PLC Maintenance Technician
We are working with a fast-growing food manufacturing company that is looking for a PLC Maintenance Technician in the Cortland area. In this highly hands-on role, you will work to do mechanical repairs, PLC troubleshooting, and diagnose mechanical, electrical and control systems within the manufacturing operation. This position offers the chance to be hands-on within a manufacturing environment rebuilding pumps, replacing bearings and overall manufacturing maintenance. If you are someone who genuinely enjoys being on the plant floor, being hands on and problem solving, this is the role for you.
Location:Cortland, NY
Job Responsibilities:
- Identify and resolve equipment malfunctions involving mechanical components, electrical controls, and air-operated systems throughout the production and packaging areas.
- Take an active role in equipment restoration, including disassembly, component replacement, mechanical rebuilding, and fabrication work, rather than focusing solely on computerized diagnostics.
- Utilize Allen-Bradley control platforms, including Studio 5000 and RSLogix, to investigate system faults, evaluate input/output activity, and interpret program logic. Perform authorized minor programming adjustments following established change-management procedures.
- Diagnose performance issues involving variable frequency drives, motors, operator interfaces, electronic sensing devices, and process control instrumentation.
- Maintain and troubleshoot critical plant infrastructure supporting manufacturing operations, including clean-in-place (CIP) equipment, steam generation, refrigeration, and compressed air systems.
- Carry out scheduled equipment servicing, routine condition assessments, and preventive maintenance activities while maintaining accurate records within the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Interpret technical documentation, including electrical drawings, piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and manufacturer specifications, to guide troubleshooting and repair activities.
- Provide mechanical and electrical assistance during production transitions, equipment commissioning, operational startups, and installation projects.
- Perform maintenance activities in accordance with lockout/tagout procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and applicable food safety protocols within a sanitary, washdown manufacturing environment.
- Identify opportunities to improve equipment dependability, eliminate recurring breakdowns, and increase overall production uptime.
Required Skills/Qualifications:
- Minimum of 3 years of hands-on maintenance experience in an industrial manufacturing environment; experience within food processing or dairy production is a plus.
- Proven ability to identify and resolve issues with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), ideally involving Allen-Bradley automation systems.
- Strong mechanical aptitude with experience servicing and repairing production equipment, including pumps, conveyors, gear drives, bearings, seals, and precision-aligned components.
- Proficiency in diagnosing industrial electrical issues on systems operating up to 480 volts, including the ability to interpret electrical drawings and utilize multimeters and other diagnostic tools.
- Ability to work Monday thru Friday and rotating weekend on call schedule