Maintenance Technician

Business Unit Overview

Headquartered in Lakeville, Minn., Post Consumer Brands, a business unit of Post Holdings, Inc., is dedicated to providing people and their pets with delicious food choices for every taste and budget. The company's portfolio includes beloved brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats®, PEBBLES®, Grape-Nuts® and Malt-O-Meal® cereal, and Peter Pan® peanut butter, as well as Nutrish®, Kibbles 'n Bits® and 9Lives® dog and cat food. As a company committed to high standards of quality and to our values, we are driven by one idea: To make lives better by making delicious food accessible for all. For more information about our brands, visit www.postconsumerbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest news.

Brand

At Post Consumer Brands, we've spent generations showing up for families, starting with breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Our cereals have become a trusted part of daily routines, helping spark conversations, fuel busy mornings, and create everyday moments that bring families closer together, including their furry four-legged family members, who have recently become a part of our story. As families have evolved, so have we. What began at the breakfast table has expanded into snacks, peanut butter, and pet food, because caring for a family means feeding every part of it. With the addition of several iconic pet brands, we've extended our purpose: to make high-quality, accessible food for everyone under the same roof.

This phase is still new, and that's what makes it exciting. As we continue to grow across grocery and pet, we're looking for people who care about good food, thoughtful work, and the kind of impact that stretches from store shelves to kitchen tables, and food bowls, across the country.

Location Description

Visalia, CA is home to 360,000 square feet of manufacturing, packaging, warehouse, and office space. Approximately 250 employees work here, utilizing the latest technologies and systems, capable of producing extensive, diverse, and innovative pet food products. Visalia is in California's San Joaquin Valley and the gateway to Sequoia National Park, part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It also has a minor league baseball team, the Visalia California Oaks, and several colleges and universities.

Responsibilities

Basic Function:

This is a mid-level position responsible for the general repair and maintenance of plant equipment. The ideal candidate will have expertise in extruders, dryers, hammer mills, pneumatic airflow systems, instrumentation, troubleshooting, and developing effective preventative maintenance programs. Strict compliance with the facility's Food Safety and Quality Management System Policies, Procedures, and Work Instructions is required.

Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Performs maintenance in all areas of the plant on a scheduled or emergency basis as directed by work orders and/or direction from supervisor and Shift Lead:
  • Mechanical repairs on extruders, dryers, and pneumatic systems.
  • Electrical repair on motors, motor starters.
  • General building repairs and cleaning.
• Respond to unscheduled/emergency work orders in an expedient and urgent manner.
• Conduct root cause of equipment failure and develop course of action to prevent future failures with direction from management.
• Receive direction from Maintenance Lead, Supervisor and/or Maintenance Manager.
• Complete assigned work by Maintenance Lead, Supervisor and/or Maintenance Manager.
• Inspect equipment to determine location and nature of malfunction (e.g. leaks, breakages, and faulty equipment).
• Determine and execute repair and/or maintenance of equipment.
• Maintain the required parts inventory, tools inventory and maintenance logs as required by management.
• Communicate directly with Production Department to coordinate maintenance and repair work.
• Monitor all equipment to verify safe and efficient operating conditions.
• Organize and maintain a clean, organized shop.
• Help develop and implement the plant preventative maintenance program.
• Know and understand city, county, state and federal regulations relating to maintenance and plant equipment; works in a manner to ensure that these regulations are met.
• Participates in safety, health, and environmental programs.
• Housekeeping duties to include sweeping, cleaning and sanitizing both work areas throughout the plant and maintenance shop area, as necessary.
• Report any food safety issue observed to Manager or Supervisor.
• Report any security breaches, attempts at product tampering or contamination, or other suspicious behavior observed to Manager or Supervisor.
• Works with contractors and assists with new installations and other projects, as necessary.
• Complete and comply with the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS), Daily Routine List (DRL), HACCP procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Compliance.
• Maintain a food-safe sanitary environment at all times.
• Complete records/quality checks with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Escalate any non-conforming product/equipment/material to the appropriate manager/supervisor immediately.
• Follow Company's quality assurance procedures and protocols at all times while on duty (eg. Labeling of containers, Inventory Control, PM programs).
• Promote a positive proactive environment where input from team members is valued and encouraged.
• Available for overtime work on a scheduled or call-in basis, as necessary.
• Provide back-up support for other roles, as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned by the manager/supervisor.

Qualifications

Qualifications and Competencies:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill or ability necessary to perform this job successfully:

• Education/Experience:
  • A high school diploma or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Experience with industrial dryers, hammer mills, extruders, and bucket elevators preferred.
  • Basic electrical knowledge.
  • Working knowledge of boilers, PLC programming, and electrical systems.
  • Three to five (3-5) years' industrial maintenance experience.
• Skills:
  • Understanding of plant operational processes and procedures, including routine and emergency start-up and shutdown practices
  • Must be self-motivated, proactive and able to work independently and as a team
• Physical Requirements:
  • Regularly lift and/or move objects weighing up to 60 pounds.
  • Frequently climb ladders, and occasionally work at heights of 100 feet.

Environment:

• Regularly exposed to work near moving parts/equipment.
• Regularly exposed to major amounts of dust.
• Regularly exposed to a moderate to severe noise levels.
• Frequently exposed to outdoor/uncontrolled weather conditions
• Occasionally exposed to chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

Pay Range: $32.00 - $40.00 per hour.
This is a non-exempt position and is eligible for overtime in accordance with California law. Placement within the range will be based on experience, certifications (e.g., electrical, HVAC, PLC), and overall qualifications.

Note: Valid Driver's License required for insurance purposes Plant Management retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of this position at any time.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and requirements, which may change from time to time based on business needs. When appropriate, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Post Holdings provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, status as a covered veteran and any other category protected under applicable federal, state, provincial and local laws.
The pay range for this position is $32.00 to $32.00 per hour.