Mechanical Planner

Sterling Steel Company produces over 500,000 tons of wire rod annually. Customers use this rod for various applications, including Leggett & Platt’s bed springs, which they invented. Leggett & Platt is our largest customer and, after purchasing Northwestern Steel & Wire in 2002, the owner of Sterling Steel Company. Our mission is to be the safest and lowest-cost provider of quality steel. We are committed to meeting all customer requirements and continuously improving quality through teamwork, dedication, and ongoing training across our 275+ employees.

Leggett & Platt’s overall mission is to enhance lives by delivering quality products, offering empowering careers, and contributing to a better future. With over 130 years of inventive heritage, Leggett & Platt leads in residential products, supplying components for bedding, aerospace, flooring, and more. Our global footprint and reliable product development make us a trusted partner in multiple industries.

About the Role

Contribute to Sterling Steel’s mission of safely producing high-quality products at the lowest cost by developing detailed maintenance work plans, preparing materials and resources, collaborating with operations, maintenance, contractors, and vendors, and tracking maintenance activities.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance Planning & Scheduling
  • Develop detailed maintenance job plans including scope, labor requirements, estimated durations, tools, parts, equipment, and safety requirements.
  • Conduct field walkdowns to verify job scope, identify hazards, confirm accessibility, and determine resource requirements.
  • Plan and coordinate maintenance work to minimize downtime and maximize workforce efficiency.
  • Develop long-range shutdown, outage, and turnaround maintenance plans.
  • Track planned versus actual work performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Maintain job plan libraries, preventive maintenance records, and equipment history within the CMMS system.
  • Enter and maintain maintenance information in Aptean EAM or other maintenance management systems.
• Safety & Compliance
  • Identify required permits and safety requirements for maintenance activities, including hot work, confined space entry, and lockout/tagout procedures.
  • Develop and maintain Standard Job Procedures (SJPs), Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures, and Master Plans.
  • Incorporate OSHA, environmental, and company safety requirements into all maintenance plans.
  • Promote and support a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all SSC safety policies and procedures.
• Materials & Resource Management
  • Coordinate sourcing and procurement of maintenance materials, equipment, and services.
  • Define, reserve, requisition, and track materials required for upcoming work.
  • Collaborate with Purchasing and Central Stores to maintain critical spare parts inventories, reorder points, and obsolete inventory management.
  • Monitor parts availability and vendor lead times to support scheduled maintenance activities.
• Contractor & Vendor Coordination
  • Coordinate contractors and outside service providers for outages, inspections, and major maintenance projects.
  • Define scopes of work and ensure contractors comply with site safety and operational requirements.
  • Build and maintain effective working relationships with vendors and service providers.
• Continuous Improvement & Team Collaboration
  • Work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Electrical departments to coordinate maintenance activities and resource needs.
  • Participate in reliability initiatives, PM optimization efforts, and ISO quality programs.
  • Analyze maintenance results and incorporate technician and supervisor feedback into future job plans.
  • Track and improve maintenance performance metrics, including schedule compliance and planner effectiveness.
  • Provide support and leadership within the Mechanical Department as needed, including supervisory coverage during absences.
• General Expectations
  • Supervise the Mechanical department during the absence of the Mechanical Supervisor.
  • Report to work as scheduled and respond to call-ins when required.
  • Adhere to and enforce all Policies and Work Rules.
  • Comply with all SSC Safety rules.
  • Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 5+ years working as a Mechanic or other related position.
• Previous job-planning experience.
• Ability to effectively read, write, understand, and communicate in English.
• Willing and able to learn, retain, and apply new information.
• Knowledge of basic maintenance mechanical tools and processes.
• Able to effectively read blueprints and plans.
• Microsoft Office proficiency and ability to quickly learn new software.
• Knowledge of SSC Rod Mill is beneficial.

Physical Demands

• Able to work in extreme temperatures (hot & cold) while wearing required PPE.
• Mobility to move to any area of the assigned location (Rod Mill and/or Melt Shop).
• Strength and stamina to remain on feet for the majority of 8-12-hour shifts.
• Ability to walk up and down stairs safely.
• Lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Dexterity to efficiently use a keyboard and operate necessary mechanical tools/instruments/machinery.
• Organized and able to follow through on multiple projects simultaneously.

Tools/Machines/Equipment Used

• Computer, Aptean EAM, Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Maintenance-related tools/instruments/machines.