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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Mechanical Planner

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

EngineeringManufacturingMaintenancePlanning & SchedulingSkilled Trades

🎯 Role Definition

A Mechanical Planner is the strategic heart of an effective maintenance organization. This role serves as the crucial link between identifying a maintenance need and the efficient, safe execution of the work. You are responsible for meticulously planning and coordinating all mechanical maintenance activities, ensuring that technicians have the drawings, materials, tools, and instructions they need before the job begins. By developing detailed work packages, you minimize wrench time, reduce downtime, and enhance the overall reliability and lifespan of critical plant equipment. This is a proactive role focused on eliminating delays and driving operational excellence through superior preparation and foresight.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Lead Maintenance Technician / Mechanical Fitter
  • Maintenance Coordinator
  • Junior Reliability Engineer

Advancement To:

  • Senior Mechanical Planner / Lead Planner
  • Maintenance Supervisor / Maintenance Manager
  • Reliability Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Project Coordinator
  • Technical Procurement Specialist / MRO Buyer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop comprehensive and detailed work plans for all corrective, preventive, and predictive mechanical maintenance activities, including task sequencing, estimated labor hours, and required permits.
  • Conduct field walk-downs and job site assessments to accurately scope out the full extent of maintenance work, identifying potential hazards and logistical requirements.
  • Collaborate closely with procurement and stores teams to identify, source, and requisition all necessary parts, materials, tools, and specialized equipment, ensuring they are staged and available prior to job commencement.
  • Create and maintain detailed work order packages, which include technical drawings (P&IDs, schematics), safety procedures (LOTO, JSAs), step-by-step instructions, and quality control checkpoints.
  • Utilize the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), such as SAP PM or Maximo, to manage the entire work order lifecycle, from creation and planning to scheduling and historical data entry.
  • Develop and continuously refine standard job plans and task lists for repetitive maintenance work to improve consistency, efficiency, and quality of execution.
  • Liaise with operations, engineering, and maintenance supervision to understand work priorities and schedule planned maintenance activities to minimize disruption to production schedules.
  • Plan and coordinate the activities of third-party contractors and vendors for specialized mechanical work, ensuring they adhere to site safety and quality standards.
  • Review completed work orders for accuracy, capturing actual labor hours, parts used, and failure codes to build a robust maintenance history for assets.
  • Actively participate in shutdown/turnaround planning meetings, developing detailed scope lists, resource plans, and integrated schedules for major maintenance events.
  • Maintain and update the Bill of Materials (BOMs) for critical equipment within the CMMS to streamline future parts ordering and planning.
  • Analyze maintenance backlog and work with supervisors to develop weekly and long-range work schedules that align with reliability goals and resource availability.
  • Provide essential input for maintenance budget forecasting by estimating costs for labor, materials, and external services for planned work.
  • Champion safety in all planning activities by incorporating Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) and specific safety protocols directly into the work package.
  • Identify opportunities for preventive and predictive maintenance program improvements based on equipment history, failure analysis, and technician feedback.
  • Prepare and distribute clear and concise reports on planning metrics, such as schedule compliance, backlog status, and planning accuracy.
  • Evaluate the need for special tools, lifting equipment, or scaffolding and ensure they are reserved, inspected, and available for scheduled jobs.
  • Assist Reliability Engineers in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) by providing detailed historical data and insights from past maintenance interventions.
  • Manage the component repair and return process, ensuring that rebuildable spares are sent for refurbishment and tracked effectively.
  • Foster strong working relationships between maintenance craftspeople, supervisors, engineers, and operations personnel to facilitate seamless work execution.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis related to maintenance costs and equipment performance.
  • Contribute to the organization's continuous improvement initiatives by suggesting process enhancements for the work management system.
  • Collaborate with engineering teams to translate equipment modification needs into actionable maintenance and installation plans.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile-style ceremonies if the maintenance team adopts such methodologies for managing projects.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • CMMS Proficiency: Deep expertise in Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) like SAP Plant Maintenance (PM), IBM Maximo, or Oracle eAM.
  • Technical Document Interpretation: Strong ability to read and interpret technical drawings, including P&IDs, blueprints, isometric drawings, and equipment manuals.
  • Maintenance Planning & Scheduling: Solid understanding of maintenance planning and scheduling principles, including Gantt charts, resource leveling, and critical path analysis.
  • Mechanical Aptitude: In-depth knowledge of mechanical equipment such as pumps, compressors, turbines, gearboxes, conveyors, and piping systems.
  • Microsoft Office Suite: Proficiency in MS Excel for data analysis and tracking, Word for report generation, and Project for scheduling.
  • Cost Estimation: Ability to accurately estimate labor hours, material costs, and service expenses for maintenance work.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional Organization: Meticulous attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities without sacrificing quality.
  • Strong Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to clearly convey complex technical information to diverse audiences (technicians, engineers, management).
  • Proactive Problem-Solving: An analytical mindset with the ability to anticipate potential roadblocks and develop contingency plans.
  • Interpersonal Skills: A collaborative team player who can build strong, trust-based relationships across different departments.
  • Time Management: Superior ability to prioritize tasks and manage deadlines effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED combined with a technical trade certification (e.g., Millwright, Pipefitter) and significant hands-on experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechanical Engineering / Engineering Technology
  • Industrial Technology or Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of experience in industrial maintenance, with at least 2 years in a planning, scheduling, or lead technician role.

Preferred: Experience in a heavy industrial, manufacturing, or processing environment (e.g., chemical, oil & gas, pulp & paper, power generation). Direct experience as a hands-on craftsperson prior to moving into a planning role is highly valued.

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