Maintenance Mechanic

About K'UL Chocolate

As Washington’s largest organic chocolate manufacturer, K’UL Chocolate believes in providing an impactful culture that empowers our partners at origin through effective relationships that directly support women and children while supporting families and communities.

Position Overview: The Maintenance Technician is a critical role responsible for ensuring the continuous, smooth, and safe operation of our rapidly growing chocolate manufacturing facility. This individual will independently manage all preventive and corrective maintenance activities across production equipment, facility upkeep, and compliance with GMP and upcoming SQF standards.

Key Responsibilities:

Detailed Equipment Maintenance Tasks:

• Inspect chocolate processing systems, conches, depositors, and roasting equipment daily before production start-up.
• Check and ensure chocolate pumps, pneumatic valves, motors, and water pumps operate correctly and have no leaks or faults.
• Verify all water-jacketed piping systems daily to confirm no chocolate leaks, properly charged water levels, and dry connections.
• Regularly inspect PLC systems, control panels, and automation software for operational integrity and accurate functioning.
• Equipment calibration program - scales, roasting temperatures, exotherm, any other temperature measuring device

Detailed Facility Management Tasks:

• Sweep, mop, and inspect floors in all six buildings daily to ensure no debris, chemical residues, or misplaced objects.
• Inspect facility walls, ceilings, and surfaces weekly for cleanliness and compliance.
• Organize and remove external waste materials (metal, wood, non-usable equipment) daily to maintain external cleanliness.
• Management of the outside grounds including waste disposal and removal of trash pallets, oil drums etc.
• Maintenance of the building structure including conduit, walls, and coving. (EX: hole in walls being sealed, condensation from water lines dripping from insulated water lines, etc.)
• Filter changes and cleaning of air handling units, including roasting
• Filter inspection support for mag traps on processing lines
• Management of the glass, brittle plastics, and ceramics inspection program (ensure integrity of any of these items are secured, intact, and cannot contaminate product)
• Lubrication schedule and execution (conveyors, motors, motion devices such as weigh scale joints, etc)
• Ensuring that all doors, and other external fittings are tight to not allow for ingress (EX, roll up doors)
• Maintenance of the grease trap system
• Coordinate cleaning of the overheads (metal duct work, etc.)
• Ensure facility is continually cleaned, floors are clear of debris, floor space is clear of pallets, foreign materials that would impact day-to-day operation, etc.

Preventive Maintenance & Documentation Tasks:

• Record maintenance activities, findings, and repairs promptly in the ERP system (Odoo) daily.
• Conduct weekly inventory checks of spare parts and maintenance supplies, reordering as necessary.
• Complete detailed preventive maintenance checklists daily for each piece of equipment and system before operation.

Safety and Compliance Tasks:

• Conduct daily GMP compliance checks across the facility, addressing any discrepancies immediately.
• Prepare specific areas and systems for upcoming SQF certification, ensuring all requirements are consistently met.
• Assist in detailed preparation for FDA, health inspections, and organic certification audits, ensuring documentation is updated and accessible.
• Chemical inventory, management, and control
• Management of the sharps and knife program

Coordination and Communication Tasks:

• Provide daily updates and communicate clearly with production supervisors, QA teams, and operational staff to ensure maintenance aligns with production needs.
• Assist with the detailed installation and commissioning procedures for new equipment, documenting each step thoroughly.
• Schedule and oversee visits and repairs by external contractors, documenting all interactions and outcomes.

Emergency Response Tasks:

• Maintain readiness for emergency response outside normal working hours, promptly addressing equipment breakdowns and urgent maintenance needs.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Minimum 5 years of maintenance experience, preferably within food manufacturing, pharmaceutical, or related industries.
• Proven technical proficiency with mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic systems, especially within automated manufacturing environments.
• Current forklift operator certification required.
• Strong knowledge of GMP and SQF standards, with demonstrated ability to maintain compliance documentation.

Skills & Attributes:

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of maintaining immaculate conditions across a multi-building facility.
• Strong problem-solving skills, self-driven, and comfortable working independently.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate across various teams.
• Proactive approach to maintenance planning, resource management, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This role demands a proactive, diligent, and technically skilled individual committed to excellence, safety, and continuous improvement, ensuring the highest standards in our rapidly growing chocolate manufacturing environment.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $25.00 - $32.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 – 45 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Experience:

• Electrical systems: 3 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Forklift Certification (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Bellingham, WA 98225 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Bellingham, WA 98225: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person