digital analytics/tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

CMMS software

Job description

JOB PURPOSE

The Reliability Engineer is responsible for improving equipment reliability, eliminating chronic losses, and stabilizing production assets through engineering-led maintenance strategies. This role sits within the Maintenance Department serves as the technical owner of loss elimination, defining asset reliability strategies and standards to transition the plant from reactive to preventive and predictive maintenance. Working closely with Maintenance and Operations, this position ensures asset strategies and improvements permanently eliminate failure modes impacting Safety, Quality, Production, and Cost. The role focuses on defining and driving reliability strategy and is not responsible for day-to-day maintenance execution. You’ll be part of a team that believes in doing work that matters – for people and the planet. Because here, we don’t just hire for jobs. We invite you to be part of something bigger.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Reliability & Loss Elimination

• Identify and prioritize chronic losses and bad actor assets using downtime, cost, and defect data
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and implement permanent solutions to eliminate repeat failures
• Develop and maintain reliability strategies for critical equipment
• Use data to validate improvements and track results
• Drive prioritization of reliability efforts based on business impact (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery)
• Ensure solutions are sustained through standards, PMs, and procedures

Maintenance Strategy & Standards

• Define and optimize maintenance strategies (PM, PdM, run-to-failure) based on failure modes and asset criticality
• Improve PM effectiveness through failure-mode-driven tasks
• Drive continuous improvement of maintenance plans using CMMS data and feedback
• Eliminate non-value-added PMs and improve maintenance efficiency
• Ensure maintenance strategies prevent repeat failures
• Develop SMPs and standards

Plant Floor Engagement & Capability Building

• Work directly on the plant floor to validate failures and root causes
• Coach maintenance and operations teams in RCA and reliability thinking
• Partner with Operations to reduce misuse and avoidable losses
• Support implementation of practical, sustainable improvements
• Support capital projects related to fixed equipment, process improvement, utilities, and facilities

Continuous Improvement & Governance

• Apply structured improvement methodologies (TPM/WCM, focused improvement)
• Embed reliability improvements into daily operations
• Collaborate across Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and Operations
• Maintain reliability data to support decision-making

Digital & Predictive Capability

• Apply condition monitoring techniques (vibration, thermography, oil analysis)
• Support development of predictive maintenance strategies
• Use data and analytics to improve asset performance

Key Deliverables

• Reduce downtime and improve asset reliability (MTBF / MTTR / BD%, PMs )
• Eliminate chronic failures and bad actors
• Improve effectiveness of maintenance strategies
• Deliver sustained improvements through data
• Increase capability of maintenance and operations teams

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering: Mechanical, Chemical, or equivalent
• 5+ years of related experience in FMCG, chemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical or automotive industry
• Strong understanding of maintenance and reliability fundamentals (breakdown analysis, failure modes, RCA, FMEA, bad-actor analysis)
• Experience using data to drive decisions
• Experience with preventive and predictive maintenance
• Familiarity with CMMS systems
• CAD experience (e.g., SolidWorks, AutoCAD)
• 3D printing or rapid prototyping experience
• Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance experience
• Experience using digital tools or analytics

Pay: The pay range for this position is $88,600 to 133,000. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.

Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.

Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.

At Unilever, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee. Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Persons with Disabilities. For more information on your federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check. If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment. Better Business. Better World. Better You. We’ve been pioneers, innovators and future-makers for over 120 years. Learn More