Reliability Engineer

Century Aluminum; Robards (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Century Aluminum is seeking a hands-on Reliability Engineer to lead the development and maturation of a reliability program across critical assets, with a focus on rotating equipment, hydraulic systems, and belt conveying systems.

You will build standards, optimize PM, and drive RCFA to translate findings into measurable improvements in uptime. The role requires SAP PM experience, vibration/ultrasound oil analyses, and mentoring teams toward predictive maintenance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in reliability or maintenance engineering in heavy industry.
• Proven track record building or maturing a reliability program.
• Leads RCFA and translates findings into system improvements.

Responsibilities

• Learn, accept and live Century Aluminum’s Safety Mission Statement.
• Review current maintenance and reliability practices and develop an improvement roadmap.
• Drive the core elements of an RCM-based program: criticality ranking, PM optimization, failure coding, and defect elimination.
• Create equipment standards, inspection routes, lubrication practices, and precision maintenance procedures.
• Develop metrics and dashboards to track MTBF, MTTR, OEE, and bad actors.
• Lead improvement of SAP PM master data, equipment hierarchies, task lists, and maintenance plans.
• Partner with planners to build accurate job plans, BOMs, and material strategies.
• Use SAP data to drive fact-based reliability decisions rather than reactive maintenance.
• Provide reliability engineering for hydraulic systems – power units, cylinders, presses, valves, contamination control.
• Lead RCPE of chronic equipment problems and recurring failures.
• Oversee and expand condition-based maintenance programs using vibration, thermography, ultrasound, and oil analysis.
• Integrate modern technologies across the plant to further predictive maintenance.
• Facilitate root cause failure analysis (RCFA) for high-impact events.
• Support capital projects with maintainability and reliability input.
• Mentor maintenance and operations teams in reliability best practices.
• Drive cultural change from reactive to planned and predictive maintenance.

Skills

Reliability engineering

RCFA leadership

Maintenance planning

Data-driven decisions

Tools

SAP PM

Job description

This role is ideal for a hands-on professional who has successfully developed reliability systems from the ground up—establishing standards, leading and driving Root Cause Problem Elimination, improving SAP PM utilization, and driving measurable improvements in equipment uptime.

The position will focus on critical assets including rotating equipment, belt conveying systems, and hydraulic systems, while helping to refine the structure, processes, and culture necessary for a sustainable reliability-centered organization.

Qualifications/Skills/Knowledge & Education Recommendations:

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years in reliability or maintenance engineering in heavy industry
• Demonstrated success building or maturing a reliability program
• Proven ability to lead RCFA and translate findings into system improvements

Preferred Qualifications

• CMRP, CRE, or similar certification
• Experience in metals, mining, cement, carbon/anode, or comparable processes
• Familiarity with PdM technologies and integration with SAP
• Experience developing lubrication and contamination control programs

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Learn, accept and live Century Aluminum’s Safety Mission Statement
• Review current maintenance and reliability practices and develop an improvement roadmap
• Drive the core elements of an RCM-based program: criticality ranking, PM optimization, failure coding, and defect elimination
• Create equipment standards, inspection routes, lubrication practices, and precision maintenance procedures
• Develop metrics and dashboards to track MTBF, MTTR, OEE, and bad actors.
• Lead improvement of SAP PM master data, equipment hierarchies, task lists, and maintenance plans
• Partner with planners to build accurate job plans, BOMs, and material strategies
• Use SAP data to drive fact-based reliability decisions rather than reactive maintenance
• Provide reliability engineering for:

Hydraulic systems – power units, cylinders, presses, valves, contamination control

• Lead RCPE of chronic equipment problems and recurring failures
• Oversee and expand condition-based maintenance programs using vibration, thermography, ultrasound, and oil analysis
• Integrate modern technologies across the plant to further predictive maintenance
• Facilitate root cause failure analysis (RCFA) for high-impact events
• Support capital projects with maintainability and reliability input
• Mentor maintenance and operations teams in reliability best practices
• Drive cultural change from reactive to planned and predictive maintenance
• EEO/AAP: This position has the responsibility to support and carry out the Company’s policy on Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action.