Lubrication Technician

PCA • Gladstone, VA

9d • $32 - $44 • Onsite

About The Position

The Lubrication Technician supports equipment uptime and reliability at PCA’s Riverville Mill through precision lubrication, contamination control, and proactive condition monitoring. Reporting directly to the Reliability Team, the technician ensures rotating equipment, rolls, machinery, gearboxes, and bearings receive the appropriate type, amount, and frequency of lubrication to optimize equipment life in a heavy-duty continuous manufacturing environment.

The position performs scheduled lubrication routes; manages lubricant storage, handling, and dispensing; collects and prepares oil samples; and conducts basic equipment inspections. The technician also maintains lubrication tagging, routes, and procedures in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), works with operations and mechanical maintenance to optimize preventive-maintenance practices, and follows mill safety and housekeeping standards.

This is an on-site manufacturing role with exposure to noise, dust, heat, and varying temperatures. The work may require off-hours or weekend support. The starting rate is $31.63 per hour, with listed rates of $35.33 for MLT 1 and $43.58 for MLT 2.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Must possess or be able to rapidly obtain ICML MLT-1 (Machinery Lubrication Technician) and MLT-2 (Machinery Lubricant Analyst) certifications.
• Two to three years of industrial maintenance, lubrication, or reliability experience.
• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Basic computer skills for data logging.
• Highly detail-oriented mindset.
• Ability to work independently and safely across the physical footprint of the site.
• Ability to walk production areas, climb stairs and ladders, and work around operating equipment.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the paper, packaging, or heavy continuous process manufacturing industries.

Responsibilities

• Execute daily, weekly, monthly, and annual outage lubrication routes as scheduled.
• Apply oil and grease accurately to prevent over-greasing and bearing starvation.
• Manage lubricant storage, handling, and dispensing in accordance with ICML and PCA best practices.
• Maintain the cleanliness of transfer carts, filter carts, and top-up containers.
• Collect routine oil samples from critical assets, label them properly, and prepare them for analysis.
• Interpret basic oil-analysis results and assist in identifying causes of lubricant degradation or wear.
• Conduct primary equipment inspections, including visual checks, temperature assessments, and basic vibration screening, to identify early signs of equipment failure.
• Update machine-specific lubrication tags, routes, and procedures in the CMMS.
• Work with mill operations and mechanical maintenance teams to adjust lubrication frequencies and volumes based on operating conditions and equipment history.
• Follow mill safety policies, including LOTO, confined-space entry, and PPE requirements.
• Maintain 5S standards in lubrication storage and work areas.

Benefits

• Two weeks of paid vacation per calendar year, prorated during the initial year based on start date.
• Paid holidays.
• Eligible to enroll in medical, dental, and vision coverage for the employee and dependents within the first 30 days of employment.
• Life, AD&D, and disability coverages, with automatic enrollment.
• Automatic enrollment in the 401(k) plan upon hire, with pre-tax and Roth contribution options and employer matching contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED