Reliability & Asset Performance Engineer
Job Summary
The Reliability Engineer at Emmi Roth is responsible for establishing a proactive, data-driven reliability culture across a 5-site network. This role focuses on reducing unplanned downtime and costs by leading Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Preventive and Predictive Maintenance (PPM) strategies, and sustainability-driven equipment improvements.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Develop and maintain equipment criticality rankings across all sites and establish reliability governance, KPIs, and performance routines aligned to supply chain objectives.
Lead RCM and FMEA efforts on critical equipment and chronic loss areas to optimize preventive and predictive maintenance strategies using failure mode data.
Standardize PM libraries, maintenance practices, and reliability tools across all sites to improve consistency, scale, and execution quality.
Serve as the network subject matter expert on machine reliability and maintenance strategy, improving lubrication, inspection, condition monitoring, failure mode identification, and equipment design improvements.
Partner with maintenance teams to improve wrench time, job quality, and repeatability, and bridge maintenance and engineering to ensure design-for-reliability in new CAPEX projects.
Lead structured root cause analysis using A3, 8D, and other reliability methods for significant downtime events, and implement defect elimination systems to prevent recurrence.
Identify and lead initiatives that reduce energy consumption and utilities losses, including compressed air, steam, refrigeration, water, and CIP inefficiencies, in partnership with utilities and operations teams.
Integrate reliability with sustainability goals by reducing waste, improving equipment efficiency and lifecycle performance, and supporting KPI development tied to energy and sustainability performance.
Own the reliability KPI framework, including MTBF, MTTR, OEE, PM compliance, schedule adherence, and emergency work order percentage, and translate data into prioritized improvement plans and business cases.
Partner with the CMMS Planner/Scheduler to improve asset hierarchy, failure codes, job plans, work quality, and feedback loops while driving data integrity and standardization.
Work cross-functionally with Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Safety & Sustainability to align reliability efforts to production throughput, food safety, and supply chain performance.
Qualifications / Minimum Requirements
Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or related field). 5+ years of experience in reliability, maintenance, manufacturing engineering, or asset performance improvement in a manufacturing environment. Experience supporting multi-site operations and leading cross-functional improvement initiatives is preferred.
Technical Skills: Strong expertise in RCM, FMEA, root cause analysis, preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance, and equipment criticality assessment. Deep understanding of rotating equipment, process systems, packaging equipment, utilities, and maintenance best practices such as lubrication, alignment, inspection, rebuild strategies, and condition-based monitoring. Knowledge of industrial energy systems including steam, ammonia refrigeration, compressed air, and water systems, with the ability to identify inefficiencies and reduce total energy cost per unit. Understanding of sustainability drivers in manufacturing, including energy, water, waste, emissions, and the ability to translate sustainability goals into actionable plant-level improvements. Proficiency with CMMS systems, data integrity, and reliability analytics, with the ability to convert data into actionable insights and clear business cases. Lean and continuous improvement mindset focused on loss elimination, standardization, waste reduction, and lifecycle performance.
Leadership & Influence: Strong problem-solving, analytical, and facilitation skills. Ability to influence without direct authority across multiple sites and functions. Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to translate technical issues into business impact. Capability to lead cross-functional initiatives, drive adoption of standardized practices, and sustain accountability for results.
Physical Requirements
Constantly required to use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects and controls.
Constantly required to walk, bend and reach with hands and arms.
Constantly required to talk and hear.
Constantly sitting for long hours.
Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.
Occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds.
Work environment
Frequent exposure to a moderate level of noise that may make it difficult to concentrate.
Frequent exposure to wet, humid with slippery conditions, hot and cold environment.
Primarily plant-based with regular time spent on the production floor.
May require occasional travel between facilities.
Fast-paced manufacturing environment.