Electrical Reliability Engineer – Motor Champion

Columbus, MS

Pay Rate

$106,700 - $137,000 - commensurate with experience

Multiple factors, including Individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.

Category/Shift

Salaried Full-Time Exempt

This position supports Global Cellulose Fiber’s Columbus Mill (CCF), located in Columbus, Mississippi. We are a converting operation that produces specialty fibers used in the production of diapers and other absorbent personal care products.

About The Role

The Motor Champion is the site’s technical authority and program owner for electric motor reliability across the mill. This role is accountable for improving motor asset health, reducing unplanned downtime, and driving lifecycle cost optimization of the motor fleet. The position works cross-functionally with Maintenance, Operations, Reliability, and Engineering to implement best-in-class predictive, preventive, and precision maintenance practices.

This role directly impacts mill uptime, production stability, and maintenance cost by eliminating chronic motor failures and institutionalizing reliability standards.

Tasks And Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

• Motor Reliability Program Leadership: Provide mill-wide leadership for the Electric Motor Reliability Program, ensuring alignment with corporate (GMS) standards. Develop and execute Motor Reliability Gap Plans and long-term improvement strategies, including capital planning.
• Safety & Compliance: Lead by example in safety performance and ensure all motor-related work complies with applicable standards, including NFPA 70E and site safety systems.
• Preventive & Predictive Maintenance: Drive execution and continuous improvement of motor PM and PdM programs (vibration, electrical testing, condition monitoring), ensuring effectiveness across all mill areas.
• Repair Quality & Vendor Management: Ensure all new, repaired, and rebuilt motors meet specifications. Manage repair vendors, conduct audits and shop visits, review repair reports, and support factory acceptance testing and teardown inspections.
• Motor Asset & Data Management: Maintain accurate motor data, repair history, and testing records. Oversee motor installations, replacements, warranty tracking, and ensure proper documentation and knowledge transfer.
• Spare Motor & Storage Strategy: Develop and manage spare motor plans, including inventory optimization and proper storage/preservation practices both onsite and with vendors.
• Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement: Track motor reliability KPIs, performance trends, and costs. Lead or support RCFA efforts and ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
• Standards, Auditing & Work Practices: Own motor-related specifications and audit compliance across the mill, including motor protection, testing practices, and precision maintenance standards.
• Capital Projects & Engineering Support: Serve as the SME for motor-related capital projects—supporting design, approving specifications, and ensuring reliability standards are met. Provide E&I technical support to maintenance and engineering teams.
• Training & Site Capability: Act as a technical resource for the mill by training and mentoring E&I technicians and improving overall motor reliability capability.
• Operational Support: Provide outage support, participate in weekend duty rotation, and support broader mill reliability and maintenance initiatives as needed.
  
  

About You: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, or related field OR equivalent experience in industrial electrical maintenance/reliability required.
  
  

Experience

• 5–10 years in industrial maintenance/reliability (pulp & paper preferred)
• Demonstrated experience with electric motor systems (low and medium voltage)
• Experience with PdM technologies (vibration, MCA, IR, etc.)
• Experience working within SAP PM or equivalent CMMS
  
  

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of:
• Motor types (induction, synchronous, DC)
• Failure modes (bearing, winding, insulation, rotor defects)
• Power quality (harmonics, voltage imbalance)
• Familiarity with:
• EASA repair standards
• IEEE/NEMA motor standards
• Reliability methodologies (RCM, FMEA, RCA)
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE) or similar
• Vibration Analysis Certification (ISO Category I–III)
• Thermography Certification
• Experience in pulp mill systems (refiners, pumps, fans, conveyors)
  
  

KPIs

• Reduction in motor-related unplanned downtime (%)
• Increase in motor MTBF
• PdM defect detection to failure prevention ratio
• Reduction in motor repair/replacement costs
• PM/PdM compliance rates
• Spare motor inventory optimization
  
  

Success Profile

• Data-driven and systems-oriented
• Hands-on and field-engaged
• Relentless about eliminating repeat failures
• Able to influence without direct authority
• Equally comfortable in the MCC room and in SAP
  
  

About Global Cellulose Fibers (GCF)

Our GCF business helps customers transform renewable cellulose fibers into essential everyday products. Our safe, high-quality pulp forms the basis for a wide range of applications like towel and tissue products, diapers, feminine care, incontinence and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. In addition, our specialty pulp serves as a sustainable raw material used in construction materials, paints, coatings and more. GCF generated $2.8B in revenue in 2024 and has 3,300 employees globally, with nine manufacturing facilities and eight regional offices. Additional information can be found by visiting globalcellulosefibers.com.

Why GCF

Global Cellulose Fibers promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. We have team members all around the world with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. These are our strengths. We are committed to creating a culture where all individuals are respected, valued, engaged and have an opportunity to do their best work every day. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly inclusive and diverse culture.

We’ve Got You Covered

At Global Cellulose Fibers, our employees are our most important asset and that’s reflected in our benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans. We are proud to offer a variety of benefits to support our employees and their families, including:

• Medical, Dental, Life insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-term and Long-term Disability
• 401(k) and Company-funded retirement contributions
• Paid Time Off
  
  

Physical Location:

Columbus Cellulose Fibers

IP – Columbus Mill

4335 Carson Road

Columbus MS 39701

Global Cellulose Fibers is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Global Cellulose Fibers complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact accommodations@gcfibers.com or (833) 753-3242.