Field Service Technician II

Barry-Wehmiller•Spokane, WA

About The Position

Alliance Machine Systems International, LLC is a privately held supplier of machinery and services for the corrugated box manufacturing industry. The Field Service Technician II provides project management, equipment installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and customer support for Alliance products. The role requires strong technical, customer service, and communication skills, and includes training customer employees in equipment operation and maintenance. The technician also looks for opportunities to improve products, generate revenue, and deliver value to customers while protecting the company’s interests and reputation. The technician travels independently to customer sites, installs and services equipment, troubleshoots mechanical and electrical/control issues, supports customer acceptance testing, and manages on-site installation and training projects. The position also provides telephone support, documents work and process improvements, assists and trains other field technicians, and may provide technical support or assist the Assembly department while in the office. Travel averages 75% or more, and participation in the after-hours emergency call program is required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Five to seven years of experience supervising, installing, and maintaining material handling equipment or other industrial machinery, with a strong electrical, mechanical, and PLC background.
Strong technical background in industrial equipment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to respond to and exceed customer needs.
Willingness to travel an average of 75% or more.
Computer skills, including Microsoft Office and other standard business software.
Strong mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical knowledge, including the ability to read blueprints, schematics, and layout drawings.
Demonstrated ability to assemble and maintain mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems.
Excellent mechanical troubleshooting skills and intermediate electrical troubleshooting skills.
Understanding of control system networks, especially Industrial Ethernet.
Experience with industrial sensors such as photo eyes and inductive sensors, and with analog/digital positioning devices such as encoders and potentiometers.
Competency with variable frequency drives.
Intermediate to advanced knowledge of PLCs and machine language, including reading ladder logic, uploading and downloading PLC and HMI programs, monitoring program inputs and outputs, and performing basic programming under Engineering guidance.
Knowledge of Siemens S7 PLCs and Siemens STEP7 / Portal Software.
Knowledge of Allen-Bradley SLC500 PLCs and Rockwell Software RSLogix500.
Knowledge of Allen-Bradley Compact Logix PLCs and Rockwell Software RSLogix5000.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds; perform a full range of body movements, including overhead work and use of arms, fingers, and hands; sit or stand for extended periods; and work on ladders with good balance and no fear of heights.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor's degree in a technical field.

Responsibilities

Travel independently to customer sites for equipment service, installation, and training, and arrange travel through travel agents and service providers.
Install equipment and associated machinery to interface with new or existing production line equipment.
Perform service calls involving troubleshooting, electrical and controls work, system audits, preventive maintenance, rebuilds, retrofits, and system training.
Represent the company professionally and provide customer service that builds loyalty and creates future sales opportunities.
Troubleshoot equipment startup and design problems during customer installations, as well as internal debugging and acceptance testing.
Address field-related PLC and HMI programming logic problems independently or with Engineering, using internal resources as needed.
Serve as the on-site supervisor or project manager for equipment installation and training, act as the customer's primary contact, and assist with installation and training schedules.
Complete required documentation accurately and on time, and report process improvements involving production, documentation, or machinery.
Conduct factory machine acceptance testing before shipment, identify defects and necessary corrections, obtain signed acceptance certificates, and escalate issues when necessary.
Maintain technical proficiency and assist with the training and skills development of new Field Technicians; coach and model appropriate behavior and teach company troubleshooting methods and tools.
Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of Alliance machinery, components, control systems, PLC programs, and subsystem interactions.
Contribute to operator and maintenance training sessions at customer sites, and train customer personnel on equipment functions, safety, operation, controls, service needs, spare parts, manuals, and technical support contacts.
Provide telephone support for customer technical issues and recommend solutions, seeking help from field technicians, Engineering, system experts, or the Service Manager as needed.
Participate in the After Hours Emergency Call Program and maintain the Inbound Call Service log while on call.
Follow safe working practices and company and customer safety policies for mechanical, electrical, controls, and hydraulic systems.
Submit weekly timesheets, expense reports, trip reports, and other required paperwork on time.
Communicate equipment improvement feedback to Engineering and Manufacturing, suggest cost savings or design-compliant upgrades, and write Design / Document Change Requests when appropriate.
Use computers, software, hand tools, documentation, and procedures independently to perform service work efficiently and on time.
Assist fellow Field Service Technicians at project locations requiring multiple technicians; provide customer technical support or assist the Assembly department while in the office as needed.
Cultivate Alliance's values by building trust, respecting employees' integrity, acting with urgency, creating a positive work environment, making decisions at appropriate organizational levels, taking thoughtful risks, and fostering team success.