Millwright

ABOUT CLARKSON GRAIN COMPANY

For over 50 years, Clarkson has been an industry pioneer in the production and supply of identity-preserved grains, oilseeds, and ingredients for food and feed industries worldwide. We work directly with end users to identify, select, and supply hybrids, varieties, and performance characteristics that improve end-product quality, enhance market access, increase process yield, and strengthen client differentiation.

Clarkson’s transparent and fully traceable system connects Midwest farmers to premium domestic and international markets. Through our aggregation and cleaning facilities, corn and soybeans are prepared for final use; cleaned, conditioned, and shipped in bulk or bagged for delivery worldwide.

The ‘Clarkson Way’ is our long-proven approach to serving customers, supporting farmers, and managing quality with care, consistency, and integrity. It reflects the discipline, practicality, and customer-driven problem-solving that have defined Clarkson for more than five decades.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• INSTALLS, ALIGNS & TEST-RUNS EQUIPMENT: Ensures grain handling and processing equipment is properly installed, aligned, and ready for safe operation to support reliable material flow throughout the facility by efficiently and accurately assembling, anchoring, aligning, test-running, and making final adjustments to equipment such as bucket elevators (legs), conveyors (drag, belt, screw), spouting, bins, reclaim systems, dryers, and dust collection systems, resulting in minimal start-up issues and reduced equipment downtime after startup.

• PERFORMS ADVANCED MECHANICAL TROUBLESHOOTING & REPAIR: Ensures equipment reliability and sustained operational performance by efficiently and effectively diagnosing mechanical issues that impact operation or safety through inspection, testing, and root-cause analysis (including misalignment, vibration, wear, or improper installation) and completing rebuilds, precision repairs, and corrective modifications, resulting in reduced repeat failures and improved overall equipment reliability.

• PERFORMS & IMPROVES PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE: Ensures equipment remains in proper working condition and unplanned downtime is minimized by consistently and thoroughly completing preventative maintenance activities as scheduled, inspecting equipment for early indicators of wear or failure, collaborating with operations (i.e. Production Operations Supervisor, Plant Supervisor, Operators) to identify equipment concerns, and informing preventative maintenance planning, scheduling considerations, and improvements, resulting in fewer emergency repairs and more reliable day-to-day operations. (Note: Some maintenance is completed by the Millwright, while other maintenance-related tasks are completed by operations leads.)

• PERFORMS FABRICATION, WELDING & EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS: Ensures equipment and facility components are safe, durable, and properly configured for efficient grain flow by accurately performing structural and mechanical welding, fabricating custom components (i.e. spouting, hoppers, guards, brackets, and supports), and modifying equipment to improve safety, reliability, and performance, resulting in durable repairs and improved operational efficiency.

• ENSURES SAFETY & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE: Ensures health and safety protocols and procedures (i.e. lockout/tagout, confined space entry, working at heights, and combustible dust procedures), required safety training, and related paperwork are completed and followed during all stages of production, thereby maintaining a safe workplace with safe work practices and reduced safety incidents.

• SUPPORTS EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY THROUGH COLLABORATION & SUPPORT: Ensures maintenance and installation activities are properly coordinated and supported to maintain efficient operations by communicating with operations personnel and maintenance leadership to understand equipment performance concerns, interpreting mechanical drawings and manuals, assisting with parts identification, ordering support, and documentation necessary to support repairs and installations, and safely operating forklifts, aerial lifts, skid steers, and other mobile equipment as needed to execute maintenance and installation work, resulting in timely completion of tasks, early identification of issues, and minimal operational disruption.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of industrial mechanical systems and components, including power transmission, bearings, shafts, couplings, drives, and rotating equipment used in grain handling and processing environments.
• Knowledge of bulk material handling systems and grain flow principles, including how equipment design, alignment, and configuration impact throughput, wear, and downtime.
• Knowledge of preventative maintenance principles, failure modes, and reliability concepts applicable to mechanical equipment.
• Knowledge of applicable safety requirements and safe work practices.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with the ability to assemble, align, adjust, and repair industrial equipment with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Advanced troubleshooting skills, including the ability to diagnose mechanical issues through inspection, testing, and root-cause analysis.
• Proficient welding and fabrication skills, including the ability to fabricate and modify components to improve equipment safety, durability, and performance.
• Ability to use precision measurement tools and equipment to ensure proper fit and alignment.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with operations and maintenance personnel regarding equipment performance, concerns, and improvement opportunities.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision while prioritizing tasks in a dynamic production environment.
• Ability to apply technical judgment to make sound decisions during equipment installation, troubleshooting, and repair.
• Ability to identify potential equipment or safety issues before they result in failures or incidents.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work in industrial environments while maintaining safety and quality standards.

CORE COMPETENCIES

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Completion of a recognized Millwright apprenticeship program or equivalent industrial mechanical training strongly preferred.
• Ongoing completion of required safety training relevant to industrial and grain-handling environments.
• 5–10 years of progressively responsible industrial maintenance or mechanical experience, with demonstrated experience installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing mechanical equipment.
• Experience working in bulk material handling, grain handling, agricultural processing, manufacturing, or similar industrial environments preferred.
• Demonstrated experience performing advanced mechanical troubleshooting, precision repairs, equipment rebuilds, and fabrication and welding work in an industrial setting.
• Proven ability to perform precision alignment of mechanical components and to read and apply mechanical drawings, blueprints, schematics, manuals, and technical specifications.
• Experience using diagnostic methods and tools to verify equipment performance and identify mechanical issues.
• Electrical or instrumentation experience related to industrial equipment preferred but not required.
• Experience working in environments with heightened safety requirements, including working at heights, confined spaces, hot work, and combustible dust conditions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Requires a valid operator’s license to travel within the trade territory.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

These physical demands represent the requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the described essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee must have the ability to regularly use arms, hands, and fingers to handle, feel, reach, grasp, turn, lift, move, twist or bend. This position frequently requires the ability to stand for long periods of time, as well as walking, climbing ladders and stairs, balancing at heights, and the ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 75 pounds.

Specific sensory ability required include:

• Talking and hearing to communicate with employees and respond to equipment sounds
• Vision including close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
• Smell, to identify facility or product-related issues.

When operating grain-handling equipment or vehicles, the employee must be able to react quickly with hand, arm, or foot movements in response to signals, sound, lights, or moving objects; maintain spatial awareness; and repeatedly adjust machinery controls with precision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee will work in an environment typical of grain-handling and food-grade processing facilities. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

The employee may be exposed to:

• Variable temperatures including hot, cold, wet, humid and dry conditions.
• Grain dust, airborne particles, and odors
• Moderate to loud noise levels from equipment and machinery
• Moving mechanical parts, conveyors, dryers, and grain-handling systems
• High, precarious places such as catwalks, ladders, and platforms
• Confined or enclosed spaces such as bins or tunnels
• Outdoor conditions during inspections or loading/unloading operations

Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is required to safely perform these duties.