Manager Maintenance - Mechanical Training

Caterpillar•Mapleton, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Guide, develop, and evaluate mechanical trainees while overseeing day-to-day maintenance activities. The role ensures that trainees gain technical competence, safety awareness, and professional habits required to become fully qualified maintenance technicians.

Requirements

Basic understanding of the necessity and value of accuracy; ability to complete tasks with high levels of precision.
Modeling high standards for trainees.
Foundries are unpredictable; supervisors must adjust quickly.
Critical in environments where small errors can cause major failures.
Working Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
Basic knowledge of successful performance management techniques; ability to apply organization's performance management system, practices, and tools to develop and improve individual, team, and organizational performance.
Ability to teach hands‑on skills patiently and effectively.
Tracking trainee progress and identifying skill gaps.
Clear instructions in noisy, fast‑paced environments.
Managing stress, disagreements, or performance issues.
Working knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
Teaching trainees how to diagnose not just symptoms but underlying causes.
Reducing downtime and waste in a heavy‑industry environment.
Building long‑term equipment health into trainee habits.
Knowledge of industrial systems and foundry equipment, with ability to perform troubleshooting and apply preventive and predictive maintenance to maximize reliability and performance.
Strong understanding of pumps, conveyors, hydraulics, pneumatics, gearboxes, bearings, and rotating equipment.
Knowledge of molding machines, shakeout systems, furnaces, casting lines, cooling systems, and dust collection.
Ability to teach and enforce PM tasks, lubrication standards, and condition monitoring.
Rapid diagnosis of mechanical failures under production pressure.
Basic knowledge of total productive maintenance principles, methods, and processes; ability to maximize machinery effectiveness through active involvement of all supporting departments.
Ability to lead and teach TPM principles such as autonomous maintenance, equipment ownership, and continuous improvement.
Guiding trainees to perform basic inspections, cleaning, lubrication, and early detection of abnormalities.
Understanding how equipment availability, performance, and quality ties into foundry productivity.
Facilitating trainee involvement in improvement projects that reduce downtime and defects.
Developing and enforcing standard work for routine mechanical tasks and TPM checklists.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in maintenance and leadership
Foundry Experience
Mechanical background or mechanical engineering degree

Responsibilities

Creating work plans for staff and contractors; reviewing the maintenance work performed by technicians.
Coordinate daily maintenance schedules, allocate tasks appropriate to trainee skill levels, and ensure efficient workflow.
Enforce safety protocols, conduct toolbox talks, and ensure trainees understand and follow all regulatory and site‑specific safety requirements.
Assign, supervise, and review mechanical maintenance tasks performed by trainees, ensuring work meets operational and safety standards through technical oversight.
Coaching and mentoring teams to encourage, motivate, and guide individuals in learning and improving effectiveness.
Maintain accurate records of trainee hours, completed tasks, competency milestones, and maintenance logs.
Monitor trainee progress, document competencies, provide constructive feedback, and recommend advancement or additional training.
Deliver structured on the job training, coach trainees through troubleshooting, and provide progressive skill building opportunities.
Work closely with senior technicians, engineering teams, and operations to align trainee activities with plant needs.