Maintenance Engineer

Job Title: Maintenance Engineer Job Description
The Maintenance Engineer supports the reliability, maintenance, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of manufacturing equipment and facility systems. This role works closely with Maintenance Technicians, Production, Quality, and Engineering teams to improve equipment uptime, resolve equipment failures, enhance preventive and predictive maintenance programs, and assist with equipment installation, commissioning, validation, and improvement projects. It offers a strong opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a flexible schedule environment and can lead to a full-time position.
Responsibilities
- Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment issues involving mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and controls systems.
- Support equipment maintenance activities to improve reliability, uptime, and overall performance of manufacturing equipment and facility systems.
- Help develop, implement, and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
- Investigate equipment failures, perform root-cause analysis, and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
- Support equipment installations, modifications, commissioning, validation, and start-up activities.
- Partner with Maintenance Technicians, Production, Quality, and Engineering teams on equipment improvement projects focused on safety, quality, reliability, productivity, and cost reduction.
- Assist with capital equipment projects, including coordination with external vendors and service providers.
- Contribute to process improvement initiatives within the manufacturing environment.
- Work hands-on around manufacturing equipment and machinery to support troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance tasks.
- Use Microsoft Excel and other Office tools to track maintenance activities, analyze equipment performance data, and support project management tasks.
- Participate in projects related to preventive maintenance and automating production lines planned through 2026.
- Maintain clear communication with cross-functional teams to ensure timely resolution of equipment issues and successful execution of improvement projects.
Essential Skills
- Bachelors degree required, preferably in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- At least 2+ years of engineering or technical experience supporting a manufacturing environment.
- Hands-on experience working around manufacturing equipment and machinery.
- Technical understanding of several equipment systems such as mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, PLC/controls, or automation.
- Experience with maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of manufacturing processes and equipment.
- Knowledge of hydraulics and hydraulic systems, including hydraulic equipment.
- Knowledge of pneumatics and pneumatic systems in a manufacturing environment.
- Ability to support preventive maintenance and reliability engineering activities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including strong skills in Microsoft Excel (VBA experience preferred).
- Experience with manufacturing engineering, process improvement, and project management in a production setting.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with Maintenance Technicians, Production, Quality, and Engineering teams.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to conduct root-cause analysis on equipment failures.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field is preferred.
- Experience with PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment.
- Experience with injection molding equipment.
- Experience with preventive and predictive maintenance program development and execution.
- Background in equipment installation, commissioning, and validation.
- SAP or other ERP system experience.
- Experience as a Maintenance Technician or in a similar hands-on maintenance role is beneficial.
- Exposure to automating production lines and capital equipment projects.
- Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and tasks in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
Work Environment
This role is 100% onsite, with a typical start time of 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. and a standard schedule of approximately 40 hours per week. The work takes place in a moderate to loud production environment, working around equipment and machinery. Approximately 40% of the time is spent in an office setting and 60% on the production floor, providing a mix of hands-on and analytical work. The position requires the ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends when needed to support production and maintenance activities. The culture emphasizes growth and development, with employees having opportunities to advance from internship-level roles into leadership positions. The environment offers exposure to preventative maintenance initiatives and automation of production lines, along with a supportive and collaborative atmosphere that values safety, quality, reliability, and continuous improvement.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Ana, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $45.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Santa Ana, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 27, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Santa Ana,CA. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.