Maintenance Technician

About Us

Prime Stockfeed is a leader in animal nutrition solutions, dedicated to producing quality feeds that enhance animal performance and growth. Our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence has positioned us as a key player in the agribusiness sector.

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Maintenance Technician to deliver hands-on mechanical and electrical maintenance of the mill’s plant, buildings and equipment to maximise uptime, product quality and feed safety. As the site’s primary maintenance resource, the Maintenance Technician diagnoses and repairs breakdowns, delivers the preventative maintenance program, keeps maintenance records current in the MaintainX (CMMS) system and engages contractors for specialist work. The role is approximately 70–80% hands-on and 20–30% planning, records and contractor coordination. The Maintenance Technician is responsible for maintenance safety on site, including isolation, permits to work and contractor control.

Key Responsibilities:

Hands-on maintenance & repair (primary focus)

• Perform mechanical maintenance, fault-finding and repairs across the mill (and electrical work within licence), including – Pellet mill, Hammer mill, Mixer and batching, Material handling, Utilities, Liquid addition, Electrical and control
• Carry out welding, fabrication and minor machining repairs as required
• Conduct routine condition monitoring
• Train production operators in basic daily equipment checks and care.

Maintain asset records & plant lifecycle information

• Conduct asset condition assessments and maintain asset registers in MaintainX (CMMS) or other platforms as applicable.
• Provide technical input to CAPEX planning for major equipment upgrades or end-of-life replacements.

Leadership of the maintenance function

• Demonstrate leadership and act as a Prime brand ambassador, building relationships with extremal contractors and Prime staff as required

Preventative maintenance, management of contractors & after-hours response

• Engage and supervise contractors for specialist work
• keep comprehensive records (reports, JSA, SWMS etc) of works undertaken.
• Develop, deliver and maintain preventative maintenance plans and logs;
• Act as the first responder to breakdowns
• Participate in the after-hours on-call roster as the primary maintenance responder
• Plan and carry out planned shutdown work

Manage inventory, critical spares & suppliers

• Ensure inventories are managed appropriately including monitoring of spare parts and consumables usage and maintain minimum stock levels

Reporting, records & systems

• Manage regular maintenance reports
• Maintain maintenance schedules, JSA’s, SWMS, logs, work orders and asset information in MaintainX (CMMS)

Reliability analysis & continuous improvement

• Carry out reliability analysis, root cause analysis (RCA) for recurring failures & promote a culture of continuous improvement

Safety, quality, environmental & audit compliance.

• Maintain documentation to meet audit requirements (FeedSafe, HACCP, ISO, etc.)
• Manage processes to ensure safety in completing high-risk work including working in isolation & combustible dust.

FeedSafe compliance

• Ensure compliance with overall feed safety requirements including calibration of batch scales, micro-ingredient and liquid dosing systems and the weighbridge in line with FeedSafe requirements.

Energy and cost efficiency.

• Identify and report energy and utility losses and recommend energy saving and cost efficiency improvements.

Communication & Training

• Provide expertise in training, development & safety communication. Conduct toolbox meetings and participate in safety communication sessions.

Key Skills and Qualifications:

• Trade qualification as a mechanical fitter (or fitter and turner)
• Minimum three years’ post-trade experience maintaining industrial plant, preferably in stockfeed, grain handling, flour milling or food manufacturing, including hands-on repair of rotating equipment, conveying systems and gearboxes, and experience planning preventative maintenance and working with contractors.
• Welding and fabrication skills.
• Proficient in the use of computers including a working knowledge of maintenance management systems (e.g. MaintainX).
• Must be a permanent resident of Australia or be an Australian citizen; hold a current driver’s licence, have own transport and hold (or be willing to obtain) certificates/licences for forklift (LF), electrical connect/disconnect (if not a licensed electrician), confined space entry and gas testing, working at heights, elevating work platform (EWP) and hot work.
• Physical fitness to undertake the manual labour associated with the role, including work at heights and in confined spaces and the use of respiratory protection.
• Proven ability to work in compliance with accreditation, safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) requirements to legislative and company standards.

Desirable Skills

• Dual trade skills (mechanical and electrical) or a current electrical licence.
• Experience with pellet mills, hammer mills, boilers/steam systems and bulk material handling
• Understanding and application of environmental regulations and law as it relates to the maintenance of plant and equipment, including dust and noise emissions and the disposal of associated wastes. Ability to fault-find PLC/SCADA controls, VSDs and motor circuits
• Understanding of feed safety or food safety requirements (e.g. FeedSafe, HACCP)

Why work with Prime Stockfeed:

• Competitive salary package
• Supportive and dynamic work environment
• Recognition program

Prime Stockfeed is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.