Job Description

Interested in a career that matters?

At Novonesis Blair, our Reliability & Maintenance team plays a critical role in ensuring the safe, efficient, and continuous operation of our production assets. By securing equipment performance and preventing operational disruptions, the team directly enables the site to deliver high‑quality biological solutions that help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Our work environment is highly collaborative, hands‑on, and improvement‑driven — a place where curiosity, ownership, and technical excellence make a real impact every day.

The Role & Your Impact

This posting covers two levels within the Reliability career path — Reliability Specialist and Reliability Specialist II — offering qualified candidates the opportunity to enter at the level best matched to their background.

You will help drive equipment reliability, maintenance program effectiveness, and continuous improvement across the Blair site. Your work will reduce equipment downtime, enhance performance, support compliance expectations, and help empower maintenance teams with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

Key Responsibilities (Reliability Specialist):

• PM Ownership: Suggest and plan changes to the Blair preventive maintenance program and corresponding equipment.
• Knowledge Sharing: Participate in maintenance training and development programs.
• Problem Solving: Perform root cause analysis on critical equipment issues.
• Compliance: Assist in maintaining compliance with state and federal safety regulations.
• Lean: Support continuous improvement efforts through performance boards and structured problem‑solving tools.
• Expertise: Apply advanced technical knowledge in a specialty area such as Instrumentation, Electrical, or Mechanical.
• Maintenance Execution Support: Provide knowledge and assistance for technically complex tasks.

Additional Responsibilities (Reliability Specialist II):

• PM Ownership: Develop preventive maintenance plans on new equipment and technology.
• Knowledge Sharing: Actively support the maintenance training and development program.
• Problem Solving: Lead efforts to resolve chronic problems, including documentation, cost justification, and corrective action planning.
• Compliance: Own maintenance compliance programs ensuring adherence to local, state, and federal regulations.
• Lean: Actively participate in and lead continuous improvement efforts.
• Expertise: Demonstrate advanced problem‑solving and ownership within area of expertise.
• Maintenance Execution Support: Lead working groups on large‑scale or long‑term initiatives.

What You’ll Need to Be Successful

(Must‑haves)

Minimum Qualifications (applies to both levels):

• High School diploma required; AS degree preferred.
• 3 years of Novonesis or equivalent industrial manufacturing maintenance/equipment experience.
• Working knowledge of sitewide P&ID drawings.
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SAP).

Additional Experience Requirements by Level:

• Reliability Specialist II: 5 years of Novonesis or equivalent industrial manufacturing maintenance/equipment experience

Additional Skills & Interests We Value

(Nice-to-haves - not mandatory)

• Experience leading maintenance or CI working groups
• Training or certification in reliability‑related tools (RCM, RCA, SAP PM optimization, etc.)
• Broader technical expertise across mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, or automation
• Interest in mentoring technicians or supporting training content development

Ways of Working / Working Conditions
This role is embedded in a manufacturing environment and requires:

• Ability to move throughout processing areas, climb stairs/ladders, and access equipment.
• Use of common PPE: hard hat, goggles, ear protection, respirator, etc.
• Ability to work safely at heights.

Compensation & Benefits

Expected salary range: $67k to $87k

Benefits you will enjoy:

• 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution! 
• Minimum of 3 weeks' vacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time 
• Health, Dental, Vision & Life insurance  
• Healthcare savings account option with generous employer contribution 
• Employee assistance program 
• Parental leave 
• Tuition reimbursement 
• All benefits begin on your first day! 

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Explore other openings

If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career