Production Engineer Manager Jobs in Athens, GA (NOW HIRING)

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance function within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in industrial electrical systems, controls, automation, and manufacturing equipment, along with the leadership skills needed to manage and develop a maintenance team.

This is not strictly a desk-based management position. We are looking for someone who is comfortable being on the plant floor, troubleshooting alongside the team when needed, identifying the root causes of equipment failures, and developing long-term solutions that improve equipment reliability and plant performance.

The Maintenance Manager will work closely with Plant Management, Engineering, Production, and other departments to maximize equipment uptime, improve preventive maintenance practices, and support a safe and efficient manufacturing operation.

• Lead, manage, train, and develop the plant maintenance team.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership for electrical, mechanical, automation, and controls-related issues.
• Troubleshoot complex electrical and equipment failures and assist maintenance technicians with difficult problems.
• Oversee the maintenance and troubleshooting of industrial electrical systems, motors, drives, controls, instrumentation, and automation systems.
• Develop, manage, and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Reduce unplanned downtime through root cause analysis and permanent corrective actions.
• Establish maintenance priorities based on safety, production requirements, equipment reliability, and business needs.
• Work closely with Production to coordinate planned maintenance and minimize disruptions to manufacturing.
• Support equipment installations, upgrades, capital projects, and plant improvement initiatives.
• Manage maintenance work orders, equipment history, spare parts, and critical inventory.
• Identify recurring equipment problems and develop solutions to improve reliability and performance.
• Manage outside contractors and vendors as needed.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with OSHA requirements, electrical safety practices, Lockout/Tagout procedures, and company safety standards.
• Develop and track maintenance KPIs, including downtime, preventive maintenance completion, equipment reliability, and maintenance costs.
• Help create a culture of accountability, urgency, teamwork, and continuous improvement within the maintenance department.

A strong industrial electrical background is an important requirement for this position. The successful candidate should have experience with several of the following:

• Industrial electrical troubleshooting
• 480V three-phase electrical systems
• AC/DC motors and motor controls
• Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
• PLC-controlled equipment and PLC troubleshooting
• Industrial control panels and electrical schematics
• Sensors, relays, switches, and instrumentation
• Automation and process control systems
• Electrical distribution and plant power systems
• Preventive and predictive maintenance
• Mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems
• Root cause analysis and equipment reliability
• Manufacturing equipment troubleshooting and repair

• 5+ years of industrial maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment preferred.
• 3+ years of maintenance leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
• Strong industrial electrical background required.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot electrical, controls, and automated manufacturing equipment.
• Experience leading and developing maintenance technicians.
• Strong mechanical aptitude in addition to electrical expertise.
• Experience in plastics, extrusion, fiber, textiles, continuous-process manufacturing, or a similar manufacturing environment is highly desirable.
• Experience developing and improving preventive maintenance programs.
• Working knowledge of OSHA, Lockout/Tagout, and industrial electrical safety requirements.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively across Production, Engineering, Management, and outside vendors.
• Comfortable working in a hands-on manufacturing environment and responding to critical equipment issues when necessary.
• Technical degree, electrical certification, journeyman electrical experience, or related education preferred. Equivalent hands-on industrial experience will also be considered.