Maintenance & Automation Manager

About the role

NEXXTA is a U.S.-based manufacturing partner with four Great Lakes facilities delivering precision, speed, and scale. We serve industry leaders across transportation, energy, medical, and defense, offering tariff-free production, open capacity, and rapid ramp-up.

The Maintenance Facilities & Automation Manager is responsible for leading all maintenance, facility, and automation functions within a plastic injection molding environment. This role ensures high equipment reliability, efficient facility performance, and robust automation system functionality to support both molding and secondary operations. The position drives preventative and predictive maintenance across injection molding equipment, auxiliary and secondary systems, facility infrastructure, and automated production cells to maximize uptime, improve operational efficiency, and ensure reliable performance. It also provides oversight of automation systems that support and enhance production processes, with a strong emphasis on proactively identifying and mitigating risks, ensuring full regulatory compliance, and embedding safety into all maintenance, facility, and automation activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage maintenance, facilities, and automation functions across injection molding and secondary operations.
• Ensure optimal performance and uptime of:
  • Injection molding machines
  • Auxiliary systems (dryers, blenders, chillers, thermolators, conveyors)
  • Automation systems (robots, end-of-arm tooling, conveyors, vision systems, PLC-controlled equipment)
  • Secondary equipment (assembly cells, sonic welders, trimming, decorating, and packaging systems)
• Develop, implement, and manage preventative and predictive maintenance programs for equipment, automation, and facility systems.
• Troubleshoot and repair mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control systems, including PLCs, HMIs, and robotic systems.
• Provide leadership and technical direction for automation maintenance, including diagnostics, programming support, and system optimization.
• Partner closely with engineering, process, and production teams to improve automation performance and integrate new technologies.
• Direct and supervise maintenance and automation technicians, including hiring, training, scheduling, and performance management.
• Ensure all maintenance and automation work orders are completed on time, properly documented, and meet quality standards.
• Support mold changes and tooling-related activities, ensuring proper interaction between molds, presses, and automation systems.
• Oversee facility systems, including HVAC, compressed air, cooling water systems, electrical distribution, and building infrastructure.
• Manage spare parts inventory for mechanical, electrical, and automation components, including critical automation spares.
• Develop and manage maintenance, facilities, and automation budgets, controlling costs while maintaining performance.
• Monitor and drive key performance indicators (KPIs), including:
  • Preventative maintenance completion
  • Equipment and automation downtime
  • Automation efficiency and uptime
  • Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
  • Maintenance and automation spend
• Identify and mitigate risks related to equipment failure, automation faults, and facility system interruptions.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on automation reliability, process efficiency, and cost reduction.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental regulations, and company safety standards.
• Promote and enforce 5S and strong housekeeping practices across maintenance, automation, and facility areas.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to standardize equipment, automation platforms, and spare parts strategies.

Qualifications

• Technical degree or equivalent experience in engineering, automation, or a related field (preferred)
• Experience with robotics and PLC-controlled systems in a production environment
• Proven leadership experience in maintenance and automation within plastic injection molding manufacturing
• Strong technical background in molding equipment, automation systems, and facility infrastructure
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and drive operational improvements
• Deep expertise in injection molding equipment and auxiliary systems
• Advanced knowledge of industrial automation, including robotics, PLCs, HMIs, and vision systems
• Experience supporting integrated automated manufacturing cells and secondary operations
• Proficiency in troubleshooting electrical controls, servo systems, and networked equipment
• Strong understanding of mold-to-machine-to-automation interaction
• Expertise in preventative and predictive maintenance methodologies
• Ability to analyze and improve KPIs such as downtime, automation efficiency, and OEE
• Strong knowledge of OSHA and industrial safety standards
• Experience with ERP/CMMS systems for maintenance and automation tracking
• Skilled in spare parts and critical component inventory management
• Familiarity with 5S and continuous improvement methodologies
• Hands-on leadership role with regular presence on the production floor
• Fast-paced manufacturing environment requiring rapid response to equipment and automation issues
• Ability to support off-shift or emergency maintenance and automation needs as required
• Commitment to maintaining a safe, efficient, and highly automated production environment