Automation Technician, Auxiliary Conveying Eq

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Full Time Regular Indirect Hourly Franklin Township, NJ, US

3 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $35.00 To $40.00 Hourly

POSITION

DESCRIPTION:

Department: Maintenance / Manufacturing
Reports To: Maintenance Supervisor / Maintenance Manager
Schedule: 1st Shift, Monday–Friday

Position Summary

The Automation & Lining Technician is responsible for troubleshooting, repairing, optimizing, and continuously improving automated production equipment in a plastic cap manufacturing facility. Equipment includes lining machines, rotary assembly machines, vision inspection systems, conveyors, and related production machinery.

This position focuses on maximizing equipment reliability and production output, reducing downtime and scrap, and improving overall operational efficiency. The ideal candidate takes ownership of equipment performance, performs robust and lasting repairs, and applies Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and corrective actions to eliminate recurring failures. This role works closely with maintenance, production, and engineering teams to improve machine performance, product quality, and process consistency.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Equipment Reliability & Root Cause Analysis

• Troubleshoot and repair complex mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, and automation-related equipment issues.
• Lead or participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations to identify underlying causes of equipment failures, recurring downtime, and quality defects.
• Develop, implement, and verify corrective actions to eliminate repeat failures rather than relying on temporary fixes.
• Apply structured problem-solving methods, including 5 Whys, cause-and-effect analysis, and failure trend analysis.
• Document failure causes, corrective actions, and results to prevent recurrence and support knowledge sharing.
• Identify equipment weaknesses and recommend improvements to increase reliability, maintainability, and service life.

Continuous Improvement & Production Efficiency

• Identify and implement improvements that increase machine uptime, throughput, cycle times, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Analyze downtime, scrap, minor stoppages, and production constraints to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Improve equipment performance through tooling improvements, machine modifications, process adjustments, and engineering-driven solutions.
• Collaborate with production and engineering teams to resolve recurring issues, reduce waste, and improve line efficiency.
• Support 5S, TPM (Total Productive Maintenance), Lean Manufacturing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Measure and verify the effectiveness of implemented improvements using equipment performance and production data.

Lining & Automation Systems

• Troubleshoot, repair, and optimize lining machines to ensure consistent liner placement, retention, and finished cap quality.
• Diagnose issues involving liner feeding, application, machine timing, indexing, tooling, and material handling.
• Troubleshoot HMI systems, sensors, vision inspection systems, actuators, drives, and automated machine sequences.
• Improve inspection reliability, defect detection, and automated reject systems to support product quality.
• Assist with PLC diagnostics and automation improvements within the scope of training and authorization. PLC programming experience is a plus.

Safety & Quality

• Follow plant safety procedures, including lockout/tagout (LOTO), machine guarding, and applicable electrical safety requirements.
• Ensure equipment repairs and modifications meet established safety and quality standards.
• Maintain an…