Maintenance Supervisor (Iowa)

The Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for leading the day-to-day activities of the maintenance team in a USDA-inspected pork processing facility. This role ensures the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of production equipment supporting fresh and value-added pork products, including skinning, cutting, packaging, and ready-to-ship operations.

The successful candidate will have strong hands-on technical knowledge of meat processing equipment, including Cryovac packaging systems, pork skinners, conveyors, vacuum packaging equipment, and processing machinery. The Maintenance Supervisor will lead preventive maintenance programs, coordinate corrective repairs, supervise maintenance technicians, and partner with Operations, Quality Assurance, and Sanitation to maximize equipment uptime while maintaining food safety and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Operations

• Supervise maintenance technicians across assigned shifts.
• Plan, prioritize, and assign daily maintenance activities.
• Coordinate emergency repairs to minimize production downtime.
• Ensure all work is completed safely, efficiently, and to company standards.
• Review maintenance work orders and ensure timely completion.
• Support production during startup, changeovers, and shutdowns.

Equipment Maintenance

Maintain and troubleshoot equipment including:

• Cryovac vacuum packaging systems
• Rollstock thermoformers
• Vacuum sealers
• Pork skinning machines (Marel, Maja, Grasselli, Townsend or similar)
• Band saws
• Slicers
• Portion cutters
• Injectors and tumblers
• Conveyor systems
• Metal detectors
• Checkweighers
• Labeling equipment
• Compressors
• Pumps
• Hydraulic systems
• Pneumatic systems
• Steam equipment
• Refrigeration systems
• Boilers
• Industrial electrical systems

Preventive Maintenance

• Execute and improve preventive maintenance schedules.
• Support predictive maintenance initiatives.
• Monitor equipment performance and identify reliability improvements.
• Ensure maintenance documentation is accurate and complete.
• Maintain equipment history within the CMMS.

Leadership

• Supervise, coach, and develop maintenance technicians.
• Train employees on maintenance procedures and safe work practices.
• Monitor technician performance and provide ongoing feedback.
• Assist with recruiting and onboarding maintenance personnel.
• Promote teamwork and accountability across departments.

Troubleshooting

• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control system failures.
• Perform root cause analysis on recurring equipment issues.
• Recommend and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Support installation and commissioning of new equipment.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

Ensure maintenance activities comply with:

• USDA regulations
• HACCP programs
• GMPs
• SSOP requirements
• Food safety and sanitation standards
• OSHA regulations
• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures