Shop Lead Technician

Shop Lead Technician

The Shop Lead Technician is a hands-on equipment technician who performs troubleshooting, repair, refurbishment, testing, and preparation of commercial and industrial laundry machinery. Reporting to the Operations Manager, this position serves as the primary shop-floor point of contact for communicating work priorities, helping coordinate daily assignments, and keeping projects moving. The Lead Technician leads by example, provides technical guidance to other technicians, and raises resource, quality, safety, or scheduling concerns to the Operations Manager. This is a working technical role, not a shop management position; the substantial majority of time is devoted to direct equipment work.

Essential functionsReasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Perform hands-on inspection, troubleshooting, repair, refurbishment, assembly, testing, and production-readiness work on assigned machines; document work completed and verify proper operation.
• Receive job priorities, schedules, and direction from the Operations Manager and communicate daily work assignments and changes to shop technicians.
• Serve as the first point of contact on the shop floor for technical questions and workflow obstacles; elevate unresolved issues and priority conflicts to the Operations Manager.
• Provide practical instruction, troubleshooting support, and hands-on assistance to other technicians while remaining actively engaged in assigned equipment work.
• Identify parts, tools, materials, outside services, and technical information needed to complete work; communicate needs promptly to the Operations Manager and appropriate support staff.
• Inspect and test completed work for workmanship, safety, and operational readiness; bring deficiencies to the attention of the responsible technician and Operations Manager.
• Assist with maintaining an organized, safe workspace, proper care of shared tools, and accurate identification of equipment and parts.
• Support equipment movement, rigging, loading, and unloading when trained and authorized.
• Recommend practical workflow and quality improvements to the Operations Manager and help implement approved changes.
• Coordinate with parts, acquisitions, sales, service, and office personnel as directed to clarify machine requirements and provide technical updates.
• Support onboarding and hands-on skill development for technicians as requested; provide input to the Operations Manager on observed skill gaps and training needs.
• Notify the Operations Manager when a job may exceed its planned labor hours or requires additional parts, outside work, or a change in scope.
• Assist with occasional installation or field-service work as assigned.
• Demonstrate R.W. Martin core values of Accountability, Continuous Improvement, and Team Player in daily work.
• Perform other related technical duties as assigned by the Operations Manager.

Competencies

• General knowledge of electrical, pneumatics, hydraulic, steam and water applications pertaining to machinery.
• Possess a mechanical aptitude for structural work and rigging practices.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical and hydraulic schematics, wiring diagrams and operation and maintenance manuals.
• Is well versed in safe warehouse operations with organized and labeled inventory.
• Ability to guide coworkers through technical work, communicate priorities clearly, and lead by example without formal supervisory authority.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to organize own work, support team task coordination, and elevate competing priorities for management decisions.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software to complete reports and logs.

Supervisory responsibilities

This position has no direct reports and does not independently manage staffing, performance evaluations, discipline, hiring, compensation, budgets, purchasing approvals, or the shop schedule. The Operations Manager retains accountability for these functions. The Shop Lead Technician may convey assignments, offer technical direction and coaching, and report performance or workflow concerns to the Operations Manager.

Work environment

Industrial shop environment with regular exposure to industrial machinery, possible noise, and respiratory pollutants. Wear PPE as required: uniforms, safety eye wear, masks, gloves, respirators, work boots, hard/bump hats, fall protection and ear protection.

Physical demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be able to physically bend, stretch, kneel, and squat to perform repairs and inspections. Demonstrate visual acuity to inspect products and manual dexterity to perform repairs. Must be able to lift and carry 50 pounds in the form of boxes of supplies or product components. Ability to operate a motor vehicle is required.

Travel

Occasional travel to support installation and service projects as requested; anticipated to be less than 5% of work time.

Required education and experience

High school diploma or equivalent and at least five years of relevant hands-on industrial machinery repair, refurbishment, maintenance, or equipment-service experience preferred. Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot machinery and support less experienced technicians. Prior supervisory experience is not required.

EEO statement

R.W. Martin & Sons, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Other duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.