Maintenance Controls Technician

Thorne•Summerville, SC

13d

About The Position

The Maintenance Controls Technician is a senior technical individual contributor in Thorne’s Maintenance Department, specializing in industrial controls, automation, electrical systems, and advanced equipment troubleshooting. The role provides hands-on technical expertise to resolve complex equipment issues, improve system reliability, reduce manufacturing downtime, and support the development of automated manufacturing operations. The technician works with Maintenance Technicians, Maintenance Tech Leads, Maintenance Supervisors, Engineering, and other cross-functional partners, leading advanced troubleshooting, supporting controls-related projects, and providing technical guidance and mentorship. The position does not have responsibility for daily work assignments, shift management, attendance, performance management, or disciplinary matters; those remain with the Maintenance Supervisor. The role supports and improves PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servo systems, motion controls, industrial networks, instrumentation, machine safety systems, and other automated manufacturing technologies. It includes advanced troubleshooting, controls programming and documentation under approved processes, equipment reliability and continuous improvement, preventive maintenance, project commissioning, and adherence to safety, Quality, Validation, IT, cGMP, and documentation requirements. The position follows a rotating 2-2-3 overnight schedule with 12-hour shifts from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., alternating work and days off and providing every other weekend off. Employees must be available for their assigned schedule and additional support for critical equipment failures, planned shutdowns, startups, and projects as business needs require.

Requirements

Associate degree or technical diploma in Industrial Automation, Electrical Technology, Mechatronics, Instrumentation, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
At least 7 years of industrial maintenance experience, including at least 5 years of advanced controls and automation troubleshooting in a manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience troubleshooting PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, control power, instrumentation, industrial networks, and machine electrical systems to root cause.
Experience reading and interpreting electrical schematics, ladder logic, P&IDs, sequence-of-operations documentation, and technical manuals.
Experience using a CMMS and maintaining accurate electronic technical records.
Advanced knowledge of industrial automation, electrical controls, and automated manufacturing equipment.
Strong troubleshooting expertise across PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servo systems, motion controls, industrial networks, instrumentation, and machine safety systems.
Ability to interpret and troubleshoot PLC ladder logic, equipment sequences, alarms, interlocks, I/O signals, and electrical control circuits.
Knowledge of controls hardware installation, configuration, replacement, commissioning, and approved programming modifications.
Understanding of industrial communication networks and protocols.
Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, P&IDs, control panel drawings, network diagrams, and technical manuals.
Knowledge of controls software backups, version management, equipment parameters, and technical documentation practices.
Understanding of preventive and predictive maintenance, equipment reliability, and structured troubleshooting methodologies.
Working knowledge of electrical safety, Lockout/Tagout, OSHA, NFPA 70E, and machine safety systems.
Understanding of cGMP, change control, equipment qualification, and validation requirements in regulated manufacturing.
Proficiency with CMMS systems and accurate documentation of maintenance activities, equipment history, and corrective actions.
Ability to use programming software, diagnostic equipment, test instruments, and technical tools required for industrial controls troubleshooting.
Ability to work the assigned 12-hour overnight rotating 2-2-3 schedule and provide additional technical support as business needs require.
Ability to access and inspect manufacturing equipment, electrical panels, controls systems, and related machinery; operate diagnostic and programming tools; communicate effectively; and read detailed technical documents and electronic displays.
Ability to work in manufacturing environments with moderate noise levels.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in cGMP nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or food manufacturing.
Experience with reliability methodologies, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
Experience with high-speed encapsulation equipment.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary Maintenance Department technical resource for PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servo systems, motion controls, industrial networks, sensors, instrumentation, machine safety systems, and automated manufacturing equipment.
Provide advanced technical support and direction to Maintenance Technicians, Maintenance Tech Leads, and Maintenance Supervisors.
Review PLC and HMI programs, machine sequences, alarms, interlocks, inputs, outputs, and safety circuits to determine equipment failure root causes.
Connect to, monitor, and troubleshoot control systems using approved software and procedures; make approved programming and parameter changes in accordance with change control, Quality, Validation, IT, and documentation requirements.
Maintain secure, current backups of critical equipment programs and parameters and develop and maintain controls standards and technical documentation.
Support configuration, installation, replacement, and commissioning of controls components, and troubleshoot industrial communication networks and protocols.
Identify obsolete controls hardware and software and recommend upgrades or migration strategies.
Lead advanced troubleshooting for significant, complex, or recurring equipment downtime using systematic methods and technical records to find root causes.
Coordinate with Maintenance leadership on escalation to Engineering, IT, manufacturers, system integrators, or other external resources.
Provide assigned after-hours or on-call technical support for critical failures, shutdowns, startups, and projects; ensure equipment is returned to service safely and in accordance with Quality, Validation, Production, and cGMP requirements.
Communicate significant failures, risks, safety concerns, and extended downtime promptly; maintain accurate maintenance records in eMaint and document shift transitions.
Mentor maintenance personnel, develop team troubleshooting capabilities, promote consistent repair and documentation standards, and share technical lessons learned.
Support leadership in evaluating repair complexity, technical requirements, safety risks, required resources, estimated repair durations, and technician development opportunities.
Provide recommendations to the Maintenance Manager about equipment risks, controls obsolescence, critical spare parts, and improvement priorities.
Lead or support root cause analysis of major and recurring equipment failures, using structured problem-solving methods such as 5 Whys.
Analyze downtime data, CMMS history, PLC information, alarms, equipment trends, and technician observations to identify improvement opportunities.
Support reliability initiatives, equipment criticality assessments, failure mode analysis, preventive maintenance optimization, and improvement of MTBF, MTTR, availability, and downtime.
Partner with Production, Engineering, Quality, Validation, IT, EHS, and other stakeholders on reliability and continuous improvement.
Review and verify preventive maintenance procedures for electrical, instrumentation, and controls systems; create and maintain troubleshooting guides, work instructions, checklists, equipment settings, and controls documentation.
Maintain accurate electrical drawings, control panel drawings, I/O lists, network diagrams, manuals, program backups, and other technical records.
Document work performed, time, materials, symptoms, troubleshooting steps, root causes, corrective actions, equipment settings, and follow-up recommendations.
Partner with Maintenance Supervisors and storeroom personnel to maintain appropriate controls spare parts and evaluate requirements based on criticality, failure history, obsolescence, cost, and lead time.
Support new equipment installations, controls upgrades, system integrations, equipment relocations, and capital projects; provide technical recommendations in project design reviews.
Participate in FAT, SAT, commissioning, startup, qualification, and performance verification as required.
Review vendor controls designs and verify receipt of programs, backups, passwords, software licenses, drawings, manuals, parameter lists, and technical documentation.
Maintain programming software, communication cables, test equipment, licenses, and troubleshooting tools; ensure controls modifications are reviewed, risk-assessed, tested, approved, backed up, and documented.
Perform work in accordance with safety policies, Lockout/Tagout, electrical safety requirements, OSHA, NFPA 70E, SOPs, cGMP, change control, and documentation standards.
Ensure machine safety systems remain operational and are not bypassed without an approved, documented process; report safety incidents, near misses, unsafe conditions, and hazards.
Ensure contractors comply with applicable safety, Quality, documentation, and technical requirements.
Maintain tools, programming equipment, control panels, and work areas in accordance with cleanliness and 5S standards, and support improvements in safety, environmental practices, reliability, operations, and waste reduction.