Lead Plant Quality Technician

Airgas • Tucson, AZ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The primary function of this job is the operational leadership at the facility and to assist the Plant / Facility Manager in the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the facility. The Lead Plant Operator Technician manages the processes that ensure that products and services are of the highest quality. This role encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including participating in operational and routine maintenance tasks within the facility work group without interruption of customer product deliveries, making plant and process decisions and performing process troubleshooting. Additionally, it involves studying and maintaining site-specific Standard Operating Procedures, Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID’s), Process Flow Diagrams, and all other technical documentation as it relates to operational or equipment processes. The Lead Plant Operator Technician will also conduct Acceptance Test/ Pre Start-up Reviews (PSSR) with Operations & Maintenance, ensure accurate and complete information in maintenance Work Orders, determine if immediate maintenance action is required, document it, and report it to the appropriate personnel. Other essential tasks include generating initial documentation for on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors site-specific training needs, escorting on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors throughout the facility as needed, ensuring that contractors, visitors, co-workers, and others comply with National Safety Policies and Procedures. In addition, it involves actively participating and sharing the lead in the facility safety meetings and inspections/Audits, Facility Operations and Customer Relations Development and loading and unloading cryogenic transports as necessary. The Lead Plant Operator Technician is expected to actively pursue one's own growth and career development through self-initiative practices and working with resources made available as coordinated with the supervisor. Part of this role will also be to foster open communication amongst all facility technicians in relation to best practices, operational or Facility needs, safety issues or concerns, conflicts of interest between shifts or other departments, and sharing operational knowledge and expertise with all other Technicians. This role involves assisting and working closely with Level 1-4 Technicians with daily facility needs including: Administrative function responsibilities as delegated by the Plant Manager, facility record keeping and documentation, Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) input and work order generation and may also need to provide direction to Level 1-4 Technicians as assigned by the Plant manager for coverage, training, schedules and daily task assignments. In this role the individual must follow policies and procedures on proper notification procedures for scheduling vacation, floating holidays, and personal days off. It is also expected that the Lead Plant Operator Technician fills in for vacations and emergency shift relief coverage, as situations warrant. This role includes a commitment to the strict adherence to company policies and safety guidelines as well as meeting or exceeding the company’s safety goals, standards and policies. This role is also expected to instill safety in others, by being safety minded and modeling good safety practice. Additionally, the position involves supporting, accurately completing, maintaining, and instilling corporate Health, Safety, and Environmental policies & procedures and relevant documentation at the facility in operating and maintaining responsibility for a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly facility. This role places a strong emphasis on the understanding of governmental regulations including environmental permitting and compliance, loading /quality assurance, basic electricity, National & Local Operating Procedures,CMMS and maintenance management process, and All Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issues associated with the facility. This position is expected to comply with all regulatory agencies and requirements including, but not limited to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and company quality policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Associates degree desirable or technical training (or equivalent experience) required
• 5+ years of related operations experience
• Trained on and calibrates analyzers
• Performs minor maintenance activities
• Maintains local spare parts
• Performs minor PM activities
• Performs Air Separation Units (ASU)/Nitrogen Liquefaction Unit (NLU) /Liquid Carbon Dioxide (LCO2) /High Pressure Nitrogen (HPN) cold plant start-up (H2 warm); performs routine Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) start-up (if applicable)
• Monitors, understands and can explain Facility KPI's
• Updates downtime in Systems Applications and Products (SAP) and/or Lucene Image REtrieval (LIRE) when required
• Applies process safety programs (Management of Change, etc.) to operations
• Ability to understand plant Interlock Schedule including what triggers Interlocks and Shutdowns, and what resulting actions occur
• Demonstrates detailed understanding of Piping and Instrumentation Diagram (P&IDs) and can draw plant process schematic from memory
• Participates in root cause analysis for incidents, near misses, Good Catches
• Troubleshoots single piece of equipment for root cause of abnormal situation
• Board operations, start-up and shutdown without assistance from senior level or can direct start-up and shutdown activities requiring multiple technicians, basic plant troubleshooting
• Coordinates major maintenance activities
• Completes complex safe-work permitting and Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO)
• Alarm management and troubleshoots subsystems for root cause of abnormal situations
• Must be able to wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including, hardhat, safety glasses, safety. shoes/boots, ear protection, and possible respirator protection
• Must be able to lift 60 lbs
• Must be willing to travel as needed for training or to support other sites

Responsibilities

• Participating in operational and routine maintenance tasks within the facility work group without interruption of customer product deliveries
• Making plant and process decisions and performing process troubleshooting
• Studying and maintaining site-specific Standard Operating Procedures, Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID’s), Process Flow Diagrams, and all other technical documentation as it relates to operational or equipment processes
• Conduct Acceptance Test/ Pre Start-up Reviews (PSSR) with Operations & Maintenance, ensure accurate and complete information in maintenance Work Orders, determine if immediate maintenance action is required, document it, and report it to the appropriate personnel
• Generating initial documentation for on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors site-specific training needs
• Escorting on-site contractors, vendors, guests, or visitors throughout the facility as needed
• Ensuring that contractors, visitors, co-workers, and others comply with National Safety Policies and Procedures
• Actively participating and sharing the lead in the facility safety meetings and inspections/Audits, Facility Operations and Customer Relations Development and loading and unloading cryogenic transports as necessary
• Fostering open communication amongst all facility technicians in relation to best practices, operational or Facility needs, safety issues or concerns, conflicts of interest between shifts or other departments, and sharing operational knowledge and expertise with all other Technicians
• Assisting and working closely with Level 1-4 Technicians with daily facility needs including: Administrative function responsibilities as delegated by the Plant Manager, facility record keeping and documentation, Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) input and work order generation and may also need to provide direction to Level 1-4 Technicians as assigned by the Plant manager for coverage, training, schedules and daily task assignments
• Following policies and procedures on proper notification procedures for scheduling vacation, floating holidays, and personal days off
• Filling in for vacations and emergency shift relief coverage, as situations warrant
• Commitment to the strict adherence to company policies and safety guidelines as well as meeting or exceeding the company’s safety goals, standards and policies
• Instilling safety in others, by being safety minded and modeling good safety practice
• Supporting, accurately completing, maintaining, and instilling corporate Health, Safety, and Environmental policies & procedures and relevant documentation at the facility in operating and maintaining responsibility for a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly facility
• Understanding of governmental regulations including environmental permitting and compliance, loading /quality assurance, basic electricity, National & Local Operating Procedures,CMMS and maintenance management process, and All Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issues associated with the facility
• Complying with all regulatory agencies and requirements including, but not limited to Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and company quality policies and procedures

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision plans, short-term and long-term disability, life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), pre-tax commuter transportation benefit, parental leave, vacation, sick time, floating holidays, jury duty and funeral/bereavement leave, and paid holidays for all eligible full-time employees
• 401k plan with company matching funds
• Tuition reimbursement
• Discounted college tuition for eligible employees’ dependents
• Airgas Scholarship Program for dependent children

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree