Equipment Specialist

Equipment Specialist I

Join Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation. Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions.

If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

The Equipment Specialist I supports equipment reliability, defect reduction, productivity improvement, and safe manufacturing operations through the application of developing mechanical, troubleshooting, and data analysis skills. This role performs routine equipment repairs, equipment recovery, inspections, and improvement activities while learning increasingly complex manufacturing systems and processes. Working closely with production teams, maintenance personnel, engineers, and senior specialists, the Equipment Specialist I participates in root cause investigations, implements corrective actions, and supports continuous improvement initiatives using problem-solving methodologies such as PDCA.

The position serves as an entry point into technical engineering support by building expertise in equipment performance, machine systems, and manufacturing operations.

Essential Duties:

• Functional Operations:
  Troubleshoot, repair, and maintain manufacturing equipment under established procedures and guidance from senior team members
• Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement:
  Participate in PDCA-based problem solving and root cause investigations
• Training & Team Support:
  Participate in technical training programs to develop expertise across multiple equipment platforms and production processes
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication:
  Work closely with production, maintenance, engineering, and quality teams to coordinate equipment-related activities
• Quality, Safety, & Compliance:
  Follow all company, departmental, environmental, quality, and safety policies and procedures

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required:

High School Diploma, GED, or 3 years of technical training, apprenticeship training, or equivalent hands-on mechanical experience

Preferred:
Associate's degree in Electronic Technology, Mechatronics, Industrial Maintenance, Manufacturing Technology, or related technical field

Completion of PECNA Maintenance Apprenticeship Program

PLC training or certification

PECNA-approved technical training

Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

4+ years of industrial maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment

Experience interpreting mechanical or electrical drawings

Experience with manufacturing execution systems (MES), Tableau, or similar production data systems

Exposure to PLCs, automation systems, machine controls, or vision systems

Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, PDCA, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies

Experience supporting defect reduction, equipment reliability, or productivity improvement initiatives

Experience using Excel for basic data analysis and reporting

Exposure to Python, JMP, or other data analysis tools

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

To ensure health and safety in the workplace and for employee protection, wearing PPE is required and includes equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. A respirator fit test will be required based on functional area.

Physical Demands:

Physical

Activities:

Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

Sit: 10%

Walk: 30%

Stand: 60%

Required Lifting and Carrying:
Up to 10 lbs.:
Continuous Up to 20 lbs.:
Continuous Up to 35 lbs.:
Frequent Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.):
Frequent

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job. In addition, employees are expected to participate in cross-training and may be assigned responsibilities in other areas as business needs evolve.