Industrial Technician III

GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY•Chicago, IL

12d•$36 - $42•Onsite

About The Position

The Industrial Maintenance Technician III is the highest-level technician and serves as a senior technical expert for complex troubleshooting, equipment reliability, advanced repairs, root cause analysis, project support, and technician development. The role independently diagnoses difficult mechanical, electrical, controls, HVAC, pneumatic, hydraulic, fabrication, and facility infrastructure issues; leads corrective action efforts; improves preventive maintenance strategies; and supports operational uptime through advanced technical judgment and leadership. The technician also serves as a technical resource for other technicians and operational partners, leads investigations of recurring or major failures, and develops lasting corrective actions. The position evaluates equipment performance trends and recommends improvements to maintenance practices, equipment standards, spare parts, and reliability procedures. It may lead or support equipment installation, commissioning, testing, and startup, as well as advanced fabrication and equipment modifications within approved standards. The technician helps coordinate contractors and develops the skills of lower-level technicians without taking on formal supervisory performance reviews.

Requirements

Advanced knowledge of LOTO, energized work awareness, arc flash precautions, machine guarding, hot work, fall protection, confined space, contractor safety, permit requirements, and job hazard analysis.
Expert troubleshooting of rotating equipment, conveyors, power transmission, precision alignment, bearings, seals, gearboxes, shafts, couplings, pumps, fans, valves, piping, lubrication failure, vibration, mechanical looseness, and wear patterns.
Strong troubleshooting of industrial power and control circuits, 480V systems as authorized, motor control centers, starters, contactors, overloads, relays, transformers, sensors, drives, grounding concerns, control panels, and intermittent electrical failures.
Ability to troubleshoot PLC-controlled equipment through I/O verification, HMI alarms, sequence-of-operation review, sensor validation, control device testing, and coordination with controls specialists when program-level changes are required.
Advanced troubleshooting of RTUs, air handlers, exhaust systems, economizers, dampers, compressors, condenser and evaporator fans, chilled or conditioned spaces, airflow problems, controls, contactors, motors, belts, sheaves, coils, drain systems, and temperature control issues.
Advanced troubleshooting of pneumatic and hydraulic pressure, flow, actuator sequencing, valves, pumps, cylinders, hoses, fittings, air preparation, leaks, contamination, overheating, and repeat component failures.
Ability to lead 5 Why and fishbone analyses, apply failure mode thinking, plan corrective actions, verify effectiveness, and document permanent countermeasures.
Proficiency with vibration observations, thermal readings, oil or lubrication condition indicators, precision alignment, torque standards, belt tensioning, chain wear measurement, equipment baseline readings, and trend-based maintenance decisions.
Ability to diagnose complex and intermittent failures using schematics, ladder logic review support, trend data, operator interviews, historical work orders, electrical readings, mechanical measurements, and controlled test runs.
Advanced use of multimeters, clamp meters, megohmmeters where authorized, tachometers, infrared thermometers, pressure and vacuum gauges, micrometers, calipers, dial indicators, laser or precision alignment tools, torque tools, and layout equipment.
Advanced welding, cutting, grinding, drilling, tapping, layout, field fitting, structural repair, bracket and guard fabrication, applicable stainless or mild steel repair, and safe design of practical maintenance solutions.
Advanced proficiency with power tools and shop tools, including safe selection, setup, inspection, guarding, work holding, blade/bit/abrasive selection, torque application, layout, cutting, drilling, tapping, grinding, finishing, and minor field modification.
Ability to train others in proper tool use, identify unsafe tool conditions, maintain shop organization, and determine when work should be escalated to a machine shop, certified welder, vendor, or engineer.
Ability to reduce downtime, improve preventive maintenance effectiveness, identify bad actors, recommend capital or repair solutions, standardize repairs, improve spare parts strategy, and support long-term asset reliability.
Ability to write detailed failure reports, repair procedures, preventive maintenance instructions, parts lists, job plans, equipment notes, and training guidance.
Leadership, accountability, clear communication, calm response under pressure, coaching, planning, decision-making, vendor coordination, and ownership of critical repairs.

Responsibilities

Lead advanced troubleshooting and repair of critical production equipment, facility systems, building infrastructure, HVAC systems, refrigeration support equipment, power transmission systems, controls, pumps, motors, conveyors, and automated equipment.
Serve as a technical resource for Level I and Level II technicians, operations teams, supervisors, vendors, contractors, and engineering support.
Lead or support root cause analysis for repeat failures, major downtime events, safety-related failures, and high-cost repairs.
Develop corrective action plans to address failure causes, reduce recurrence, improve uptime, and extend asset life.
Evaluate equipment performance trends using CMMS history, preventive maintenance results, downtime records, vibration, temperature, electrical readings, inspection findings, and operator feedback.
Recommend changes to preventive maintenance frequencies, inspection criteria, spare parts, lubrication practices, equipment standards, and reliability procedures.
Lead or support installation, commissioning, alignment, testing, and startup of new equipment or modified systems.
Perform and lead advanced fabrication, welding, layout, precision measurement, field fitting, guarding improvements, and equipment modification within approved standards.
Assist with contractor coordination, job planning, technical scope development, parts identification, and repair prioritization.
Train, coach, and evaluate technical skill development for lower-level technicians without replacing formal supervisory performance review responsibilities.