The Senior Valve Technician – Sanitary Systems is a highly skilled professional responsible for leading the maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimization of sanitary valve systems across multiple food and beverage production facilities. This role ensures valves and associated actuation systems operate with maximum reliability, hygiene compliance, and efficiency. The senior technician mentors junior staff, drives preventive maintenance strategies, and collaborates closely with engineering, quality, and production teams to support continuous improvement and regulatory adherence.
Lead installation, commissioning, preventive, and corrective maintenance activities for complex sanitary valve systems including pneumatic and electric actuators.
Perform advanced troubleshooting and repair of valve failures, leaks, and actuator issues to minimize downtime and maintain process integrity.
Oversee valve rebuilds, actuator calibration, and system upgrades to improve performance and reliability.
Conduct thorough inspections ensuring valve systems comply with 3-A Sanitary Standards, FDA, USDA, and other applicable food safety regulations.
Develop and implement inspection protocols and maintenance best practices.
Prepare and maintain detailed service reports, maintenance logs, and audit documentation.
Serve as a subject matter expert for sanitary valve technology, hygienic design principles, and industry best practices.
Lead root cause analysis and drive corrective and preventive actions for valve-related issues.
Recommend and implement process improvements, spare parts optimization, and reliability enhancement programs.
Mentor and train junior and mid-level valve technicians on installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and safety standards.
Promote a culture of safety, quality, and continuous learning within the maintenance team.
Collaborate with engineering, quality assurance, production, and suppliers to support plant reliability and food safety goals.
Participate in new equipment commissioning, upgrades, and validation projects involving valve systems.
Advanced sanitary valve maintenance and troubleshooting
Leadership in preventive maintenance and reliability programs
Regulatory compliance and inspection readiness
Technical mentorship and team development
Cross-functional collaboration and process optimization
Technical diploma, associate degree, or equivalent vocational training in mechanical maintenance or related field; Bachelor’s degree preferred
7+ years of experience working with sanitary valve systems in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or related process industries
Proven leadership in maintenance, troubleshooting, and valve system optimization
Expert knowledge of pneumatic and electric valve actuators, sanitary valve design, and hygienic standards
Strong mechanical and diagnostic skills for complex valve and actuator systems
Proficient in maintenance documentation, regulatory compliance, and audit support
Excellent communication, leadership, and mentoring abilities
Ability to lead projects and collaborate across functions