The Reliability Engineer is responsible for improving the reliability, availability, and maintainability of plant assets through the application of reliability engineering and continuous improvement principles. This role focuses on reducing unplanned downtime, extending asset life, improving maintenance strategies, and fostering a culture of reliability and continuous improvement across maintenance and operations.
Essential Functions
Reliability & Asset Performance
- Analyze equipment performance, failure trends, and downtime data to identify root causes of equipment failure.
- Lead and facilitate Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations for repeat, high‑impact, or safety‑critical failures.
- Develop and implement reliability improvement plans to reduce unplanned outages and maintenance costs.
- Support asset lifecycle management, including equipment criticality assessments and obsolescence planning.
- Ensure reliability, maintainability, and safety considerations are incorporated into new equipment installations, upgrades, and modifications.
Failure Analysis & Continuous Improvement
- Review, develop, and optimize preventive and predictive maintenance (PM/PdM) strategies.
- Implement and support condition‑based monitoring techniques such as vibration analysis, infrared thermography, lubrication and oil analysis.
- Optimize maintenance task frequencies using risk‑based and data‑driven methodologies.
- Support and apply Reliability‑Centered Maintenance (RCM / RCM‑lite) principles for critical assets.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
- Develop, implement, and track reliability improvement actions, ensuring corrective measures are effective and sustainable.
- Data, Systems & Reporting
- Analyze CMMS/EAM data to track KPIs including MTBF, MTTR, OEE, asset availability, and PM effectiveness.
- Improve accuracy, completeness, and consistency of maintenance and failure data.
- Develop dashboards, reports, and presentations to communicate asset performance and improvement progress.
- Provide clear, data‑supported technical recommendations to maintenance and operations leadership.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Maintenance, Operations, Engineering, and EHS teams to improve asset performance.
- Partner with planners and supervisors to improve job plans, standard work, and maintenance execution.
- Provide technical support and guidance to maintenance technicians and reliability champions.
- Influence operating practices to reduce equipment abuse and improve long‑term reliability.
- Support contractor, OEM, and vendor performance as required.
Role Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Reliability Engineering, or related field
- (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
- 3+ years of experience in a reliability, maintenance, or engineering role within a manufacturing, processing, utilities, or industrial environment
- Strong knowledge of maintenance strategies, asset management, and equipment reliability principles
- Experience using CMMS/EAM systems (e.g., SAP PM, Maximo, Infor, Oracle, etc.)
Preferred Requirements
- Reliability or asset management certifications (e.g., CMRP, CRE)
- Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
- Hands‑on experience with condition monitoring technologies
- Familiarity with ISO 55000 / asset management principles
Environmental Restrictions
- Ability to perform essential job duties in both indoor and outdoor environments, including offices, facilities, and external job sites.
- Regular exposure to varying weather conditions, noise, dust, moving equipment, and uneven terrain.
- Physical requirements may include sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, bending, reaching, and operating tools or equipment as necessary to perform job responsibilities.
- Regular attendance and adherence to company safety policies are required.
- In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state laws, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
