Reliability Project Engineer

Role Highlights

 

This is an opportunity for a technically capable Maintenance Coordinator to take ownership of a maintenance function within an established manufacturing site and lead a qualified team that is ready to be organised. The role will suit someone who combines hands-on mechanical knowledge with strong scheduling and planning discipline, and who wants to build a proactive maintenance culture rather than simply react to breakdowns.

Role Overview

 

Reporting to the Operations Manager, this Maintenance Coordinator role has been created to bring technical and scheduling leadership to a maintenance team that currently lacks clear direction. At present, preventative and breakdown maintenance is not being completed in a timely manner because materials are not ordered ahead of need, leaving the team following up on parts rather than executing planned work. You will bring the practical, technical grounding needed to diagnose issues, guide the team effectively, and ensure the right materials are in the right place at the right time so production can operate with minimal unplanned downtime.

This is a genuine opportunity to build rather than maintain. You will establish structured scheduling, run regular toolbox talks, and create consistent, reliable communication between Maintenance, Production and Engineering. Over time, preventative maintenance will become data-driven, using machine reliability and breakdown history to continuously refine the schedule, with regular reporting delivered to the Operations Manager and Managing Director. For the right person, this role offers real ownership of a team and a function, with exposure to installation projects and continuous improvement initiatives as the role matures.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of health and safety across all plant and equipment, ensuring adherence to site policies, procedures and WHS requirements.
• Schedule and prioritise maintenance tasks across safety, breakdowns, preventative maintenance and improvement projects.
• Provide technical leadership to the maintenance team, diagnosing issues and guiding practical solutions.
• Ensure spare parts and consumables are identified, stocked and ordered ahead of need to prevent delays to planned work.
• Analyse machine reliability and breakdown history to build and continuously refine a preventative maintenance schedule.
• Coordinate the installation and commissioning of new equipment.
• Lead daily toolbox talks, safety meetings and stock take meetings.
• Maintain accurate job sheets, maintenance requests and job close-outs within the site's maintenance system.
• Coordinate third-party service providers and ensure legislative compliance obligations are met.
• Communicate proactively with Production and Engineering to minimise unplanned downtime.
• Report regularly on maintenance progress, performance and budget to senior management.
• Lead and coordinate continuous improvement activities across the maintenance function.

 

Candidate Profile

You hold a maintenance or mechanical engineering qualification and bring at least five years' experience in a high-volume manufacturing, technical or engineering environment. You have genuine hands-on technical ability and are comfortable diagnosing mechanical issues yourself, not just directing others to do so. You understand how to build a maintenance schedule that balances safety, breakdowns and preventative work, and you know how to plan materials and resources ahead of need rather than reacting after the fact.

You are approachable and a natural coordinator, capable of leading and developing a team that is technically capable but currently lacking direction. You have sound problem-solving, judgement and decision-making skills, and you are comfortable working across CAD/solid modelling tools alongside core computer skills such as Excel and Word; experience with SAP or similar systems is well regarded. You communicate clearly and consistently with Production and Engineering stakeholders, and you take genuine pride in creating structure, safety and reliability within a maintenance function.

Most importantly, you are motivated by ownership. You want a team and a function to shape, not just a schedule to follow, and you are energised by using data on machine reliability and breakdown history to continuously improve how maintenance is delivered.

 

Company, Culture & Benefits

This is an established manufacturing business based in Lonsdale, with a strong production environment and a maintenance function that is ready for stronger technical and organisational leadership. The site offers a collaborative, safety-focused culture where a well-led maintenance team is seen as critical to production reliability.

• Build the function - bring structure, scheduling and technical leadership to a team ready to be organised
• Drive reliability - use data on machine performance to shape a genuinely preventative maintenance program
• Real ownership - lead a team and a function, with exposure to projects and continuous improvement as the role grows

Apply

If this sounds like you, please send your resume by clicking the "apply" link below. The reference number for this role is JM75903