Jobs › Sonoco

Industrial Maintenance Technician

Sonoco · West Chicago, IL · $34.17–$36.86 an hour · Full time

Posted Aug 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a root cause analysis you did that kept a failure from coming back.

What they are checking: Whether they go past the quick fix to the real cause, which is what a reliability tech is hired for.

Tell me about a time you made a repair that did not hold. What did you learn?

What they are checking: Whether they own their mistakes and adjust their method instead of blaming parts or operators.

Which crafts are you strongest in, like hydraulics, pneumatics, welding or electrical, and where do you need to grow?

What they are checking: Whether they are honest about gaps, which helps the plant engineer plan their training.

What would you do

You will train on second shift and then move to third shift, 11pm to 7am. How will you handle that change?

What they are checking: Whether they are realistic about overnight work, where they may be the only maintenance person on site.

On third shift you may be alone when a major line goes down. How do you decide what to fix first?

What they are checking: Whether they can prioritize by safety and production impact without someone telling them what to do.

An operator keeps running a machine in a way that causes the same breakdown. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can coach operators respectfully to prevent repeat failures rather than just fixing it again.

About the work

Walk me through how you troubleshoot a machine that stopped mid-run and the operator does not know why.

What they are checking: Whether they work through a logical sequence instead of swapping parts until something works.

How comfortable are you reading electrical schematics and troubleshooting PLC-controlled equipment?

What they are checking: Whether they have the multi-craft electrical skills the role expects, not only mechanical repair.

What is the difference between preventive and predictive maintenance, and when have you used each?

What they are checking: Whether they understand proactive maintenance tools like vibration or thermal checks that Sonoco's reliability approach relies on.

Walk me through your lockout tagout steps before you put your hands in a machine.

What they are checking: Whether they treat energy isolation as non-negotiable, which tells the employer how they will act unsupervised.

How do you document your work orders and repairs so the next shift knows what happened?

What they are checking: Whether they keep records that support a maintenance system instead of relying on memory and word of mouth.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Sonoco from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Sonoco.

Position: Industrial Maintenance Relatability Tech Location: West Chicago, IL Pay Range: $34.17 - $36.86 Shift: 3rd (11pm-7am) - will be training on 2nd shift (3pm-11pm) for the remainder of the year From a small family business to a multi-billion dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 — all while keeping the heart of “People Build Businesses” alive. Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people. Reporting to the Plant Engineer, the Industrial Maintenance Reliability Technician (IMRT) is responsible for supporting the achievement of maximum plant reliability by performing maintenance tasks and activities as an owner of Sonoco’s Maintenance Excellence Process. Maintenance and reliability best practices will be utilized to maintain equipment in optimum condition, maximize availability, and support technological advancement. The IMRT will use advanced multi-craft training and knowledge to perform proactive equipment/process/system maintenance; troubleshoot failures, perform highly effective root cause analysis, and make repairs in a manner that minimizes the potential for repeat failures; and actively participate in Sonoco’s continuous improvement effort. What you’ll be doing: • Understand and comply with safety policies and procedures. Perform all tasks in a safe manner. Set the standard for safe behavior. Look out for your co-workers’ safety. Be an active owner of the safety improvement process by identifying and reducing safety risks and hazards in behavior, equipment, and processes. • Proactively maintain, improve, install, and troubleshoot and repair mechanical, electrical, robotic/automation, hydraulic, pneumatic, and steam (location specific) systems/processes/equipment. Install/troubleshoot/maintain AC and DC drives/motors. • Effectively perform troubleshooting activities on PLC programs. As required by location, modify and/or write PLC programs. • Weld as required by location . • Fabricate and install various electrical, piping, pneumatic, and mechanical equipment as required by location. • Perform shop work using machining and shop equipment (lathes, drills, milling machines, etc) as required by location . • Safely and effectively troubleshoot and situationally assess equipment issues/failures. Implement the most applicable, effective corrective action based on circumstances. • Conduct thorough root cause analysis and follow up to ensure the optimum corrective action has been taken. Ensure corrective actions minimize the risk of repeat failures. Assist in the development / modification and implementation of procedures / activities to drive to zero failure. • Drive the proactive maintenance process in the effort to eliminate unplanned failures. Effectively perform Preventive / Predictive Maintenance tasks / procedures. Participate in the development / improvement / optimization of Preventive / Predictive Maintenance procedures and tasks. • Communicate effectively with operations personnel to identify and resolve abnormal or degraded equipment conditions that could negatively impact safety, quality, or productivity. Includes helping develop operator skill sets to a level that allow for asset ownership and care at the operator level. • Effectively document all maintenance activity in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to build an accurate database of asset history. • Assist in identifying opportunities to improve equipment inspection, lubrication and hard to access areas for new equipment installs and for current equipment. • Identify and utilize the proper tools for each individual job. • Meet or exceed housekeeping and 5S standards in all areas where maintenance work is performed, personal ownership areas, and all areas owned by the Maintenance Department. We’d love to hear from you if: • Demonstrated competency in the skills laid out in the competency matrix for each of the IMRT classifications (I, II, III, & Sr). • Technical skills and knowledge to Proactively maintain, improve, install, and troubleshoot and repair mechanical, electrical, robotic/automation, hydraulic, pneumatic, and steam (location specific) systems/processes/equipment. • Ability to read and understand mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical (including PLC program logic) schematics. • Working knowledge of and experience in performing electrical work in compliance with NFPA 70E – Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace • Welding (Skill level to be determined by specific Sonoco location) • Machining / Fabrication (Skill level to be determined by specific Sonoco location) • Proficiency with standard computer programs (Microsoft Office Suite) • Proficiency in using a CMMS • Ability to adapt to and help lead change • Ability to master and employ new skills as required by the introduction of new processes, technology, etc and/or as part of the required skill development progression within the maintenance organization and / or advancement opportunities • Strong communication skills (written and verbal) • Ability to collaborate and work effectively in a team environment • Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis skills • Strong proactive maintenance and reliability thought process Minimum education required: • High school diploma (preferably with a vocational focus) Preferred Education: • Associate’s degree in Mechatronics, Industrial Maintenance, or related technical field. Or equivalent military experience Minimum Experience (Preferred) Starting level determined by plant based on skills and experience • IMRT I – 4+ years in similar role • IMRT II – 6+ years in similar role • IMRT III – 8+ years in similar role • Sr Level– 10+ years in similar role At Sonoco Products Company, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package, including competitive pay and benefits. *Benefits listed below are for employees located in the U.S. Specific benefits and wellbeing programs may vary depending on your location (within the U.S. or global), or if you are a union employee. Benefits • Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, including FSA and HSA options • 401(k) retirement plan with company match • Wellbeing tools and resources to support holistic health, including an Employee Assistance Program with a variety of services • Paid time off and holidays to recreate, rejuvenate and care for the health of yourself and family • Variety of company paid and voluntary employee-paid insurance plans including life, personal accident, and disability insurance • Tuition reimbursement We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.

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