Mechanical Engineer

Kelly Engineering is seeking a Mechanical / Reliability Engineer to join one of our leading clients in the Chemical Manufacturing industry at their Chaska, MN plant.

• Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering or related engineering discipline
• 3+ years industry experience in manufacturing, heavy industrial, or chemical environment
• Experience in Preventative Maintenance (PM), RCA, FMEA, and/or RCM
• Willing to work 75% or more on the floor (not a desk job)
• Work with cross-functional teams and all walks of life

We are seeking a Mechanical / Reliability Engineer to support safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing operations through equipment reliability, maintenance optimization, process troubleshooting, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role serves as a key technical resource for plant operations and maintenance teams, focusing on maximizing equipment uptime, improving asset performance, and supporting daily plant operations.

The ideal candidate will combine strong operational engineering knowledge with hands-on experience in reliability and maintenance practices within a manufacturing or chemical processing environment.

• Support daily plant operations by troubleshooting equipment and process issues to minimize downtime and maintain safe production
• Develop and implement strategies to improve equipment reliability, availability, and maintainability
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) investigations for equipment failures, process disruptions, and recurring operational issues
• Analyze maintenance and operational data to identify trends and implement corrective actions
• Expand, support and optimize preventive and predictive maintenance (PM/PdM) programs
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, and technical teams to improve plant performance and equipment lifecycle management
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to reliability, maintenance effectiveness, energy efficiency, and operational performance
• Assist with development and optimization of maintenance procedures, operating practices, and equipment standards
• Monitor equipment performance indicators and recommend actions to improve plant reliability and maintenance cost effectiveness
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements including OSHA and Process Safety Management (PSM) standards
• Provide technical support during equipment repairs, shutdowns, startups, and maintenance activities
• Maintain accurate equipment records and utilize CMMS systems to support maintenance planning and reliability initiatives

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or related Engineering discipline
• 3+ years of experience in plant engineering, reliability engineering, maintenance engineering, or manufacturing operations
• Experience in chemical, petrochemical, refinery, or heavy industrial manufacturing environments preferred
• Strong understanding of industrial equipment including pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, motors, piping systems, and process instrumentation
• Working knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance practices
• Experience with reliability tools and methodologies such as RCA, FMEA, RCM, vibration analysis, and oil analysis
• Familiarity with CMMS systems
• Knowledge of OSHA PSM requirements and industrial safety standards
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem‑solving skills
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities

• Certification such as CMRP (Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional)
• Experience in chemical, petrochemical, or refinery environments
• Six Sigma or Lean Manufacturing experience
• Familiarity with process control systems and instrumentation troubleshooting