Sr. Maintenance Technician

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is a global leader in high-performance chemicals, fibers and plastics, committed to enhancing quality of life through innovation. With fully integrated manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, we develop essential solutions that drive safer vehicles, cleaner energy, advanced medical devices, and durable consumer goods. Guided by a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and customer success, we operate responsibly while delivering value through cutting-edge technologies and industry expertise. Join our team and be part of a collaborative environment where your work drives meaningful global impact.

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world-scale integrated manufacturing facilities, we are able to develop new products from our core technologies and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of our customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution with five manufacturing facilities in the United States.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Sr. High Voltage Technician is a hands-on role, responsible for operating and maintaining the Electrical Distribution Infrastructure (EDI) at the Chocolate Bayou (CHB) Manufacturing site. Further, this role is part of the High Voltage (HV) Team and is an electrically qualified expert supporting operations and maintenance activities in all electrical systems from 480V to 138kV.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Work closely with Maintenance, Reliability, and Operations personnel to ensure systems and personnel are operating safely and in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations and operating permits.
• Create, initiate, and execute safe and error-proof documentation for equipment and system operation during switching.
• Manage scheduling and backlog to ensure 100% of compliance tasks are completed and work orders are closed as required.
• Oversight of the daily plan and communication of variations to the plan.
• Act as primary contact between Operations and Maintenance to ensure the Maintenance Work Process is followed for all EDI work requests.
• Keep Maintenance Work Practices current with Ascend, NFPA, IEEE, NETA, and other applicable regulations and standards.
• Function as an electrically qualified person that fully understands the electrical distribution system, its design and limitations and how it interacts with other electrical systems in the plant.
• Provide Job Safety Analyses (JSA), Hazard Recognition Program (HRP), and Lock Out / Tag Out (LOTO) for internal employees and external contractors to repair and maintain electrical distribution infrastructure.
• Be available on off-hours for emergency and unplanned outage response and for switching, LOTO’s, projects, and PM and repair work during planned outages and turn-arounds.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate EDI operations and maintenance activities to identify electrically energized parts, determine the nominal voltage level of exposed energized parts, determine safe approach distances, determine the degree of hazard involved, confirm the correct personal protection equipment required, and provide job planning necessary to safely perform the task,

• Execute PM's, PdM's, Repair WO's for EDI Functionally Owned equipment. Follow work to monitor work scope completion.

• Perform Quality Assurance field inspections during planned PM’s, outages, and turn-arounds.
• Review EDI inspection reports from PM, PdM, and route work orders.
• Create and execute Switching Notes and complete LOTO sheets for planned PM’s, outages, and turn-arounds.
• Ensure all work is completed as planned and TECO’d in a timely manner.
• Ensure resources are redeployed if work is delayed.
• Provide red-lined / as-built drawings as needed.
• Design and/or assist with the design of temporary equipment as needed for planned and unplanned outages.
• Complete small SKM models for temporary equipment needed for outages and turn-arounds.
• Track, schedule, and deliver on-time EDI equipment periodic maintenance (PM’s); ensure inspection and repair compliance and maintain backlog in preparation for future outages,
• Identify and take necessary action to address and communicate all ESSH issues to appropriate parties.
• Comply with all procedures; participate in development and revision of procedures.
• Generate, review, implement, and close changes via the MOC process as required.
• Take a leadership role in shutdown activities, including participation in scope and schedule development and reviewing shutdown job plans,
• Conduct routine EDI equipment / area rounds; analyze data for successive exceptions,
• Communicate maintenance plans to ensure equipment is available and ready for maintenance when scheduled; coordinate and communicate activities with other units, as necessary,
• Lead or participate in audits and inspections,
• Lead, participate in and/or review incident investigations; identify and implement corrective actions,
• Provide technical input / support to projects as required.

TEAM

• Reports to: Maintenance and Reliability Manager
• Team Members: HV Engineer, HV Planner, and other Operations / Maintenance / Reliability Staff

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Electrically qualified technician with a minimum of fifteen (15) years’ experience in high, medium, and low voltage systems (480V to 138kV)
• Must possess documented designation of current training, demonstration of skills, and level of certification as identified for each voltage class.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Technical Skills:

• Working experience and knowledge of high, medium, and low voltage electrical systems,
• Working knowledge of ESSH guidelines and regulatory/compliance issues,
• Working experience with Maintenance Planning process,
• Past participation in walkthroughs.

Troubleshooting Skills:

• Excellent EDI troubleshooting / problem solving skills,
• Informal troubleshooting training / experiences.

Computer Skills:

• Window-based programs: Email, MS Word, MS Excel, SAP, J5

Communication/Facilitation Skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills,
• Well-developed facilitation skills,
• Strong leadership and teamwork skills.

• Self-initiated learning,
• Time management processes and skills,
• Self-initiated corrective actions/follow-through.

Core Competencies and Behaviors

• Gets Results: Consistently meets commitments to the business and to others. Quickly translate business requirements into actions by defining "who does what by when" to ensure plans are executed,
• Teamwork and Leadership: Effective collaboration. A confident, mature person with the ability to connect, inspire and influence others without direct reporting relationships. Persistent, confident, and persuasive,
• Communication: Effective communicator to all levels in the organization.

Personal Attributes

• Results oriented and customer focused,
• Decision Making: Willing to seek input for key decisions along with the ability to prioritize and make decisions,
• Detailed Orientation: Has exceptional attention to detail along with the ability to develop procedures and standard methods,
• Leadership: Strong influential leader who is aggressive, persistent, and self-confident and is willing and able to insert themselves into conversations without being invited formally,
• Multitasking Ability: Adaptable, flexible, and effective in handling multiple priorities simultaneously.

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value transparency and fairness in our hiring process. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, search firms, or staffing agencies. Any resumes received from such entities will be considered the property of Ascend Performance Materials, and we will not be obligated to pay any fees for such submissions. Our Talent Acquisition Team actively engages with preferred recruitment partners who have established agreements with us. We encourage all interested candidates to apply directly through our official channels to be considered for any open positions.

Skills Summary:

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities ​​for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.