Utilities Technician – Refrigeration & Plant Energy

Hormel Foods; Alma (KS); On-site; USD 39,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Vacation and holiday pay

Employee assistance program

Educational assistance

Job summary

Hormel Foods Alma plant is seeking a skilled Utility Technician to maintain and troubleshoot refrigeration, boiler, steam, and water systems. You will perform inspections, monitor trends, and support safety and energy efficiency initiatives on 1st shift (5 AM–5:30 PM) Sunday–Tuesday with rotating Wednesdays, aligned to production demand.

Qualified candidates have a two-year technical degree or equivalent industrial experience, at least 3 years in utilities, and relevant certifications.

Qualifications

• Two-year technical degree or equivalent industrial experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of industrial utilities experience.
• Required certifications such as RETA CIRO, Boiler Operator 1, or state equivalent.
• Ability to obtain required certifications within defined timeframes.
• Ability to work safely in high-risk utility environments while following PPE, safety, and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Perform advanced troubleshooting of refrigeration, boiler, steam, compressed air, and water systems.
• Perform routine inspections, rounds, readings, and basic troubleshooting activities following established SOPs.
• Analyze system trends and apply precision measurement techniques to diagnose performance issues.
• Perform corrective actions for system alarms, excursions, and efficiency losses.
• Support continuous improvement efforts related to energy efficiency, reliability, and compliance.
• Coordinate cross-functional responses to utility outages, emergencies, and planned system shutdowns.
• Support maintenance job scoping activities by participating in field walk-downs and evaluating equipment condition.
• Provide input to aid accurate job planning with technical notes.
• Utilize condition monitoring tools to identify developing equipment issues and support proactive maintenance decisions.
• Perform precision maintenance tasks to ensure equipment reliability.
• Serve as a facility responder for hazardous material releases.

Skills

Utility systems troubleshooting

Emergency response

Safety compliance

Problem solving

Education

Two-year technical degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD

CMMS/EAMS

Outlook

Job description

Hormel Foods Alma plant is seeking a skilled Utility Technician to maintain and troubleshoot refrigeration, boiler, steam, and water systems. You will perform inspections, monitor trends, and support safety and energy efficiency initiatives on 1st shift (5 AM–5:30 PM) Sunday–Tuesday with rotating Wednesdays, aligned to production demand.

Qualified candidates have a two-year technical degree or equivalent industrial experience, at least 3 years in utilities, and relevant certifications.