Industrial Controls Maintenance Specialist

Role Snapshot

Join a high-throughput manufacturing operation in Chicago as an Industrial Controls Maintenance Specialist. You’ll keep production safe, stable, and efficient by diagnosing and repairing electrical and control systems, with a special focus on PLCs, instrumentation, and power distribution in a food-grade, unionized environment.

A Day in the Life

You arrive to review overnight logs, clear alarms, and prioritize work orders. When a line stops, you dive into PLC fault codes, verify I/O, and trace signals through control panels. You might re-terminate a field device, swap a relay, tune a VFD, or calibrate a pressure transmitter. Between calls, you commission new equipment, assist teammates, and reinforce safety and sanitation practices throughout the plant.

Core Responsibilities

• Identify and resolve issues across electrical systems, PLCs, control panels, relays, breakers, communications, and alarm networks.
• Install, start up, and commission electrical and control equipment with minimal oversight.
• Diagnose root causes, replace defective components, and complete advanced wiring tasks.
• Support and troubleshoot VFDs, 3‑phase motors, and process sensors (temperature, pressure, level).
• Provide hands-on guidance and technical support to junior maintenance personnel.
• Champion safety and sanitation in a food-grade, unionized production setting.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED plus a formal apprenticeship or equivalent pathway.
• 3+ years of experience in industrial/manufacturing maintenance.
• Strong electrical foundation with proven PLC troubleshooting capability.
• Proficiency wiring/testing 3‑phase motors and calibrating industrial sensors.

Preferred Experience

• PLC programming (Allen‑Bradley, Siemens, or comparable platforms).
• Control panel build, installation, and troubleshooting.
• Sanitary or hazardous process instrumentation experience within food or consumer goods.

Technical Strengths

• Preventive maintenance planning
• Mechanical troubleshooting
• 120/208/240/480 V systems
• Electrical installation, troubleshooting, and repair
• OSHA 10‑Hour Certification (OSHA 10)
• Pneumatics troubleshooting
• Machine safety inspections

Tools and Technologies

• Variable Frequency Drives (VFD)
• Programmable Logic Controllers (Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi, Omron, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Modicon)
• Conveyor systems (Dematic, Hytrol, Alba, Wulftec)
• Servo motors

Why This Role

Impact uptime, mentor others, and deepen your controls expertise while supporting a major Chicago manufacturing site committed to safe, clean, and reliable operations.