Maintenance and Reliability Engineer
Solenis· Chemicals· Oct 23, 2026 · 4d ago
Fort Scott, Kansas
In office
Full-time
Principal
$141K–$216K est.
10+ years exp
Job description
Solenis is a leading global provider of water and hygiene solutions. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, cleaners, disinfectants, and state-of-the-art monitoring, control and delivery systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact, and create cleaner and safer environments. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 78 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over ~23000 professionals in >160 countries across six continents. Solenis is a 2025 Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com or follow us on social media.
Performs maintenance planning; develops, plans and executes upgrade and projects for corrective and/or preventive maintenance | Prepares designs, drawings and schedules of tasks to be performed | Sizes necessary resources to execute the scheduled maintenance | Selects suppliers and controls the quality of materials and services provided by them | Ensures the conservation of equipment and platforms and the quality of customer service in order to optimize the productivity of each equipment
Must be local to Fort Scott, KS.
The Chemical Engineer provides strategic leadership and direction for all maintenance, reliability, and asset management functions within a chemical manufacturing plant. This role oversees multi-disciplinary maintenance teams, drives advanced reliability programs, ensures compliance with regulatory and Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements, and partners closely with Operations, Engineering, EHS, and Quality to maximize equipment uptime, operational safety, and plant productivity. The Senior Maintenance Manager sets long-term maintenance strategies, manages capital and maintenance budgets, and leads continuous improvement initiatives to deliver world-class performance. To be successful in the role, a Senior Maintenance Manager needs to be committed to employee development, results-driven, safety-focused, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a fast paced, process-driven environment. Located at our Fort Scott, KS site, this role reports to the Plant Manager.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
A Chemical Engineer is responsible for but not limited to the following:
Strategic Leadership & Maintenance Governance
· Develop and execute the site’s multi-year maintenance and reliability strategy aligned with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and asset lifecycle needs.
· Lead the maintenance organization (supervisors, planners, technicians, reliability engineers) across all shifts.
· Establish maintenance governance systems, standards, and performance expectations for PM/PdM, work execution, and asset care.
· Drive a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement throughout the maintenance team.
Reliability Engineering & Asset Performance
· Lead implementation of Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Failure Mode & Effects Analysis (FMEA), and predictive maintenance technologies (vibration analysis, thermography, ultrasound, oil analysis, condition monitoring).
· Oversee root-cause analysis (RCA) for chronic equipment issues and implement engineering and process improvements to eliminate repeat failures.
· Improve key reliability metrics: MTBF, MTTR, uptime/OEE, chronic downtime reduction, and maintenance cost per asset.
· Optimize asset lifecycle decisions (repair/replace, obsolescence management, equipment standardization).
Process Safety Management (PSM) & Compliance
· Lead mechanical integrity (MI) elements of PSM/RMP including inspections, testing, calibrations, and MI recordkeeping for pressure vessels, piping, relief devices, instrumentation, and safety-critical equipment.
· Oversee MOC, PSSR, PHA/HAZOP action closure, and documentation of process safety–critical maintenance activities.
· Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, NEC, NFPA, ANSI, and other applicable codes and regulations.
· Support incident investigations, corrective actions, and lessons learned involving equipment reliability and maintenance work.
Maintenance Execution & Work Management
· Oversee the planning and scheduling function to ensure efficient labor utilization and minimal downtime.
· Ensure CMMS (SAP PM, Maximo, Infor, etc.) accuracy in work orders, asset hierarchies, PM/PdM tasks, and spare parts.
· Manage emergency and unplanned maintenance response; improve response times and repair effectiveness.
· Coordinate major shutdowns, turnarounds, and outage plans, including contractor management and EHS compliance.
Capital Projects & Engineering Collaboration
· Partner with Engineering on capital project scope, design reviews, construction safety, commissioning, and asset handover.
· Provide input on equipment selection, specifications, and reliability standards for new and replacement assets.
· Lead maintenance-related projects to upgrade equipment, utilities, and plant infrastructure.
Spare Parts, Inventory & Vendor Management
· Optimize spare parts inventory levels and availability; manage storeroom KPIs (turnover, accuracy, critical spares).
· Evaluate and manage vendor and contractor performance through KPIs and service-level agreements.
· Ensure cost-effective procurement of parts, services, and maintenance contracts.
Budget, KPIs & Continuous Improvement
· Develop and manage annual maintenance operating and capital budgets.
· Track and report maintenance KPIs (uptime, backlog, PM/PdM compliance, wrench time, cost trends, safety metrics).
· Lead Lean/Six Sigma initiatives to reduce downtime, improve asset health, and streamline work processes.
· Implement digital tools (EAM, mobile work order systems, predictive analytics) to enhance maintenance performance.
POSITION BASED COMPETENCIES
· Business Planning and Analysis: Assesses business needs and goals, get consensus on planning and projections
· Sponsorship: Communicates business needs and desired outcomes to the organization
· Collaboration: Collaborates effectively up and down the organization in an open, transparent and fact-based manner
· Initiative: Takes initiative with confidence, knows when to ask for guidance
· Communication: Possesses strong written and verbal communications skills to effectively work with stakeholders across the company
· Results driven: Delivers sustainable results in sales and marketing
· Customer Focus: Understands the importance of winning over the customer and building a strong relationship to achieve long term success
· Leadership: Leads and motivates people to achieve the desired objectives of the organization
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
· Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Chemical Engineering OR equivalent technical experience
· At least 10 years of work experience in chemical, pharmaceutical, coatings, or regulated manufacturing with direct plant leadership
· At least 5 years in a leadership role managing multi-disciplinary maintenance teams
· Proven experience with PSM-regulated processes and mechanical integrity programs.
· Significant experience with CMMS/EAM platforms and reliability improvement methodologies.
· Deep understanding of mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation systems used in chemical processing.
· Strong knowledge of OSHA, EPA, NEC, NFPA, and maintenance safety standards.
· Strong analytical and problem-solving ability with experience using RCA, RCM, and continuous improvement tools.
· Financial acumen and ability to manage complex budgets and capital planning.
· Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and large projects simultaneously.
ESSENTIAL POSITION FUNCTIONS
A Senior Maintenance Manager is required to perform the following essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation:
· Remains in a stationary position while working on a computer for prolonged periods of time
· Moves around the production floor in the proper PPE on occasion throughout the shift
· Exposure to odors and various temperature levels on occasion throughout the shift
· Moves up to 25 pounds of materials on occasion throughout the shift
· Communicates effectively both verbally and through written documents with others
· Solves problems using on the job analysis and mathematical skills
· Works at different times/ shifts based on business needs including some weekend hours
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We understand that candidates will not meet every single desired qualification . If your experience looks a little different from what we’ve identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we’d love to learn more about you.
At Solenis, we understand that our greatest asset is our people. That is why we offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits which include medical, dental, vision & 401K, and numerous opportunities for professional growth and development. So, if you are interested in working for a world-class company and enjoy solving complex challenges, whether in the lab or the field, consider joining our team.
Solenis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer, including Minorities / Women/ Veterans / Disabled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
Should you require assistance in applying to this opportunity, please reach out to Solenis Talent Acquisition at talentacquisition solenis.com
The expected compensation range for this position is between $93,530.00 and $137,181.00 plus discretionary bonuses. The exact compensation may vary based on your skills, experience and other factors permitted by law.
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Dental
Vision
401k