LifeMade - Manager, Reliability Automation

Position Summary

Leads plant maintenance, equipment reliability, automation, and controls across a 24/7 injection molding operation. Responsible for maximizing machine uptime and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), reducing maintenance cost, and advancing the facility from a reactive maintenance model to a proactive and predictive one.

Primary Functions

• Lead all preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to maximize machine uptime and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Develop and implement machine reliability strategies that reduce downtime and extend asset life across the press fleet, automation, and plant auxiliaries.
• Manage maintenance technicians, controls technicians, and outside contractors through thorough job analysis, proper job assignments, training and development, and effective personnel management.
• Oversee automation and controls systems, including PLCs, HMIs, servo and robotics, vision systems, and end-of-line automation.
• Develop, implement, and continually improve the preventive and predictive maintenance program for all equipment, advancing the facility toward a proactive maintenance model.
• Analyze downtime data and lead root-cause corrective action using a systematic, data-driven approach.
• Build predictive maintenance capability using condition monitoring, vibration analysis, and thermography.
• Manage maintenance budgets, spare parts inventory, and capital improvement projects.
• Maintain plant auxiliaries in partnership with outside vendors to improve system capability and reliability, and develop cost-effective plans that extend system life.
• Evaluate facility equipment needs and make recommendations for improvement in new and existing technology, including equipment purchases, ensuring timely ordering and installation ahead of customer requirements.
• Develop training and development recommendations for self and direct reports to keep all personnel current with the latest technologies.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, safety, environmental, quality, and ISO requirements, and manage in a proactive, professional manner consistent with all company policies and directives.
• Proactively support continuous improvement and lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Perform such individual assignments as management may direct.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Industrial Maintenance, or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of manufacturing maintenance experience with Injection Molding.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing maintenance teams.
• Strong knowledge of PLC control and programming, HMIs, VFDs, servo systems, robotics, and industrial networking.
• Experience with reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), total productive maintenance (TPM), and predictive maintenance programs.
• Proven success reducing downtime and improving equipment reliability.

Preferred Experience

• Injection molding, packaging, food processing, or high-speed manufacturing environments.
• Multi-platform press fleets (Netstal, Arburg, Sumitomo) and integrated automation.
• CMMs systems.
• Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or reliability certifications such as CMRP or CRL.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift/carry up to 50lbs
• Must be able to push/pull up to 40lbs
• Must be able to stand and carry consistently.
• Ability to wear required PPE including hearing protection, safety glasses, and safety toed shoes
• Ability to work near/with machinery and hand tools
• Adequate abilities to hear, see and speak
• Moderate exposure to cold, heat, & noise