Beverage Production Maintenance Technician - Full-Time

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Beverage Production Maintenance Technician is responsible for the efficient and safe operation of all winery equipment. This role demands strong expertise in industrial maintenance, including advanced troubleshooting of electrical, automation (PLCs/VFDs), and mechanical systems, while strictly adhering to sanitary and food-grade standards. The technician minimizes production downtime through immediate technical support and the execution of detailed preventative maintenance schedules across cellar and packaging processes, supporting a ~160,000-case winery.

This position will work closely internally with cellar, bottling, and warehouse teams, and may expand to support additional beverage production areas as business needs evolve. The role also partners with the Biltmore's Engineering Services team as well as outside vendors on maintenance and project work.

Full Time: a position working 32 hours per week.

Schedule may vary, but is typically 7 am - 3:30 pm, Monday - Friday.

Essential Job Duties

• Complete regularly scheduled, preventive maintenance and inspections on all bottling and packaging equipment (fillers, labelers, corkers, cappers, case packers) and other beverage production equipment as needs evolve. Develop, implement, and continuously refine preventative maintenance and inspection schedules for all winery process equipment and critical cellar utilities (e.g., pumps, filters, valves, compressors, glycol (and water) chillers, etc.).
• Provide immediate technical and repair support for all critical cellar and packaging infrastructure and process equipment, minimizing downtime and increasing quality, speed, and accuracy to facilitate production of Biltmore wines.
• Perform in-depth diagnosis and repair of equipment failures involving electrical circuits, control systems (PLCs, VFDs), mechanical power transmission, and hydraulic/pneumatic components.
• Execute specialized maintenance tasks, including precision alignment and lubrication, ensuring strict adherence to food-grade and sanitary design principles during all repairs, maintenance, and system modifications
• Accurately record and maintain detailed records of equipment repair costs, downtime, work order history, and root cause analysis (RCA) findings
• Partner with winemaking, Sr. Manager of Bottling and Warehouse, and GM of Beverage Operations to document, enforce, and regularly update all machine safety standards for work processes (SOP's), including Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) procedures, machine guarding, and repair methods, for use by all production and maintenance staff. Follow all health and safety policies and procedures to reduce the risk of workplace injury. Actively train and mentor production personnel on basic machine safety standards.
• Serve as the primary technical lead and point of contact for equipment repair and maintenance that is outside the scope and ability of in-department repair, managing outside contractors and vendors, and coordinating with other Estate departments.
• Provide informed opinions on the repair, replacement, and lifecycle planning of existing equipment, as well as supporting Wine Production leadership on decisions regarding the purchase and installation of new equipment
• Perform any other job-related duties assigned by leadership, including support for additional beverage production operations as business needs evolve.
  
  

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required
• 5 years of hands-on experience in industrial repair or maintenance within a food and beverage manufacturing environment, experience involving high-speed bottling and sanitary process equipment, is strongly preferred
• Basic knowledge of mechanical, hydraulic, plumbing, and pneumatic systems
• Proven proficiency in the troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance of industrial mechanical systems, with specific experience on centrifugal/positive displacement pumps, valves, and sanitary piping/fittings
• Strong understanding of industrial electricity (up to 480V three-phase), including motors, motor controls, variable frequency drives (VFDs), and control wiring. Working knowledge of instrumentation (flow meters, temperature probes) is highly desirable
• Working knowledge of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for troubleshooting
• Knowledge of wine production processes, including cellar operations and the function of filtration and chilling equipment, is strongly preferred
• Expertise in industrial safety protocols, including strict adherence to Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) procedures, machine guarding standards, and confined space entry
• Ability to develop and maintain documentation on work processes (SOP's) while continuously improving with a focus on hygienic maintenance practices.
• Self-education on new equipment features and maintenance techniques will be required
• This position will require the constant and correct use of both hand and power tools.
• Experience with welding (TIG/MIG) and pipefitting/tubing is desirable for facility-wide repairs and fabrication.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, see, hear, and observe will be paramount. Lifting 50 pounds and working in tight/awkward positions occasionally.
• Drivers license and the ability to drive company vehicles are required.
• Travel, including international, will be occasionally required (ability to hold a passport).