IS THIS YOU?
Are you a maintenance and reliability leader who thrives where the work is complex, the impact is visible, and safety comes first? Do you enjoy building strong teams, improving equipment reliability, and solving real plant challenges in a fast-paced manufacturing environment? If you’re energized by the opportunity to influence performance in a world-class chemical plant with unique processes and equipment, this could be the right next step for you.
If that sounds like you, we’d love to meet you. Come join a passionate team focused on driving the reliability and maintenance activities of a world-class chemical plant with processes and equipment you will not experience anywhere else.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the Maintenance and Reliability Manager will play a key role in driving maintenance, reliability, and stores performance that supports safe, efficient operations and operational excellence across the plant.
Here’s what you’ll own:
- Ensure environmental, health, safety, and security excellence across the department, site activities, and third-party contractor work.
- Lead a team comprised of maintenance craft (mechanical, electrical, and welding), planning, scheduling, and supervision, reliability engineering, and stores.
- Develop and execute strategies which deliver strong execution, continuous improvement and cost efficiencies, and responsive day-to-day support for plant operations which culminate in sustainable bottom-line value for the company.
- Drive reliability strategies, including predictive and preventive maintenance programs, hands-on mentoring, and field support that improve equipment performance and operational excellence.
- Use engineering best practices, specifications, and technology to strengthen the design, development, reliability, and maintenance of new and existing processes and equipment.
- Collaborate with Production, Engineering, and Research and Development on capital projects, new processes, and new product development while guiding budgets, contractor performance, and team capability.
Why you’ll love this role:
- Your work will directly support safe, reliable chemical manufacturing operations that produce products used around the world.
- You’ll have broad ownership of maintenance, reliability, and stores activities, giving you meaningful influence over plant performance and operational excellence.
- You’ll lead and mentor a team while partnering closely with Production, Engineering, Research and Development, and third-party contractors.
- You’ll solve complex equipment and process challenges in a world-class chemical plant with processes you will not experience anywhere else.
THE QUALIFICATIONS
The right candidate is a safety-focused, hands-on leader with a strong background in maintenance, reliability, continuous improvement, and chemical plant operations.
What you bring:
- Bachelor’s degree in chemical or mechanical engineering.
- 7-10 years of experience in a chemical plant environment, or 10+ years of plant experience with direct responsibility for plant maintenance, reliability, and predictive/preventive maintenance programs.
- Strong background in leadership, continuous improvement, and chemical industry experience.
Bonus points if you also have:
- Experience supporting capital, new process, or new product development initiatives.
- Experience developing and managing financial budgets, including monthly reporting and spend-versus-budget review.
THE COMPANY
Building Great Chemistry, Together
At Carus, we believe the best chemistry isn't just in our products — it's in our people. For over 110 years, we've manufactured products that clean the air, water, and soil, and we're always exploring new ways to expand our reach and impact. Guided by third-generation family leadership, we've built a culture rooted in Collaboration, Accountability, Results, and Engagement (CARE) — and a foundation of trust. More than an acronym, CARE reflects how we make decisions, show up for each other, and invest in the people, communities, and environment around us.
What makes Carus different:
- Three-time Illinois Valley Top Workplaces winner – including recognition as a top “Company that Gives Back to the Community”
- Safety-first culture – every team member owns safety and is empowered to make dec