Lead Operations / Quality Technician

Airgas•Cottage Grove, MN

76d•$38 - $42•Onsite

About The Position

Airgas is hiring for a Lead Operations/ Quality Technician in Cottage Grove, MN. This role is responsible for operational leadership at the facility and assisting the Plant/Facility Manager in the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the facility. The Lead Operations / Quality Technician (LOQT) manages processes that ensure the highest quality of products and services. The company is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Requirements

Associates degree desirable or technical training (or equivalent experience) required.
5+ years of related operations experience.
Experience within Quality Assurance in a processing environment.
Working knowledge of Food Safety Programs.
Trained on and calibrates analyzers.
Performs minor maintenance activities; Maintains local spare parts; Performs minor PM activities.
Performs Air Separation Units (ASU)/Nitrogen Liquefaction Unit (NLU) /Liquid Carbon Dioxide (LCO2) /High Pressure Nitrogen (HPN) cold plant start-up (H2 warm); performs routine Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) start-up (if applicable).
Monitors, understands and can explain Facility KPI's; Updates downtime in Systems Applications and Products (SAP) and/or Lucene Image retrieval (LIRE) when required.
Applies process safety programs (Management of Change, etc.) to operations.
Ability to understand plant Interlock Schedule including what triggers Interlocks and Shutdowns, and what resulting actions occur.
Demonstrates detailed understanding of Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&IDs) and can draw plant process schematic from memory.
Participates in root cause analysis for incidents, near misses, Good Catches; Troubleshoots single piece of equipment for root cause of abnormal situation.
Board operations, start-up and shutdown without assistance from senior level or can direct start-up and shutdown activities requiring multiple technicians, basic plant troubleshooting.
Coordinates major maintenance activities.
Completes complex safe-work permitting and Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO).
Alarm management and troubleshoots subsystems for root cause of abnormal situations.
Must be able to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including, hardhat, safety glasses, safety shoes/boots, ear protection, and possible respirator protection.
Must be able to lift 60 lbs.
Must have reliable, appropriate transportation.

Nice To Haves

Occasional overtime and night / weekend coverage.
Travel as business needs demand, around 5%.
May be assigned and must be willing to work rotating shifts.
May be required to be on call and shares “On-call” responsibilities with Facility Manager as needed.
Must be willing to travel as needed for training or to support other sites.
Job requires visitation to various Airgas and customer sites, which have varying environments/conditions, layouts, and accessibility.

Responsibilities

Participating in operational and routine maintenance tasks within the facility work group without interruption of customer product deliveries.
Making plant and process decisions and performing process troubleshooting.
Studying and maintaining site-specific Standard Operating Procedures, Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), Process Flow Diagrams, and all other technical documentation as it relates to operational or equipment processes.
Conducting Acceptance Test/ Pre Start-up Reviews (PSSR) with Operations & Maintenance.
Ensuring accurate and complete information in maintenance Work Orders, determining if immediate maintenance action is required, documenting it, and reporting it to the appropriate personnel.
Generating initial documentation for on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors site-specific training needs.
Escorting on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors throughout the facility as needed, ensuring compliance with National Safety Policies and Procedures.
Actively participating and sharing the lead in facility safety meetings and inspections/Audits.
Facility Operations and Customer Relations Development.
Loading and unloading cryogenic transports as necessary.
Actively pursuing one's own growth and career development through self-initiative practices and working with available resources.
Fostering open communication amongst all facility technicians regarding best practices, operational or facility needs, safety issues or concerns, conflicts of interest between shifts or other departments, and sharing operational knowledge and expertise.
Assisting and working closely with Level 1-4 Technicians with daily facility needs, including administrative functions, facility record keeping and documentation, and Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) input and work order generation.
Providing direction to Level 1-4 Technicians as assigned by the Plant Manager for coverage, training, schedules, and daily task assignments.
Following policies and procedures on proper notification procedures for scheduling vacation, floating holidays, and personal days off.
Filling in for vacations and emergency shift relief coverage as situations warrant.
Participating in a rotational on-call schedule to support the plant during nights and weekends.
Strict adherence to company policies and safety guidelines, meeting or exceeding safety goals, standards, and policies.
Instilling safety in others by being safety-minded and modeling good safety practice.
Supporting, accurately completing, maintaining, and instilling corporate Health, Safety, and Environmental policies & procedures and relevant documentation.
Operating and maintaining responsibility for a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly facility.
Complying with all regulatory agencies and requirements including, but not limited to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and company quality policies and procedures.