Title:  Utilities Supervisor, 1st Shift   Req ID: 8915

City, State:  Westfield, WI

Reports to:  Maintenance & Utilities Manager 

Classification:  Exempt 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Summary: The Utilities Supervisor leads the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the plant’s utilities with a primary focus on ammonia refrigeration systems supporting poultry further processing (chillers, spiral freezers, tempering, and cold storage). This role also oversees plant  ammonia refrigeration system, boiler and steam systems, plant hydraulic pressure producing system, fork lift and pallet jack maintenance, plant water systems (hot and cold) and plant exterior grounds appearance. The position ensures compliance with IIAR standards, PSM, and HAZMAT requirements, drives proactive maintenance, and provides hands-on leadership to multi-shift utility crews to support production uptime, food safety, and worker safety.

Essential Functions:

Leadership & Crew Management: Lead, schedule, and develop utility crews across all shifts; ensure adequate coverage for production, sanitation, and projects. Coach technicians on safe work practices, troubleshooting, and standard work; conduct toolbox talks and performance feedback. Coordinate priorities with Production, QA/Food Safety, Sanitation, and Maintenance Planning.

Ammonia Refrigeration (Primary Focus): Own daily operation, monitoring, and optimization of NH₃ refrigeration systems (compressors, condensers, evaporators, vessels, purgers, control valves, defrost systems). Ensure operations align with IIAR standards and best practices. Lead PM/PdM programs (oil sampling, vibration/ultrasonic checks, leak detection, purging, valve inspections, relief device compliance). Direct troubleshooting and root cause analyses for equipment and controls (PLC/HMI/SCADA interfaces). Maintain accurate logs: temps/pressures, oil levels, purger runtime, defrost cycles, alarms, and system changes. Oversee MOC (Management of Change) and periodic system walkdowns.

Water Systems, Steam Boilers, Air Compressors: Oversee maintenance of: potable and process water systems, pumps, tanks, valves, heaters, and filtration systems. Supervise steam boiler systems, including: Boiler operations, feedwater systems, blowdown, condensate return, and safety devices. Coordinate testing, inspections, and regulatory compliance for boilers and water systems. Support water and steam usage and reliability improvement efforts. Maintain and over Air Compression systems.

Hydraulic Systems & Material Handling Equipment: Maintain and monitor the main hydraulic system, including power units, manifolds, filtration, hoses, and controls. Ensure contamination control and preventive maintenance of hydraulic systems. Oversee utilities-related maintenance for material handling equipment such as fork lifts, pallet jacks, high lifts, and pallet racking systems. 

Reliability, CMMS & Projects: Use CMMS to plan/schedule PMs, track work orders, parts usage, and labor; drive backlog reduction and data integrity. Partner with planners on kitted PMs and shutdowns; manage vendors and contractors. Identify and execute reliability improvements (energy optimization, setpoint strategy, condenser/evaporator performance, water/hydraulic system upgrades). Support capital projects (scope, estimates, commissioning, training, documentation).

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years in industrial utilities or refrigeration in food manufacturing; poultry or further processing preferred.
• 2+ years in a lead/supervisory capacity overseeing multi-shift teams.
• Hands-on ammonia refrigeration experience (operations, maintenance, troubleshooting).
• Working knowledge of IIAR standards and OSHA PSM requirements.
• Proficient with HAZMAT operations and emergency response protocols.
• Experience with water systems, steam boilers, hydraulic systems, and material handling equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, electrical schematics, and mechanical drawings.
• Experience using a CMMS system.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• PSM/RMP training (mechanical integrity, MOC, incident investigation).
• HAZWOPER (24/40 HR) and incident command exposure. • Backflow Prevention, Boiler Operator training
• Capable of wearing APR and or SCBA.

Supervisory Responsibility: This position will be responsible for supervising 30 Utilities team members at the Westfield facility. 

Hours: Flexible to maintain supervision of all crew members during the week. Typically, daytime hours, weekends as needed

Work Environment: Wide variations in environmental temperature (-10 freezer, 32-degree coolers, 40degree plant, wet cold environment) noise, slippery floors and moving equipment.

Physical Demands: Position will include extensive standing, sitting, lifting, wearing factory required equipment while working in production, walking, visual, responding quickly to sounds and driving.

Travel: Less than 5% for potential training.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test and background check are required.
 

Brakebush provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Applicants must have the legal authorization to work for any employer in the United States. We are currently unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas.

Brakebush is committed to adhering to compliance and applicable pay transparency laws in all states where we operate and any other states where we have a legal obligation.
 

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