Equipment Reliability Engineer - Food Manufacturing

Ready to drive meaningful uptime improvements in a rapidly growing artisan bakery? Pave Talent is partnering with an established mid-size food manufacturer in Frederick, MD to find an Equipment Reliability Specialist who will play a pivotal role in transforming reactive maintenance into a structured reliability-centered program.

Our client is a thriving industrial bakery with four production lines and aggressive expansion plans—four additional lines coming online by 2028. This isn't just a job; it's an opportunity to build something lasting while the company scales. You'll own the reliability strategy for two automated production lines, working directly with the Director of Engineering & Maintenance to stabilize equipment performance and reduce downtime on critical assets.

As Equipment Reliability Specialist, you'll tackle real-world challenges that directly impact production output and profitability:

• Lead root cause failure analysis on equipment failures—from conveyors to mixers to ovens—identifying systemic issues and implementing permanent solutions rather than quick fixes
• Optimize preventive maintenance programs by conducting FMEA assessments, comparing current PM schedules against failure data, and building a maintenance strategy that actually prevents breakdowns
• Collaborate with the maintenance planner to restructure the CMMS hierarchy, ensuring accurate equipment documentation and enabling data-driven maintenance decisions
• Partner with OEMs to retrofit problematic equipment, evaluate new technology solutions, and drive continuous improvement projects like converting friction-drive conveyors to direct-drive systems
• Mentor maintenance technicians during critical shutdown periods, building their troubleshooting capabilities and fostering a culture of proactive maintenance
• Drive uptime improvements by systematically addressing the root causes of chronic downtime events—your success will be measured by how consistently your lines run without interruption

Required:

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in industrial maintenance or reliability engineering within manufacturing environments
• Proven ability to troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic systems in production settings
• Experience conducting root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions that stick
• Comfort working with CMMS systems to document maintenance activities and analyze failure patterns
• Strong problem-solving mindset with the ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team

Preferred:

• Food or beverage manufacturing experience (GMP, SQF, HACCP familiarity is a plus)
• FMEA methodology experience and preventive maintenance program development
• CMRP (Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional) or CRL (Certified Reliability Leader) certifications
• Familiarity with Upkeep, Maximo, or similar CMMS platforms
• Technical degree in engineering, industrial maintenance, or related field (though equivalent hands-on experience is equally valued)

Career Growth in a Scaling Organization: With four new production lines planned by 2028, there's a clear path for advancement as the reliability team expands from two to four engineers. You'll have the opportunity to shape the reliability program from the ground up.

Meaningful Impact: Your work directly translates to reduced downtime, improved production efficiency, and better quality of life for the maintenance team. When equipment runs smoothly, everyone wins.

Predictable Schedule with Flexibility: Monday–Friday salaried position with core involvement during Wednesday/Thursday maintenance shutdowns (6 AM–4 PM those days). Typical work weeks are 45 hours with flexibility on non-shutdown days.

Optional High-Paying On-Call System: For those interested in additional income, there's a well-compensated on-call program ($400 for 1-4 hours, $1,000 for 4-8 hours) for experienced troubleshooters who can resolve complex issues during off-hours.

Comprehensive Benefits: Competitive base salary + 10% annual performance bonus, health and dental benefits starting after 30 days, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and a collaborative team…