Distillery Technician - New Yarmouth Distillery

The Distillery Technician role involves the maintenance of equipment and infrastructure within the Distillery. The incumbent must possess significant knowledge and experience to perform effective Corrective and Preventative Maintenance of all service equipment across the site.

Position Summary

The Distillery Technician - Level 1 role involves the maintenance of equipment and infrastructure within the Distillery. This role is multifunctional and requires a level of expertise higher than a Level 2 Distillery Technician, which allows greater agility to be demonstrated in providing maintenance services to the operation. The incumbent possesses significant knowledge and experience to assist in effective Corrective and Preventative Maintenance of all service equipment across the site. The incumbent reports directly to the Maintenance Team Lead.

Key Activities & Responsibilities 

• Ensure timely and accurate intervention for all Electrical or Instrumentation and Mechanical maintenance activities
• Execute daily maintenance activities such as establishing key centerlines for equipment, calibration of instruments, conduct Predictive Maintenance (PM) and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for equipment breakdowns and other key tools or activities necessary for improvement
• Ensure that all Lock 0ut -Tag Out procedures are observed prior to the commencement of jobs
• Evaluate automation and electrical systems or mechanical systems for any improvements that may be necessary to improve service reliability and increase efficiency in operations. This includes all instrumentation and electrical devices/circuits or mechanical motors, pumps, gearboxes or hydraulic systems used across the distillery operations, utility supports and operations in the field
• Inspect and maintain all emergency pumps, generators, eye and shower stations across the site
• Inspect acid lines and acid pumps for potential failures and execute repairs
• Execute maintenance of instrumentation & control panels and PLC Systems in accordance with stipulated company standards
• Collect data and prepare reports on equipment breakdowns as needed
• Report all defective, temporary repairs and inoperable equipment to the Supervisor
• Assist with the upkeep of the Critical Instruments List for all critical instruments used in the operations
• Assist with the installation and commissioning of new equipment ensuring that installation and operations conform to the required technical standards
• Execute validation checks on equipment after each repair/maintenance activity
• Assist with activities to ensure re-certification of equipment as instructed by the supervisor
• Prepare requisitions for parts or services for repairs and maintenance of equipment
• Assist with the operations in the Powerhouse as instructed by the supervisor
• Provide information as requested to Engineering Team to assist with equipment design for new projects
• Assist with the technical training of other site technicians/team members for maintenance or operations
• Make recommendations on process improvement for efficient and effective functioning of equipment

Required Qualification, Experience and Competencies 

• Associate Degree in Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance or Electrical Engineering and Instrumentation or equivalent from a reputable institution
• At least 5 years’ equivalent work experience in a manufacturing environment
• Good communication, interpersonal and team working skills
• Must demonstrate mastery of the competencies of a Level 2 Distillery Technician in either the Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance field or Electrical and Instrumentation field
• Must be able to work autonomously in both functions (Mechanical and Electrical Engineering or Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering)
• Knowledge of mechanical engineering best practices
• Knowledge of instrumentation & control and industrial electrical maintenance practices
• Working knowledge of plant equipment such as air compressors, pumps, filters, Centrifuge, Turbines, Gearboxes, Boiler, switch boards, PLC systems, electrical circuits and Power Generations Systems
• Knowledge of guidelines for fire safety and emergency preparedness and response
• Working Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices and HACCP principles

Working Conditions

• May be exposed to heat, noise, dust, dirt, odors and debris
• May be required to walk on potentially slippery surfaces
• May be required to handle potentially hazardous chemicals
• May be required to work in awkward positions (or at heights) from time to time
• May be required to work outside of normal working hours; on shift, including on weekends
• Required to work in an environment which requires the ongoing use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required for the position and as per Company policy.