Reliability Programs Planner

This position is with the Office of Physical Plant (OPP) at Penn State, which maintains, improves, and supports the University's extensive physical infrastructure through facility operations, engineering, maintenance, and construction services.

About the role

The Planner Estimator / Reliability Planner plans, estimates, coordinates, and manages single and multiple-discipline internally funded major maintenance projects while supporting the reliability and lifecycle management of University assets. Projects are initiated from work orders, project requests, and facility inspections. The role allocates material and labor resources, honors scope, schedule, and budget constraints, assists project coordinators and managers with project development, and provides design estimates for feasibility studies and conceptual designs used to develop customer and internal budgets.

The Reliability Planner develops, coordinates, and optimizes maintenance plans and work management processes that support safe, reliable, and cost-effective asset operation using Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) principles, asset management practices, and CMMS/EAM systems. The role supports preventive, predictive, condition-based, and corrective maintenance strategies to improve equipment reliability, maintenance effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and operational performance.

Responsibilities

Project Planning & Estimating

• Consult with clients and personnel in other departments to discuss and formulate project scope.
• Prepare estimates for projects using software and interfaces to transfer estimate data to data management systems in accounting, scheduling, and project management.
• Prepare working folders, purchase orders, and other required information necessary for the proper execution of the work.
• Oversee coordination of projects from inception through closeout and update project progress activities in project data management systems.
• Monitor and inspect work in progress to ensure work is performed as planned and in compliance with safety codes and regulations.
• Coordinate with project supervisors and field personnel in handling constructability issues; evaluate and determine proposed field changes and estimate change orders.
• Review and analyze design documents to develop time, cost, material, and labor estimates.

Reliability Planning & Asset Management

• Develop, coordinate, and optimize maintenance plans and work management processes that support safe, reliable, and cost-effective asset operation.
• Utilize Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) principles and asset management practices to develop effective maintenance strategies.
• Develop and maintain preventive, predictive, condition-based, and corrective maintenance programs.
• Support equipment reliability, maintenance effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and operational performance improvements.
• Collaborate with maintenance, operations, engineering, project, and inventory personnel to define work scope and plan resources.
• Coordinate materials, maintain asset data, and support asset lifecycle management activities.
• Ensure maintenance activities are properly planned, executable, documented, and aligned with organizational objectives.
• Support asset onboarding, maintenance strategy development, reliability initiatives, and work management process improvements.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Encourage and seek process improvement initiatives and create efficiencies whenever possible.
• Supervise, hire, and evaluate assigned staff to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, and proper procedures, correcting errors or problems as needed.
• Ensure adherence to safety requirements, regulatory obligations, and organizational standards.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and customer service.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Valid driver’s license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check (required due to job duties involving motor vehicle operation).
• Successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. (Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa).

Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong project planning and estimating expertise.
• Knowledge of maintenance and reliability best practices.
• Experience working with CMMS/EAM systems.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Commitment to safety, quality, asset stewardship, and continuous improvement.

Pay

The salary range for this position is $72,300.00 - $108,444.00.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• Substantial paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick time.
• 75% tuition discount for employees, eligible spouses, and children.