Industrial Maintenance Mechanic – Rendering

About the role

Clemens Food Group is seeking a hands-on, mechanically minded Rendering Mechanic to support the equipment and systems that keep our Rendering operation running.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on mechanical maintenance and troubleshooting for the equipment and processes supporting our Rendering operation.
• Diagnose, repair, and maintain pumps, valves, motors, bearings, belts, chains, drive units, and fluid-control systems.
• Maintain and troubleshoot rendering equipment including cookers, dryers, presses, mills, blowers, conveyors, and pumps.
• Support safe equipment startup and shutdown procedures.
• Diagnose mechanical failures and determine appropriate repairs to restore equipment safely and efficiently.
• Perform preventive and predictive maintenance to improve equipment reliability and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Maintain, adjust, and repair belt and chain drive systems, including tensioning, alignment, and lubrication.
• Diagnose and troubleshoot pumps and fluid-handling systems, including issues involving flow, pressure, valves, seals, and related components.
• Support industrial plumbing and piping repairs throughout the Rendering operation.
• Aid with basic electrical troubleshooting and continue developing electrical maintenance skills.
• Read and interpret equipment manuals, mechanical drawings, and schematics.
• Respond to equipment breakdowns and work with Operations to safely return systems to service.
• Scope mechanical projects from initial problem identification through successful completion.
• Accurately document completed maintenance, repairs, inspections, and project work.
• Follow Lockout/Tagout and all applicable safety procedures.
• Partner closely with Rendering Operations, Maintenance, and other support teams to identify opportunities for equipment and process improvement.

Requirements

• Good working knowledge of motors, belts, chains, bearings, pumps, valves, and drive units.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and diagnostic ability.
• Experience identifying failures involving pumps, bearings, belts, chains, and fluid-control systems.
• Basic understanding of machinery startup and shutdown procedures.
• Knowledge of preventive maintenance and lubrication practices.
• Industrial plumbing and mechanical piping knowledge.
• Basic electrical knowledge or a strong willingness to continue developing electrical troubleshooting skills.
• Knowledge of process-control procedures and how mechanical equipment impacts the overall operation.
• Ability to understand process-control procedures and how mechanical equipment impacts the overall operation.
• Ability to scope a project, organize the work, and follow it through to successful completion.
• Strong documentation and recordkeeping habits.
• A team-first approach and willingness to work closely with both Maintenance and Operations.

Preferred Experience

• Industrial or manufacturing maintenance experience.
• Wastewater, water treatment, rendering, food processing, or similar heavy-process environment experience.
• Experience maintaining pumps and fluid-handling systems.
• Hydraulic and pneumatic troubleshooting experience.
• Conveyor, belt, and chain-drive maintenance experience.
• Welding or fabrication experience.
• Familiarity with preventive maintenance programs or CMMS systems.