Senior Maintenance Technician

Since 1876, Briess Industries has been a proud, family‑owned leader in malted barley and natural specialty food ingredients. Our culture is built on teamwork, respect, and genuine care for the people who make our success possible. If you’re ready for a stable career, hands‑on work, and a place that invests in your success — this is your opportunity.

JOB TITLE: Senior Maintenance Technician

This position at our Waterloo WI grain roasting facility is a single maintenance position at the site. We are flexible with hours and/or days of the week. The position can be Full-Time, Part-Time, or with Flexible hours. This individual will be responsible for the maintenance of the entire facility.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Senior Maintenance Technician is a hands-on leadership role responsible for coordinating daily maintenance activities while performing advanced troubleshooting and repairs in our roasting manufacturing facility. This position serves as the technical expert for equipment reliability, and ensures safe, efficient operations while maintaining compliance with food safety and regulatory standards.

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

Leadership & Work Coordination

• Prioritize daily maintenance tasks and work orders

Equipment Maintenance & Troubleshooting

• Perform complex troubleshooting and repair of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems
• Respond to equipment breakdowns and minimize production downtime
• Support installation, startup, and commissioning of new equipment

Preventive Maintenance

• Lead execution of preventive maintenance (PM) programs to maximize equipment uptime
• Ensure PM tasks are completed accurately and on schedule
• Assist in developing and refining maintenance procedures and schedules
• Support predictive maintenance practices where applicable

Safety, Food Safety & Compliance

• Enforce adherence to safety standards including OSHA and lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures
• Maintain sanitary conditions during maintenance work to prevent contamination
• Participate in and support internal/external audits and inspections

Documentation & Systems

• Ensure accurate and timely completion of work orders in the CMMS system
• Track maintenance activities, equipment history, and parts usage
• Assist with spare parts inventory management and ordering

Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause analysis efforts for recurring equipment failures
• Identify and implement improvements to increase reliability and efficiency
• Support Lean, TPM, and other operational excellence initiatives

Other

• Adhere to all government and company safety, sanitation and GMP policies and regulations. Adhere to Food Safety, Quality and SQF Codes.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED required; technical degree or certification preferred
• 5+ years of maintenance experience in manufacturing (food or regulated industry preferred)

Technical Skills

• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting abilities
• Experience with PLCs, sensors, motors, and automation systems preferred
• Ability to read and interpret schematics, blueprints, and manuals
• Welding, fabrication, and machining experience a plus

Skills & Competencies

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability