Maintenance Technician (Full Time, Weekend Nights)

About Ostara

Ostara is passionate about changing the way the Ag and T&O industry thinks about phosphate management. Our continuing mission is, and will remain, “Feeding the World While Protecting It.”

We believe that enthusiastic people make an impactful difference, and we are building a culture around innovation, sustainability, efficiency, nimbleness, honesty, compliance, and a sense of urgency to make a positive difference and create real value. Ostara’s CG P2X fertilizers are the first granular phosphate fertilizers to release nutrients in response to plant demand. Using Crop Driven Release™, CG P2X is proven to maximize plant available phosphorous, increase yields, enhance soil health and significantly reduce phosphate tie-up and runoff, thereby improving food security while protecting local waterways from nutrient pollution.

Position summary

The Maintenance Supervisor directs dual role Mechanical/Electrical Maintenance Technicians in day-to-day maintenance duties as well as leads the culture in preventive and predictive maintenance for the facility. Other duties include but are not limited to: coordinates with management in scheduling maintenance on machinery/equipment maintains industrial machinery and equipment using hoists, lift trucks, hand and power tools. This position moves, assembles, installs, or dismantles machinery. The Supervisor will troubleshoot problems and repairs or replace broken parts or systems as necessary. This role is a working supervisor that splits time between hands-on and office work.

Essential functions

• Direction and Management of Contractors for projects
• Works with Engineering team to evaluate operability and maintainability on new implementation and upgrades
• Develop and implement improvement strategies to improve plant utilization and throughput
• Fabrication and Mechanical site expert that trains and develops maintenance staff
• On call technical support in off hours (remote and on site)
• Support development and management of CMMS system
• Support and Optimize equipment and parts inventory controls in partnership with accounting and purchasing team
• Assists with hiring of Maintenance Technicians with support of Maintenance Manager and HR as well as trains and onboards new Maintenance Technicians.
• Coordinates balancing of plant equipment, keeps historical and updated database for all balancing, and reports and inconsistencies to Management and update CMMS
• Ensures equipment lubrication and UT inspections are completed, keeps historical and updated database for all data.
• Schedules thermography inspections of equipment, Mechanical and Electrical
• Uses predictive tools and equipment in troubleshooting and repair processes

• Stays informed of with all safety policies, guidelines, and procedures at all times
• Addresses and/or responds to all safety hazards, near misses and work-related incidents immediately
• Proactive communicator who leads by example and checks in with the status of projects and service orders with technicians.
• Communicates professionally with team and vendors to facilitate tasks and projects.
• Offers suggestions and supports in efforts to improve the safety culture of Ostara
• Other duties as assigned

Required skills/abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Ability to read blueprints and schematics for electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems
• Ability to safely use hand tools, torches, and welding equipment, pneumatic and/or electric tools and precision measuring tools to make repairs or replace equipment
• Rotating Equipment experience (rotary kiln, granulator, etc.) preferred
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, electronic equipment and instrumentation to make appropriate repairs, calibration, recommendation and or replacement
• Ability to safely move in and through work areas, including climbing stairs, maintaining good balance, being mentally alert, having good visual acuity and safety working at heights
• Ability to safety work in and around heavy industrial environment, including moving objects, concentrated chemicals, and transport vehicles
• Ability to work with employees on day-to-day problems and lead by example.

Education/experience

• At least 5 years experience in a heavy industrial maintenance technician roles
• Category I vibration analysis certification desired
• Category I Thermography certification desired
• Category I UT (Ultrasonic) certification desired
• Experience leading projects, supervising, and hands-on training preferred.

PPE requirements

• Safety glasses with side shields, hearing protection, hard hat, steel/composite toe boots
• Occasional use of a respirator
• Other PPE as required per task
• Set the example of safety and hold all employees accountable to the safety standards and policies.

Physical requirements and work environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to finger, handle or feel. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, high places, airborne particles, chemicals, and temperature ranges. The noise environment in the work environment is usually loud.

Employees are required to wear PPE which may include hard hat, safety toe shoes/boots, gloves, safety glasses/goggles, hearing protection and respiratory protection. The employee needs the ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner.

EEO statement

Ostara is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or belief, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, parental status, gender identity or national origin.

Other duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Ostara reserves the right to change duties, responsibilities, and activities at any time with or without notice.

Applicants will be subject to a background check and drug test.

Starting wage is $34.08/hour plus a $1/hr differential for night shift.