Continuous Improvement Maintenance Specialist

Ice River is currently looking for four (4) Continuous Improvement Maintenance Specialist (NOC 21321 Industrial and manufacturing engineers) to join our team. You will be working for our Head Office, operating from our Feversham facility located at 494306 Grey Road 2, Feversham, Ontario, N0C 1C0, with the opportunity to support other water operations as necessary.

These are permanent, full-time positions, based on 88 hours of work per 2-week cycle, with occasional overtime. At this time, we are only looking for individuals who can work a 12-hour rotating continental shift, including nights and weekends.

Position Summary

The Continuous Improvement Maintenance Specialist will provide technical support to the maintenance and production teams, driving continuous improvement (CI) initiatives across the company’s packaging assets. This role will be instrumental in enhancing equipment performance, optimizing maintenance practices, and ensuring reliable production through strategic improvements and predictive maintenance programs.

Duties include the following: Key Responsibilities

• Technical knowledge and process improvement
• Increase technical knowledge of equipment and processes at the plant level and across the company.
• Continuously improve and enforce preventive and predictive maintenance programs related to packaging, plastics and other assets throughout the organization.
• Develop and update preventative maintenance plans, work orders, SOPs, and best practices to ensure consistent maintenance standards.
• Identify opportunities for predictive maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives to improve part quality and reduce downtime.

Onsite support and troubleshooting

• Conduct onsite visits to validate machine configurations and maintenance requirements as per OEM recommendations.
• Provide hands-on support at struggling sites, often for longer durations or for a predetermined schedule to drive CI initiatives and onboard new installations.
• Support annual overhaul initiatives through direct involvement in audits, rebuilds and training.
• Enforce proper tool usage and adherence to safety policies during maintenance activities.
• Work with plant teams to adhere to IRSS standards putting in place plans to correct and maintain.

Performance monitoring and reporting

• Establish and monitor KPIs to evaluate equipment performance according to purchase agreements and acceptance trials.
• Provide visibility to the management team regarding critical system issues and performance gaps.
• Follow up with equipment manufacturers and plant teams to ensure systematic closure of action items observed during acceptance trials.
• Review production data to establish correlations between part quality defects and system health or condition.

Vendor and cross-functional collaboration

• Work closely with vendors and plant teams to optimize maintenance practices and improve machine uptime.
• Participate in ci calls to accelerate issue resolution with the help of vendors and internal teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define project timelines, milestones, and success criteria.
• Evaluate new technology and upgrades on equipment, providing feedback to senior management.

Project support and execution

• Conduct technical assessments and ROI analysis to identify potential issues with project execution.
• Assist with equipment removal, shipment, setup, and training for new installations as directed by the ci manager.
• Design and implement sustainable programs for periodic inspections of end-of-line materials to identify quality issues.

Qualifications We are looking for candidates who meets the following minimum requirements: Education

• Diploma or degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, or a related field.
• Electrical or mechanical red seal certification preferred

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in maintenance, production, or continuous improvement within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working as a service engineer with Krones machinery; this includes performing installations, audits, maintenance, troubleshooting, overhauls and conducting training sessions.
• Must have hands-on experience with automation and control systems, including plc programming, troubleshooting, and integrating these systems into production lines.

Technical skills:

• Strong understanding of mechanical and electrical systems related to packaging equipment.
• Experience with preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Knowledge of KPI development and performance monitoring.
• Technical writing skills – report, summaries, instructions, procedures, structure.

Soft skills:

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills with cross-functional teams and external vendors.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.

Additional requirements:

• Willingness to travel to plant locations for onsite support.
• Familiarity with safety regulations and best practices for equipment maintenance.

Key performance indicators (KPIs):

• Reduction in equipment downtime and maintenance-related production losses.
• Improvement in equipment performance as measured against acceptance trial benchmarks.
• Increased adherence to preventative and predictive maintenance schedules.

• Improved part quality and reduction in defects linked to equipment condition.
• Successful execution of ci initiatives and completion of project milestones.

Work environment:

• Primarily based at company facilities, with regular travel to plant locations.
• Hands-on involvement with machinery and production equipment.
• Fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and high-performance expectations.

Compensation We offer a generous compensation package, which includes:

• Starting wage of $45 per hour, less applicable statutory deductions and withholdings.
• Overtime will be paid at 1.5 time your regular hourly rate, after 88 hours worked in a 2-week work cycle.
• 10 days of paid vacation per year
• Extended medical, dental, and long-term disability insurance.
• Participation in our retirement savings plan.
• Inbound transportation costs for out of province applicants
• Private health care insurance coverage for out of province applicants (equal to the Ontario provincial health insurance plan) until such a time that the applicant is eligible for Ontario provincial health insurance
• Eligible for incremental raises in accordance with standard company policies

Working Environment and Physical Demands

• Shift-work, including at night and on weekends required.
• Frequent lifting and carrying of materials, products, and goods up to 50 pounds or more.
• Standing and walking for extended periods on hard surfaces.
• Regular bending, stooping, and reaching to handle equipment and materials.
• Using manual dexterity for operating machinery controls, tools, and computer systems.
• Good visual and auditory acuity to monitor equipment and detect malfunctions.
• Operating forklifts and machinery requires coordination, balance, and adherence to safety protocols.
• PPE use.