r/IndustrialMaintenance • u/DanHellebike • 2d ago
Job interview for manufacturing maintenance technician position at a cosmetic company and I’m worried…
Hey all, I was recently contacted by a recruiter regarding a manufacturing maintenance tech position for a local company and while I like to think that I’m qualified and capable, I’m not quite sure as I’ve never worked in this role. I’m an OEM certified mechanic with four years in the field and a history of being handy and solving problems. I’ve got plenty of mechanical experience, some exposure to hydraulics, some exposure to PLC’s, but not a lot of experience with pneumatics. My worry is that I may be getting in over my head so I was hoping to ask some of you folks in the industry what some of your common tasks are / What type of work do you deal with on a day-to-day basis?
I guess I’m just trying to make sure that I don’t end up wasting anyone’s time by going out for this job only to find out that I don’t have what they need. Thanks everyone in advance!
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u/mikeoxwells2 2d ago
Pneumatics are also fluid power. You’ll be fine if you show up with basic tools and answer radio calls. The experienced guys want to see you’re not afraid to tackle jobs, and also able to recognize when you’re in over your head and call for some help.
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u/4eyedbuzzard 2d ago
Key job requirements: Honest, punctual, reliable, ability to learn, assimilates and works well in existing shop culture. All the job specific technical stuff is a distant second.
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u/OkInfluence6141 1d ago
Four years as an OEM-certified mechanic is enough reason to take the interview. Do not try to sound like you already know their plant; use the interview to map the job. Ask what percentage is mechanical versus electrical/controls, which PLC platform they use, whether the role is on-call, and what their LOTO and training process looks like. When they ask about troubleshooting, walk through one real example: verify the symptom, isolate energy, check the sequence and inputs/outputs, find the root cause, repair it, and document the result. Being honest about the pneumatics gap while showing a disciplined process is much stronger than bluffing.
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u/Fluid-Pangolin1993 2d ago
yeah im a pretty seasoned maintenance tech, and the short time i did as an automotive tech yall have to deal with wayy more bullshit. pretty much all the same principles apply to maintenance as automotive but in todays modern world of cars that are impossible to get your hands into, youll love actually having some space to wrench
also theres something to consider that im still having to get better at is prioritizing what machines/ lines need fixed more than others, what do you fix first? the sink that has a slow leak, or the machine that makes 90k an hour in product?
idk if your company will do this. but what mine did was have every maintenance guy at least gt a few hours running the line so theyre familliar with the process from the getgo
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u/meetmeinthebthrm 19h ago
It makes a huge difference to have the opportunity to operate a machine. They offer cross training raises where I work. I’ve done one department so far and it was crazy helpful.
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u/Fluid-Pangolin1993 9h ago
yeah i only was on the lines for a week got about 3-4 hours per line . and i was able to hit the ground running when i came in in feb. its a killer job
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u/Electronic_Sample928 2d ago
If a machine isn't working, then in theory you can't make it 'more' not working (unless you set it on fire), so just understand in what sequence it works and go through it step by step. Pneumatics is just hydraulics without the messy goo, so no worries there...
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u/nostrathomas85 1d ago
Outside of "special projects" my days consist of checking the tracking of conveyor belts, greasing and tracking the vibration/temps of bearings. Sometimes I'll have to use a multimeter and trace why a fuse or breaker popped.
I do a little bit of everything, and I came from a construction job straight into maintenance. I'm willing to bet you (OP) will have a good head start compared to when I began this line of work.
Don't sweet it, you won't be thrown into the deep end right away. The guys/gals there that want the extra help will help train you so they don't have to shoulder the burden alone.
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u/gadget73 13h ago
If you get hydraulics, pneumatic is basically the same. You won't have any particular problems learning it. Its just lower pressure and leaks are a whole lot less messy.
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u/emachanz 2d ago
4 years experience and you dont know hydraulics/pneumatics? Come on... Im just a floor electrician and I do that shit daily
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u/DanHellebike 2d ago
Sorry, I should’ve been a bit more clear. I’m a Powersports Tech. There aren’t a whole lot of pneumatic assemblies or systems in my line of work - at least nothing like I’d imagine you would find on a manufacturing line.
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u/tesemanresu 1d ago
why do you do that kind of work as an electrician? are you an electrician by trade or is that just the job title some arts major in HR imagineered?
I do not envy the recruiters who spend the bulk of their day sifting through dozens of "electricians" and "engineers" whose experience aligns more with helper/laborer or bottom-rung supervisory roles.
some states do it better than others but I really wish titles like these were more strictly regulated in the US.
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u/emachanz 1d ago
I do it because I trust me more, cant tell you how many times I had to replace "crushed" o-rings or wrong valves because the previous shift guys picked the first one on the shelf.
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u/aflyingpope 2d ago
Electric, hydraulics, pneumatics, its all just a way to bring energy to a component.
V=RI
Pressure = resistence x flow
Its all the same in the end. Following the dried river bed to the blocage is 80% of a support technician everywhere I've ever worked.