Equipment Optimization & Cost Reduction Specialist

Job Title

Equipment Optimization & Cost Reduction Specialist

Join a team that nourishes life from farm to table! Upstate Niagara Cooperative, proudly owned by 200+ local family farms, is one of America's largest and most stable dairy cooperatives. Guided by farmer- and employee-led values, we process and market high-quality milk, yogurt, dips, sour cream, cottage cheese, and more under our trusted brands:
Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk®. Here, you'll support sustainable farming, strong communities, and the mission to deliver fresh, local dairy to families every day.

The Equipment Optimization & Cost Reduction Specialist is responsible for minimizing external service costs by developing in-house expertise for Evergreen, Federal, Fogg, and other dairy filling and primary processing equipment. This role combines technical proficiency, hands-on troubleshooting, training, and vendor management to build sustainable in-house capabilities and local partnerships that reduce reliance on OEM service technicians and drive long-term maintenance efficiency.

Cost Reduction & Vendor Dependence

• Identify, analyze, and target areas of high external service costs (Evergreen, Fogg, Federal, Modern, all packaging equipment, etc.).
• Develop and implement strategies to reduce reliance on OEM and third-party technicians.
• Establish and maintain relationships with local qualified machine shops for fabrication, machining, and rebuild work.
• Create and maintain a cost-savings tracker to quantify improvements and return on investment.

Training & Skill Development

• Conduct hands-on training for in-house maintenance teams on filler operation, troubleshooting, and preventative maintenance.
• Develop standard work procedures, manuals, and visual aids for critical machine components.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning within the maintenance organization.
• Drive predictive maintenance programs to ultimately improve OEE, reduce losses, improve management personnel knowledge on the floor, create teamwork environments.

Technical Expertise

• Perform advanced diagnostics, rebuilds, and retrofits on Evergreen, Fogg, Federal, and Modern related packaging and processing equipment.
• Collaborate with engineering to identify design improvements, parts standardization, and retrofit opportunities.
• Oversee spare parts inventory for primary equipment, ensuring proper documentation and usage tracking.

Process & Performance Optimization

• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions for chronic filler issues.
• Work with operations and quality teams to improve machine performance, efficiency, and uptime.
• Benchmark performance metrics (MTBF, MTTR, OEE) and drive measurable improvement initiatives.
• Work with management teams to drive OEE performance, develop operator skillset and continually reduce manufacturing cost per unit monthly

Education:

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering preferred; or equivalent technical experience.

Experience:

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience maintaining and troubleshooting dairy or beverage fillers (Evergreen, Fogg, Federal, Modern preferred).
• Proven experience reducing maintenance costs and developing in-house maintenance capabilities.
• Hands-on machining, fabrication, and mechanical rebuild experience preferred.

Skills:

• Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting ability.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills for training and mentoring staff.
• Understanding of preventative maintenance, predictive technologies, and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) principles.
• Proficient with CMMS systems and technical documentation.

• Reduction in OEM technician usage and service costs
• Increase in in-house repair capabilities and trained personnel
• Improved filler uptime and reliability metrics
• Year-over-year maintenance cost reduction targets achieved
• Documented training completion and procedure implementation

Pay:

$95,000-$125,000 per year*

* The salary range listed for this position represents the good faith and reasonable minimum and maximum pay for this role at the time…