A Reliability Engineer evaluates and analyzes the reliability of manufacturing and production equipment and processes. Identifies pro-active maintenance requirements and process improvements. Works to maximize reliable performance and prevent equipment or process failures.
At Link Snacks , we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don't hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago. We're everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren't buzzwords, they're expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands: Jack Link's® , Lorissa's™ Organic Snacks , Golden Island® , BiFi® , Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few, there's nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it. Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that's full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks. Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks. Job Description The Reliability Engineer is responsible for improving the reliability, maintainability, operational performance, food safety integrity, and lifecycle management of manufacturing assets across the facility. This role serves as the technical leader for failure elimination, asset health management, equipment-based food safety risk reduction, startup excellence, preventive maintenance optimization, and reliability improvement initiatives. The Reliability Engineer works closely with Operations, Maintenance, Controls, FSQ, Sanitation, and Operational Excellence to improve asset performance, reduce losses, eliminate repeat failures, and increase operational stability.
The Reliability Engineer is expected to spend significant time in production areas identifying equipment losses, validating root causes, and implementing sustainable corrective actions. Primary Responsibilities Asset Reliability Management Lead reliability efforts for critical manufacturing assets Ovens Packaging Equipment Material Handling Systems Detection Systems Utilities Responsibilities include: Asset health monitoring Reliability strategy development Failure trend analysis Life cycle management Equipment criticality assessments Failure Elimination Lead structured problem-solving for recurring failures.
Responsible for:
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) Repeat failure investigations Corrective action implementation
Expected Results:
Reduced downtime Increased MTBF Elimination of repeat failures Asset Criticality Program Develop and maintain criticality rankings for all plant assets.
Identify:
Critical Assets Equipment impacting: Food safety Throughput Safety Regulatory compliance Develop risk-based maintenance strategies based on asset criticality. Preventive Maintenance Optimization Evaluate and improve PM effectiveness.
Responsibilities include:
PM optimization PM frequency evaluation Condition-based maintenance development Predictive maintenance deployment Ensure PMs address actual failure modes. Food Safety & Quality Reliability Partner with FSQ to develop and maintain an Equipment-Based FSQ Prevention Program.
Focus Areas:
Product Contact Equipment Belts Conveyors Rollers Guides Packaging Systems Seal systems Vacuum systems Detection systems Environmental Systems Refrigeration Air handling Condensation control Develop controls that prevent food safety risks from equipment deterioration. Startup Excellence Program Support and improve startup performance across all assets.
Right First Time Startup >95% Reliability Data Analysis Analyze equipment performance data.
Monitor:
MTBF MTTR OEE
losses Downtime drivers PM compliance PM effectiveness Failure frequency Generate actionable recommendations based on data analysis. Predictive Maintenance Program Support development and expansion of predictive maintenance initiatives.
Technologies may include:
Vibration analysis Thermography Ultrasonics Oil analysis Motor circuit testing Assist in identifying deteriorating equipment before failure occurs.
Asset Team Participation :
Serve as technical reliability leader on Asset Teams.
Provide:
Failure analysis Reliability planning Equipment risk assessment Capital recommendations
Capital Planning Support :
Support Engineering and Maintenance leadership in developing capital plans.
Identify opportunities related to:
Reliability improvements Obsolescence risks Capacity constraints FSQ risk reduction Develop business cases and ROI analyses.
Controls and Automation Reliability :
Partner with Controls Engineering to improve automation reliability.
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Reliability Engineering, or a related technical discipline 3 + years manufacturing reliability experience Experience with industrial production equipment Experience leading root cause investigations Experience with PM optimization Root Cause Analysis FMEA Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)
Asset Criticality Analysis CMMS Systems Reliability Metrics Preferred Qualifications:
7 + years manufacturing reliability experience Food manufacturing experience RTE manufacturing experience TPM implementation experience PM/PdM development experience SAP PM Fiix EAM Systems Power BI Vibration Analysis Thermography Additional Information The starting salarie for this role is $100,000.00 – $115,000.00. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Link Snacks Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Link Snacks provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job the Team Member is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The Team Member is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or more up to twenty-five pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant/office setting with varying degrees of temperatures and noise levels. Exposure to manufacturing equipment movement and wet/slippery floors. However, the vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled office. Travel may be required.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Link Snacks provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.
E-VERIFY
Link Snacks is participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E-Verify program, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Additional information The salary range for this role is $XX.XX to $XX.XX (Annual). Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Link Snacks Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Link Snacks provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job the Team Member will be required to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (i.e. beard/hairnet, ear plugs, frock, boots, etc.), stand for extended periods of time, and use hands/arms to push, pull, reach and occasionally lift above head. The Team Member must occasionally lift, push, pull up to 25 pounds, and 50 pounds infrequently. Team Members are requested to visually inspect equipment and/or product.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is a plant setting with wet/slippery floors, varying degrees of temperatures with an average temperature of 40 degrees in the production area. Team Members will be exposed to raw and/or cooked meat products and moving equipment and will be required to follow all Food Safety Quality requirements
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Manufacturing plant and office environment with variable temperatures and noise levels Occasional exposure to wet or slippery floors and moving production equipment Majority of administrative work performed in a climate-controlled office Travel to other plants may be required
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYEE
Link Snacks provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.
E-VERIFY
Link Snacks participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E-Verify program, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
