Who We Are
At Lyssy & Eckel, our mission is to support the success of farmers, ranchers, hunters, and livestock exhibitors by providing dependable, high-quality, all-natural feeds and agricultural products built on integrity, experience, and proven nutrition.
Established in 1945, Lyssy & Eckel is a third-generation, family-owned company with deep roots in the agriculture industry. We combine decades of experience, professional nutritional oversight, and a wide range of quality ingredients to create feed solutions that support animal health, performance, and gut integrity.
Every employee plays an important role in our commitment to craftsmanship, safety, and service. Whether working in manufacturing, formulation, or directly with customers, our team takes pride in delivering the right feed, every time, for every customer and their animals.
Lyssy & Eckel is seeking a dependable, hands-on Maintenance Technician to support the safe and reliable operation of the Poth feed mill. This position performs preventive maintenance, mechanical repairs, equipment inspections, and troubleshooting on production and material-handling equipment. The successful candidate will be comfortable working outdoors and in an active manufacturing environment that requires frequent use of ladders and stairs, extensive climbing, and heavy physical work. This is an immediate opening for an experienced maintenance professional who takes ownership of equipment reliability and responds quickly when the mill needs support.
Key Responsibilities
1. Preventive Maintenance & Equipment Inspections
- Perform routine lubrication and greasing of bearings, motors, conveyors, and related mill equipment.
- Inspect belts, chains, bearings, guards, drives, and moving components for wear, damage, heat, vibration, or misalignment.
- Complete scheduled preventive maintenance tasks accurately and on time to reduce unplanned downtime.
- Identify developing equipment problems and communicate repair needs before a failure occurs.
- Maintain clear maintenance records and document completed work, parts used, and follow-up needs.
2. Mechanical Repair & Equipment Reliability
- Troubleshoot and repair mechanical failures on conveyors and other production or material-handling equipment.
- Replace bearings, belts, chains, sprockets, electric motors, and other worn or failed components.
- Perform precision alignment of shafts, bearings, pulleys, and drive components when required.
- Safely disassemble, inspect, repair, and reinstall equipment while protecting surrounding machinery and product areas.
- Use practical judgment to make timely repairs while maintaining safe work practices and equipment integrity.
3. Troubleshooting & Downtime Response
- Respond promptly to equipment breakdowns and help restore production safely and efficiently.
- Diagnose the cause of repeat failures and recommend corrective action rather than relying only on temporary repairs.
- Assist with minor electrical troubleshooting, pneumatic systems, HMI/PLC troubleshooting, and motor-related issues when qualified and authorized.
- Participate in the call-out rotation and be able to report to the Poth mill within approximately 30 minutes when called.
- Communicate equipment status, expected repair time, and operational limitations to mill leadership and affected employees.
4. Shutdowns, Projects & Continuous Improvement
- Support planned maintenance shutdowns, including occasional weekend work outside the normal schedule.
- Complete larger repairs, replacements, inspections, and maintenance projects during scheduled downtime.
- Help identify practical improvements that increase equipment life, reliability, access, and maintainability.
- Coordinate with operations so equipment is properly released, isolated, tested, and returned to service.
5. Safety, Housekeeping & Tool Care
- Follow lockout/tagout, machine guarding, fall prevention, ladder safety, and required PPE procedures at all times.
- Keep work areas clean and remove tools, parts, and maintenance debris before returning equipment to operation.
- Use company-provided Milwaukee tools and other maintenance equipment responsibly and report damaged or missing tools.
- Use proper lifting techniques, team lifting, or mechanical assistance for heavy or awkward components.
- Immediately report unsafe equipment conditions, damaged guards, electrical hazards, or other conditions that could injure employees or damage equipment.
Required Experience & Abilities
- Strong mechanical aptitude and practical experience with lubrication, bearings, belts, chains, and mechanical drive systems.
- Ability to diagnose equipment problems, determine appropriate repairs, and complete work with limited supervision.
- Ability to safely use hand tools, power tools, ladders, stairs, and maintenance access platforms.
- Ability to perform physically demanding work, including extensive climbing, bending, reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.
- Ability to work outdoors and in dusty, noisy, hot, cold, or changing weather conditions.
- Dependable attendance, reliable transportation, and availability for scheduled Saturdays, shutdown weekends, and call-outs.
- Ability to report to the Poth mill within approximately 30 minutes when assigned to respond to a call-out.
Preferred Technical Experience
- Industrial, manufacturing, agricultural, feed mill, grain handling, or similar maintenance experience.
- Minor electrical troubleshooting and experience working with electric motors and motor controls.
- Experience troubleshooting pneumatic equipment and air-operated components.
- Basic HMI and PLC troubleshooting skills.
- Experience with precision alignment, bearing replacement, conveyors, chains, and related power-transmission equipment.
Core Competencies
- Safety-focused and disciplined when working around energized, elevated, or moving equipment.
- Strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to work through problems methodically.
- Reliable, responsive, and willing to support production during urgent breakdowns or shutdowns.
- Good communication with operators, supervisors, and other maintenance personnel.
- Organized work habits, attention to detail, and care for tools and replacement parts.
- Team-oriented approach with the ability to work independently when needed.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Preventive maintenance tasks completed on schedule and documented accurately.
- Timely and safe response to equipment failures and call-outs.
- Reduction in repeat breakdowns and avoidable equipment downtime.
- Quality of repairs, equipment alignment, and return-to-service checks.
- Compliance with lockout/tagout, PPE, guarding, and other maintenance safety requirements.
- Cleanliness and organization of maintenance work areas, tools, and parts.
Schedule & Call-Out Expectations
- Regular schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Scheduled Saturdays: approximately two Saturdays per month, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Occasional additional weekend work during planned mill shutdowns.
- Participation in after-hours call-outs as assigned; employees responding to a call-out receive a three-hour minimum.
Work Environment
- Work is performed throughout an operating animal feed manufacturing facility, including production areas, equipment platforms, roofs or elevated access areas, and outdoor locations.
- Frequent climbing of ladders and stairs is required, along with work at varying heights and around industrial machinery.
- The environment may include dust, noise, vibration, temperature extremes, moving equipment, and changing weather conditions.
- Required PPE must be worn and all maintenance work must be performed in accordance with company safety procedures.
What we offer
· Competitive hourly pay
· Three-hour minimums for call-out responses
· Company provided tools
· Health, Dental, Vision, and other company sponsored benefits for qualifying employees
· Consistent first-shift schedule
· Increased opportunity for overtime during peak seasons
· A stable, family-owned company with deep roots in the agriculture industry
· Hands-on training and the opportunity to build valuable feed manufacturing and mill operations experience
· A team environment where safety, quality, and reliability matter
Why This Role Matters
Reliable maintenance is essential to employee safety, production quality, and the ability to serve Lyssy & Eckel customers. The Maintenance Technician helps prevent failures, responds when equipment goes down, and keeps the Poth mill operating safely and efficiently. Success in this role directly reduces downtime, protects equipment, and supports every department that depends on the mill.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- On-the-job training
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
