Maintenance Lead Techician

Prairie Aquatech•Volga, SD

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Prairie AquaTech Manufacturing, LLC dba Houdek is a manufacturing company based in Volga South Dakota that is improving animal health and nutrition by providing high-quality feed ingredients. Using patent-pending technologies licensed on a worldwide, exclusive basis from South Dakota State University and developed internally, the Company is upgrading soybean meal to high-quality ingredients used in aquaculture and other animal feeds. Position Summary The Maintenance Lead Technician is a frontline leadership role responsible for coordinating the daily activities of the maintenance team to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of plant equipment. Reporting to the Maintenance Manager, this position provides hands‑on technical support, assigns and oversees daily work, ensures completion of preventive and corrective maintenance tasks, and helps maintain a culture of accountability, communication, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

2+ years of experience in industrial or manufacturing maintenance.
Demonstrated ability to lead or coordinate the work of others.
Strong troubleshooting skills across mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation systems.
Experience with equipment maintenance, mechanical assembly, and electrical assembly.
Familiarity with repair of electronics or instrumentation.
Proficiency with maintenance management software and basic computer applications.
Strong communication, organization, and teamwork skills.

Nice To Haves

Fabrication or welding experience desirable.

Responsibilities

Daily Team Leadership Coordinate and assign daily maintenance tasks based on priority, staffing, and production needs.
Provide hands‑on guidance, troubleshooting support, and technical direction to maintenance technicians.
Ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with plant standards.
Support onboarding and skill development for new and existing team members.
Reinforce a positive, accountable team culture aligned with company values.
Maintenance Execution Perform and oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities.
Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation issues in real time.
Assist with root‑cause analysis (RCA) and implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
Support planned shutdowns by coordinating tasks, resources, and timelines.
Parts Inventory & Work Readiness Ensure technicians have the tools, parts, and information needed to complete assigned work.
Assist in maintaining accurate bench stock, spare parts, and critical spares inventories.
Communicate parts shortages or equipment needs to the Maintenance Manager promptly.
Compliance, Safety & Quality Enforce safety procedures including LOTO, confined space, hot work, and other EH&S requirements.
Ensure maintenance work areas are cleaned and organized after repairs.
Document maintenance activities accurately in the maintenance management system.
Support feed safety, FSMA compliance, and audit readiness through proper documentation and equipment care.
Cross‑Functional Coordination Communicate with Production, Quality, and Engineering to align daily maintenance priorities.
Provide timely updates on equipment status, downtime risks, and work progress.
Escalate issues requiring additional resources or managerial support.
Support for Maintenance Manager Provide input on team performance, training needs, and workload planning.
Assist with implementing maintenance strategies, PM improvements, and reliability initiatives.
Serve as acting lead during the Maintenance Manager's absence.