Lead Operations / Quality Technician

Airgas•Cottage Grove, MN

74d•Onsite

About The Position

This role encompasses operational leadership at the facility and assists the Plant/Facility Manager in the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the facility. The Lead Operations/Quality Technician (LOQT) manages processes that ensure products and services are of the highest quality. The position involves participating in operational and routine maintenance tasks, making plant and process decisions, performing process troubleshooting, and maintaining site-specific technical documentation. It also includes conducting Acceptance Test/Pre-Start-up Reviews, ensuring accurate maintenance work orders, determining immediate maintenance needs, and generating documentation for on-site contractors. The role requires escorting visitors, ensuring compliance with safety policies, leading safety meetings, and loading/unloading cryogenic transports. Additionally, it involves fostering open communication among technicians, assisting with administrative functions, facility record-keeping, and Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) input. The position requires participation in a rotational on-call schedule and filling in for vacations and emergency shift relief.

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 be willing to travel as needed for training or to support other sites.
Must have reliable, appropriate transportation.

Nice To Haves

Occasional overtime and night/weekend coverage.
Travel as business needs demand, around 5%.

Responsibilities

Participate in operational and routine maintenance tasks within the facility work group without interruption of customer product deliveries.
Make plant and process decisions and perform process troubleshooting.
Study and maintain site-specific Standard Operating Procedures, Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), Process Flow Diagrams, and all other technical documentation.
Conduct Acceptance Test/Pre-Start-up Reviews (PSSR) with Operations & Maintenance.
Ensure accurate and complete information in maintenance Work Orders, determine if immediate maintenance action is required, document it, and report it to the appropriate personnel.
Generate initial documentation for on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors site-specific training needs.
Escort on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors throughout the facility as needed.
Ensure that contractors, visitors, co-workers, and others comply with National Safety Policies and Procedures.
Actively participate and share the lead in facility safety meetings and inspections/audits.
Participate in Facility Operations and Customer Relations Development.
Load and unload cryogenic transports as necessary.
Actively pursue one's own growth and career development through self-initiative practices and working with resources made available as coordinated with the supervisor.
Foster open communication amongst all facility technicians in relation to best practices, operational or Facility needs, safety issues or concerns, conflicts of interest between shifts or other departments, and sharing operational knowledge and expertise with all other Technicians.
Assist and work closely with Level 1-4 Technicians with daily facility needs including administrative function responsibilities as delegated by the Plant Manager, facility record keeping and documentation, CMMS input and work order generation.
Provide direction to Level 1-4 Technicians as assigned by the Plant manager for coverage, training, schedules and daily task assignments.
Follow policies and procedures on proper notification procedures for scheduling vacation, floating holidays, and personal days off.
Fill in for vacations and emergency shift relief coverage, as situations warrant.
Participate in a rotational on-call schedule to support the plant during nights and weekends.
Commit to the strict adherence to company policies and safety guidelines as well as meeting or exceeding the company’s safety goals, standards and policies.
Instill safety in others, by being safety minded and modeling good safety practice.
Support, accurately complete, maintain, and instill corporate Health, Safety, and Environmental policies & procedures and relevant documentation at the facility.
Operate and maintain responsibility for a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly facility.
Comply 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.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance
Vacation, Sick, Paid Holidays
401(k) Retirement Plan with company match
Tuition Assistance
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Pre-tax commuter transportation benefit
Parental leave
Jury duty and funeral/bereavement leave
Discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents
Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children