Lead Operator Quality Tech

Airgas•Canton, OH

3d•$38 - $43•Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Operator Quality Tech provides operational leadership at the facility and assists the Plant/Facility Manager in operating the facility safely, reliably, and efficiently. The role manages processes to ensure high-quality products and services. It combines plant operations, quality assurance, maintenance coordination, safety and compliance, communication, and technician support. The position participates in operational and routine maintenance work, makes plant and process decisions, troubleshoots processes and equipment, maintains site-specific operating procedures and technical documentation, and conducts acceptance tests and pre-start-up safety reviews. It supports maintenance work orders, contractor and visitor site training and escorts, facility safety meetings and audits, customer relations, and cryogenic transport loading and unloading. The Lead Operator Quality Tech works with Level 1–4 Technicians on facility needs, administrative tasks, records, CMMS entries, work orders, training, scheduling, and task assignments as directed. The role may provide vacation or emergency shift coverage and participates in rotational on-call coverage, including nights and weekends. It is responsible for following and reinforcing company safety practices and supporting Health, Safety, and Environmental policies, regulatory compliance, and quality procedures.

Requirements

At least 5 years of related operations experience.
Experience in Quality Assurance in a processing environment.
Associate degree desirable; technical training or equivalent experience required.
Working knowledge of Food Safety Programs.
Training in analyzer operation and calibration.
Ability to perform minor maintenance and preventive maintenance activities and maintain local spare parts.
Ability to perform applicable ASU, NLU, LCO2, and HPN cold plant start-ups and routine VSA start-ups, if applicable.
Ability to monitor, understand, and explain facility KPIs and update downtime in SAP and/or LIRE when required.
Knowledge of process safety programs, including Management of Change.
Ability to understand plant interlock schedules, triggers, shutdowns, and resulting actions; detailed understanding of P&IDs and ability to draw a plant process schematic from memory.
Ability to perform board operations and start-ups and shutdowns independently, or direct activities requiring multiple technicians; basic plant troubleshooting skills.
Ability to coordinate major maintenance, complete complex safe-work permits, and perform Lock Out Tag Out procedures.
Ability to manage alarms and troubleshoot subsystems to determine causes of abnormal situations.
Willingness to work rotating shifts, be on call, and provide vacation or emergency shift relief as needed.
Ability to wear required PPE, including hardhat, safety glasses, safety shoes or boots, ear protection, and potentially respiratory protection.
Ability to lift 60 pounds.
Willingness to travel for training or to support other sites; reliable, appropriate transportation.
Ability to work at Airgas and customer sites with varying environments, layouts, conditions, and accessibility.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree.
Experience with routine VSA start-up, if applicable.

Responsibilities

Participate in facility operations and routine maintenance while maintaining customer product deliveries.
Make plant and process decisions and troubleshoot processes and equipment.
Maintain site-specific Standard Operating Procedures, P&IDs, Process Flow Diagrams, and other operational and equipment documentation.
Conduct Acceptance Tests and Pre Start-up Reviews with Operations and Maintenance.
Ensure maintenance work orders contain accurate and complete information; identify, document, and report urgent maintenance needs.
Prepare site-specific training documentation for contractors, vendors, guests, and visitors; escort them through the facility as needed and ensure compliance with safety policies and procedures.
Participate in and share leadership of facility safety meetings, inspections, and audits.
Support facility operations and customer relations, and load and unload cryogenic transports as needed.
Pursue personal growth and career development and share operational knowledge and best practices with facility technicians.
Communicate facility needs, safety issues, concerns, and shift or department conflicts to technicians and relevant personnel.
Assist Level 1–4 Technicians with daily facility needs, administrative tasks, record keeping, CMMS input, and work order generation.
Provide technician direction for coverage, training, schedules, and daily assignments as directed by the Plant Manager.
Follow vacation and personal-day notification procedures and provide vacation or emergency shift relief as needed.
Participate in the rotational on-call schedule, including support during nights and weekends.
Follow and promote company safety policies and goals; support and maintain Health, Safety, and Environmental policies, procedures, and documentation.
Support compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, including FDA, OSHA, EPA, DHS, and company quality policies and procedures.
Work with food safety programs, calibrated analyzers, minor maintenance and preventive maintenance, spare parts, and applicable plant start-up procedures.
Monitor and explain facility KPIs and update downtime information in SAP and/or LIRE when required.
Apply process safety programs, including Management of Change, and understand plant interlocks and shutdown responses.
Participate in root-cause analysis for incidents, near misses, and Good Catches; troubleshoot equipment and subsystems.
Perform board operations, plant start-ups and shutdowns, and basic troubleshooting; direct multi-technician start-up and shutdown activities when needed.
Coordinate major maintenance activities and complete complex safe-work permitting and Lock Out Tag Out procedures.
Manage alarms and troubleshoot subsystems to identify causes of abnormal situations.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision plans.
Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
Employee Assistance Program.
Pre-tax commuter transportation benefit.
Parental leave, vacation, sick time, floating holidays, jury duty leave, funeral/bereavement leave, and paid holidays for eligible full-time employees.
401(k) plan with company matching funds for eligible employees.
Tuition reimbursement.
Discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents.
Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children.
Annual bonus of 4%.