Sawmill Equipment Operator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Sawmill Maintenance Manager

Location:Bowling Green, VA
Department:Maintenance / Sawmill Operations
Reports To:Sawmill Manager or Plant Manager
Employment Type:Full-Time
Pay Range:$62,400-$72,800 annually

Position Summary
The Sawmill Maintenance Manager is responsible for supporting the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of a pine sawmill through hands-on maintenance, preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and project work. This is a key position within the sawmill and requires strong mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic skills, along with the willingness to actively perform maintenance work in the mill.

This role is responsible for helping keep production equipment running, identifying issues before they become major failures, supporting safety efforts, and using non-production time to complete maintenance projects and preventative maintenance. The sawmill does not typically schedule production on Fridays, creating an important opportunity for the Sawmill Maintenance Manager to complete planned repairs, preventative work, inspections, improvements, and downtime projects.

This position does not currently include direct reports and is not responsible for procurement of parts. However, the Sawmill Maintenance Manager is expected to communicate parts needs, equipment issues, project priorities, and maintenance concerns clearly with management and the appropriate support personnel.

Essential Functions

• Perform hands-on maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and adjustment of sawmill equipment.
• Diagnose and repair mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and production equipment issues.
• Support safe and reliable operation of sawmill equipment, including saws, conveyors, log handling equipment, edgers, trimmers, stackers, hydraulic systems, motors, bearings, chains, belts, sensors, controls, and related machinery.
• Develop, support, and complete preventative maintenance tasks to reduce downtime and improve equipment reliability.
• Use scheduled non-production time, especially Fridays, to complete preventative maintenance, planned repairs, inspections, project work, and equipment improvements.
• Respond to production downtime issues and work efficiently to return equipment to safe operating condition.
• Inspect equipment for wear, damage, alignment issues, loose components, hydraulic leaks, electrical concerns, guarding issues, and other potential problems.
• Communicate equipment concerns, repair needs, downtime causes, and project priorities to management.
• Identify parts, materials, and outside-service needs and communicate those needs to the appropriate purchasing or management personnel.
• Maintain maintenance records, notes, inspection findings, or completed work documentation as required.
• Assist with equipment installations, upgrades, fabrication, welding, modifications, and continuous improvement projects.
• Work closely with production employees, supervisors, and management to improve uptime, safety, and production flow.
• Support lockout/tagout, guarding, housekeeping, and safe work practices throughout the sawmill.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support sawmill operations.

Safety Responsibilities

• Serve as an important contributor to the sawmill's safety efforts.
• Follow and support all company safety policies, including lockout/tagout, machine guarding, electrical safety, hot work, confined space, elevated work, PPE, and safe maintenance practices.
• Identify and help correct unsafe conditions related to equipment, guarding, access points, hydraulics, electrical systems, housekeeping, and maintenance activities.
• Communicate safety concerns promptly to management and production leadership.
• Ensure equipment is returned to service only when it is safe to operate.
• Support a culture where production, maintenance, and safety work together rather than compete with one another.

Required Qualifications

• Strong mechanical maintenance skills in an industrial, sawmill, lumber, manufacturing, agricultural, construction, or similar environment.
• Working knowledge of electrical troubleshooting and repair.
• Working knowledge of hydraulic systems, components, leaks, pressure issues, cylinders, hoses, pumps, and valves.
• Ability and willingness to perform hands-on maintenance work.
• Ability to troubleshoot equipment problems and determine practical repair solutions.
• Ability to work safely around saws, conveyors, moving equipment, forklifts, log handling equipment, electrical systems, and hydraulic systems.
• Ability to read, understand, and follow equipment manuals, diagrams, instructions, and maintenance procedures.
• Ability to communicate clearly with management, production employees, outside vendors, and support personnel.
• Reliable attendance and ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• Must be at least 18 years old.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior sawmill, pallet, lumber, wood products, or heavy industrial maintenance experience.
• Experience with preventative maintenance programs.
• Experience with welding, fabrication, bearings, chains, sprockets, belts, gearboxes, motors, sensors, controls, and sawmill production equipment.
• PLC, motor control, VFD, or industrial electrical troubleshooting experience.
• Experience supporting safety programs, equipment guarding, lockout/tagout, or machine safety improvements.
• Forklift, loader, manlift, or mobile equipment experience.

Physical Requirements / Work Environment
This position works in an industrial pine sawmill environment with exposure to noise, sawdust, moving equipment, lumber, logs, sharp cutting equipment, vibration, weather conditions, hydraulic systems, electrical systems, and varying temperatures. The employee may be required to stand, walk, climb steps or ladders, access equipment platforms, bend, kneel, reach, use tools, work around confined or elevated areas, and perform occasional lifting or material handling as needed. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Schedule
This is a full-time position. The normal production schedule does not typically include Friday production, making Fridays an important day for preventative maintenance, planned repairs, inspections, and project work. Overtime, weekends, call-ins, or schedule flexibility may be required based on equipment needs, downtime, project work, or production requirements.

Equal Opportunity Statement
The company is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.