Senior Maintenance Mechanic | PLC Technician

gpac; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

gpac is assisting an established family-owned food manufacturer in Queens County, NY, to recruit a Senior Maintenance Mechanic / PLC Technician. The role focuses on troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, and control system issues across high-volume production lines, with a mix of modern automation and legacy European equipment.

The position requires hands-on experience with PLC systems (Allen-Bradley/Siemens), VFDs, motors, sensors, and hydraulic/pneumatic systems.

Qualifications

• Previous industrial maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and repair skills, plus electrical and controls experience.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting PLC-controlled equipment.
• Familiarity with electrical systems up to 480V, motors, VFDs, sensors, and automated controls.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair mechanical, electrical, and control system issues across production and packaging equipment.
• Maintain and repair automated molding lines, wrapping machines, cartoning and packaging equipment, conveyors, pumps, gearboxes, and other production machinery.
• Diagnose electrical systems up to 480V, including motors, drives, sensors, photo eyes, and related control components.
• Troubleshoot and support PLC-controlled equipment, including Allen-Bradley and Siemens systems.
• Identify and resolve issues involving VFDs, servo systems, pneumatic systems, and hydraulic systems.
• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance to improve equipment reliability and minimize unplanned downtime.
• Work collaboratively with production and engineering teams to identify recurring equipment issues and implement effective solutions.
• Troubleshoot older and specialized machinery, including identifying creative repair solutions and assisting with custom parts when necessary.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment performance, operational efficiency, and production uptime.
• Maintain a safe, organized work environment while following applicable safety and maintenance procedures.

Skills

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical & controls

PLC troubleshooting

Tools

Allen-Bradley PLC

Siemens PLC

VFD diagnostics

Job description

Senior Maintenance Mechanic / PLC Technician

Location: Queens County, NY

Shift: 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM

About The Opportunity

An established, family-owned food manufacturing company is seeking an experienced Senior Maintenance Mechanic / PLC Technician to support operations at its high-volume production facility in Queens County, NY. This isn't another catalog ordering cookie cutter position, sometimes the fix will take creative troubleshooting or a custom-made part. If you're the person everyone calls when nobody else can figure out the problem, you'll fit right in as the senior maintenance mechanic. This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on maintenance professional who enjoys solving complex mechanical and electrical problems, troubleshooting automated equipment, and working with a combination of modern technology and specialized machinery. The facility features a diverse mix of PLC-controlled automation and legacy European equipment, offering an opportunity to apply creative problem-solving skills and take on challenging repairs that go beyond routine maintenance.

Key Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair mechanical, electrical, and control system issues across production and packaging equipment.
• Maintain and repair automated molding lines, wrapping machines, cartoning and packaging equipment, conveyors, pumps, gearboxes, and other production machinery.
• Diagnose electrical systems up to 480V, including motors, drives, sensors, photo eyes, and related control components.
• Troubleshoot and support PLC-controlled equipment, including Allen-Bradley and Siemens systems.
• Identify and resolve issues involving variable frequency drives (VFDs), servo systems, pneumatic systems, and hydraulic systems.
• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance to improve equipment reliability and minimize unplanned downtime.
• Work collaboratively with production and engineering teams to identify recurring equipment issues and implement effective solutions.
• Troubleshoot older and specialized machinery, including identifying creative repair solutions and assisting with custom parts when necessary.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on equipment performance, operational efficiency, and production uptime.
• Maintain a safe, organized work environment while following applicable safety and maintenance procedures.

Qualifications

• Previous industrial maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and repair skills, along with electrical and controls experience.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting PLC-controlled equipment.
• Familiarity with electrical systems up to 480V, motors, VFDs, sensors, and automated controls.
• Experience maintaining packaging machinery, wrapping equipment, conveyors, or other high-speed production systems.
• Ability to diagnose complex equipment failures and develop practical, effective repair solutions.
• Comfortable working independently while collaborating with production and engineering personnel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in food and beverage, confectionery, bakery, snack food, or consumer packaged goods manufacturing.
• Experience with Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens PLC systems.
• PLC programming or editing experience.
• Familiarity with European-manufactured machinery or specialized legacy equipment.
• Experience with pneumatic and hydraulic systems, servos, and automated packaging lines.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Technically challenging work: Troubleshoot a wide variety of machinery, from modern automated systems to specialized legacy equipment
• Variety in your day: Work across mechanical, electrical, controls, and automation systems rather than focusing on just one type of repair.
• Make a direct impact: Help keep a high-volume production operation running efficiently by reducing downtime and improving equipment reliability.
• Established company: Join a long-standing, family-owned manufacturer with decades of industry experience.
• Afternoon shift: Work from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, leaving your mornings free for personal commitments.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.