Plant Maintenance & Safety Lead

Opportunity

We are backed by a premier, international manufacturing corporation that prioritizes safety above all else. Our Sterling Heights facility operates with a focused, high-output footprint. We are seeking a Maintenance & Safety Lead who possesses the technical expertise as an electrical troubleshooter and the unwavering discipline of a corporate safety champion.

In this role, you will have no administrative direct reports, but you will serve as the ultimate technical and regulatory authority on the floor. You will act as the lead troubleshooter working directly alongside our existing Maintenance Technician when complex issues arise. Simultaneously, you will hold total ownership to administer, enforce, and drive our rigorous corporate SAFETY, 5S, and CapEx procurement programs to their absolute fullest.

If you are a self-driven leader who thrives in structured, world-class safety environments, excels at solving complex machine failures, and wants true operational ownership, this is your next career step.

What You Will Do

• World-Class SAFETY Administration (40%): You will be the local champion and enforcer of our international corporate safety framework. You will administer safety policies to their fullest extent, ensuring 100% compliance with OSHA, NFPA 70E, and internal standards. You will manage regular employee training and briefings, coordinate contractor high-risk permits (LOTO, heights, confined spaces), conduct formal risk assessments, and lead deep-dive incident/near-miss investigations.
• Hands-on Maintenance & Technical Leadership (30%): Serve as the top technical authority on the floor. When our stainless steel slitting, cutting, or packing lines go down, you lead the diagnostics. You will work physically alongside our Maintenance Technician to perform complex mechanical and electrical repairs. You will manage external contractors for specialized overrides, optimize our spare parts inventory, and organize equipment compliance inspection cycles.
• Continuous Improvement & 5S (10%): Introduce, implement, and maintain strict 5S and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) standards across the production floor to keep the workspace clean, organized, and running efficiently.
• CapEx / OpEx & Project Management (10%): Proactively identify plant safety risks and operational inefficiencies. You will be responsible for researching solutions, sourcing and negotiating competitive quotes from external vendors, developing formal CapEx/OpEx proposals, and presenting your business cases directly to senior management for capital approval.
• Purchasing & IT Support (10%): Manage the procurement process in SAP (or similar ERP), handling vendor creation and invoice resolution. Act as the first line of defense for basic production workstation IT issues.

What We Are Looking For

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (or EE Technology) OR a certified Electrical Tradesman / Journeyman credential.
• Experience Alternative: 5+ years of hands-on electrical and mechanical industrial experience in a structured manufacturing environment (experience with steel processing, heavy metal service centers, or heavy automated machinery is highly preferred).
• Technical Asset Mastery:
• • Electrical: Strong industrial electrical troubleshooting skills (PLCs, VFDs, sensors, relays, and 480V three-phase power).
  • Mechanical: Strong mechanical inclination with experience in hydraulics, pneumatics, gearing, and heavy automated machinery.
  • Schematics: Verifiable ability to read blueprints, electrical schematics, and fluid power diagrams.
• Safety Expertise: Deep working knowledge of OSHA (NFPA 70E), Machine Guarding, and strict Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) protocols. Experienced in administering structured corporate safety programs and driving a zero-harm safety culture.
• The "Player-Coach" Mindset: You are a natural educator who can patiently train floor employees in safety/5S, guide our existing technician through complex technical troubleshooting, and influence our small team of 13 to execute safety standards to their fullest without relying on a managerial title.
• Systems: Experience with ERP systems (SAP preferred) and production software (Itrax/Sidonie).

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary (based on experience and qualifications)
• Bonus plan eligibility
• Medical Insurance (minimal cost)
• Dental Insurance (no cost)
• Vision (not Cost)
• Life/AD&D
• Short Term and Long Term Disability
• PTO
• 401(K) Safe Harbor (employer contribution)
• 401(K) Match (w/employee deferral)
• Profit Sharing

Location: Michigan | Sterling Heights | On-site |

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

Aperam is a global leader in stainless, electrical, and specialty steels, as well as recycling and renewables, serving customers in over 40 countries. Our business is structured into four segments: Stainless & Electrical Steel, Services & Solutions, Alloys & Specialties, and Recycling & Renewables.

Join us and be part of a dynamic team where technology and innovation meets industrial transformation. Your talent and energy will help drive smarter, more sustainable solutions for a global company committed to be a leading value creator in the circular economy of infinite, world-changing materials.

Visit https://www.aperam.com/ to learn more - and let’s build what’s next, together.