Maintenance Technician

Maintenance Technician – Role Overview

The Maintenance Technician is the go-to person for keeping our plant running smoothly, responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing a wide range of electrical and mechanical equipment in our fast‑paced food processing environment. You will bring expertise in electrical controls
, fluid power
, mechanical systems
, welding
, and fabrication to solve complex issues and keep production on track.

• Efficient Work Order & Emergency Response: Review work orders to assess tools, equipment, time, manpower, parts, and supplies; use SAP to create work orders; respond quickly to emergencies and interpret technical documents such as blueprints, schematics, wiring diagrams, and manuals to diagnose and repair complex issues.

• Hands‑On Maintenance & Equipment Repair: Monitor machinery in operation to spot malfunctions early, disassemble and troubleshoot mechanical equipment, replace faulty parts, reassemble, and test for proper functionality; fabricate replacement parts using welding, cutting, and sheet metal work; perform preventive maintenance on mechanical systems including pumps, packaging, and slicing equipment.

• Installation & System Maintenance: Install and maintain essential systems—mechanical equipment, piping, electrical controls—ensuring compliance with manufacturer specifications and local safety regulations; install new equipment and utilities such as electrical, water, gas, and drain lines.

• Technical Skills & Problem‑Solving: Use a variety of small hand tools and devices for general mechanical maintenance, adhere to preventive and predictive maintenance schedules, and maintain optimal performance of all plant systems.

• Safety First: Follow all company safety protocols, including LOCKOUT/TAGOUT procedures and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), to maintain a safe, compliant, and high‑performance environment.

• High school diploma or GED and 1+ years of related experience / 4 years of direct experience in industrial mechanical maintenance or food manufacturing maintenance.
• Vocational Diploma, Technical Diploma, or associate degree from a technical maintenance or vocational school (preferred).
• Ability to work effectively in a team and interact productively with all levels of personnel and outside contractors.
• Ability to operate a forklift, genie lift, scissor lift, or other powered industrial trucks (PIT).
• Understanding and following oral and written instructions.
• Ability to read and execute work orders, write daily reports, and translate equipment manuals.

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual, or any other protected group status or non‑job characteristic as directed by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757‑357‑1595.

Check out this video to learn more about this role!