Reliability Engineer
Chanhassen, Minnesota · Direct Hire · Applying is free — our fee is paid by the employer.
The Reliability Engineer focuses on maximizing the operational performance and lifespan of a company's systems, equipment, and products. The role is largely proactive, involving extensive analysis, testing, and risk management to prevent failures and minimize downtime. This role is responsible for identifying, managing, and mitigating asset reliability risks that could negatively impact plant or business operations. They apply engineering principles and statistical analysis to ensure the dependability, performance, and maintainability of equipment and processes throughout their entire lifecycle.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
- Perform Root Cause Analysis (RCA) on equipment failures to identify underlying causes and implement effective, long-term corrective actions.
- Use techniques like Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to identify potential failure modes and their impact on safety, environment, and business operations.
- Provide input during the design and installation phases of new equipment to ensure reliability and maintainability are built-in from the start.
- Systematically define and refine preventive and predictive maintenance programs, including Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), to reduce costs and prevent failures.
- Analyze operational data, such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), to track performance and identify areas for improvement.
- Drive initiatives and engineering solutions to address repetitive failures and increase overall operational efficiency.
- Offer technical expertise and guidance to production, maintenance, and project teams.
- Confirm that all equipment and processes adhere to relevant industry regulations, standards, and safety procedures.
- Perform other related duties as assigned to support business and operational goals.
- Strong ability to analyze complex data, solve problems, and identify trends using statistical methods like Weibull analysis.
- A solid understanding of engineering principles, equipment design, and manufacturing processes.
- Expertise in systematic problem-solving methodologies like Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Six Sigma.
- Experience with Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software, and statistical analysis tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to explain complex technical issues to diverse teams and stakeholders.
- Professional certifications such as Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) from the American Society for Quality (ASQ) or Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP) from the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) are a plus.
Education and Experience:
- A bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline, such as Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or a related field. Some senior-level roles may prefer a master's degree.
- Proven experience, minimum of 5+ years (10+ preferred), in a reliability engineering role, maintenance, manufacturing, or a related field.
- Extensive experience validating and creating data sources for analysis and performance tracking.
- Experience with design, fabrication, and testing of equipment upgrades and improvements is highly preferred.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to work 8 hours consecutively and maintain consistent focus throughout the workday.
- Standard work hours M-F, 8a-5p, with the ability to occasionally adjust hours to support initiatives across a 24/7 manufacturing facility.
- Regular presence on the manufacturing floor to collect data, observe processes, provide support, and collaborate with operations teams.
- Ability to lift 50 pounds with assistance.
- Exposure to noise from a manufacturing environment. Personal protective equipment provided.
- Occasional travel may be required to support projects or cross-site initiatives.
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
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