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Maintenance Technician

Ecolab · Joliet, IL · Full time

Posted Sep 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 time you challenged an unsafe practice by a coworker. How did you say it?

What they are checking: Whether they will speak up about safety in a way that changes behavior without starting a fight.

Tell me about an improvement you suggested that actually got put into practice.

What they are checking: Whether they propose and follow through on ideas, which the role asks every mechanic to do.

What would you do

How do you decide what to record as a non-conformance on equipment versus fixing it on the spot?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that recording issues builds the data the team needs to improve reliability.

How would you teach an operator to do autonomous maintenance tasks like cleaning and inspecting their own machine?

What they are checking: Whether they can share ownership of equipment with operators instead of guarding maintenance as their own turf.

You're halfway through a preventive maintenance task and production asks you to stop and fix a breakdown. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can balance urgent repairs with planned work and communicate clearly with their team leader.

About the work

What does TPM mean to you in practice, and which pillar have you actually worked on?

What they are checking: Whether they have lived TPM on a plant floor or only know the acronym from a posting.

A pump keeps failing every few weeks. Walk me through how you'd find the root cause instead of just replacing it again.

What they are checking: Whether they use real root cause tools like five whys instead of repeating the same repair forever.

What mechanical and electrical skills are you strongest in, and where would you need help?

What they are checking: Whether they know their own skill level honestly, which matters on a team that shares the work.

What does a good 5S area look like in a maintenance shop, and how do you keep it that way?

What they are checking: Whether they see organization as something that saves time and prevents mistakes, not a cleanup chore.

How do you know if the maintenance you're doing is actually making equipment more available?

What they are checking: Whether they look at results like downtime and repeat failures rather than counting tasks completed.

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Ecolab.

Want to build a brighter, bolder future and cultivate your career? Join Ecolab’s team and help create a world in which we all thrive. Ecolab is seeking a Maintenance Mechanic to join our team in Joliet, IL. As a Maintenance Mechanic , you’ll be responsible for applying Ecolab standards, and ensuring safe, sustainable, and efficient operations to maintain plant equipment and infrastructure. You will participate in essential TPM tasks, including safety and environmental procedures, p rogressive q uality initiatives, a utonomous m aintenance, f ocused i mprovement, p reventive m aintenance, and 5S practices. How You’ll Make an Impact : • Understand and comply with SH&E standards, actively promote safe and responsible behavior, and positively challenge any unsafe practices by completing monthly safety observations • Proactively propose and implement improvements to existing work practices an d quality of products • Look for and record non-conformances on equipment and report to Maintenance Team Leader • C ontribute to root cause analysis and develop solutions to help with quality management • Monitor effectiveness of maintenance activities to maximize equipment availability • Implement continuous improvement activities via problem solving or tagging activities, contribute fully to TPM improvement teams, and promote a culture of continuous improvement • Follow standard maintenance procedures, proposing and implementing improvements, and ensuring timely completion of all maintenance tasks. These tasks may consist of electrical, welding, plumbing, troubleshooting on filler equipment, tank and pipes, and part replacements as well as PLC programming • Complete all planned and preventative maintenance tasks on-time including timely escalation of potential issues to engineering team • Propose new preventative maintenance tasks or updates for the existing preventative maintenance tasks • Carry out safe and effective equipment repairs, including urgent breakdown repairs • Perform other duties as assigned Position Details : Plant Location: Joliet, IL Work Week & Shift: Nights, 12-hour Shifts, 6pm-6am. Rotating as follows: Monday-Tuesday, Friday-Saturday-Sunday, Wednesday-Thursday. Compensation: Hourly Rate Starting at $40.74/per hour (based on experience) Minimum Qualifications : • High S chool D iploma , GED or equivalent • 2 years of experience working in an industrial maintenance environment • 1 year of experience with electronic and PLC based applications in an industrial environment • 1 year of experience with electrical and mechanical systems in an industrial environment • No immigration sponsorship available for this role Preferred Qualifications : • 2 years of mechanical experience in a chemical plant • 4 years of industrial experience • 1 year of experience with tools, procedures and methods utilized in an industrial maintenance environment • Experience working with pumps, welding, bearings, electrical safety, forklifts, gears, hydraulics, valves, and rigging • Formal vocational training in an industrial engineering discipline • Strong attention to detail and communication skills • E xperience working in a TPM environment • Ability to track safety, quality, and productivity data • Experience working in a Lean M anufacturing environment Physical Requirements of Position: • Lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying up to 50 pounds chest high • K neel ing , bend ing , squat ting , push ing , pull ing , and reach ing above and below waist level • Working in a chemical processing plant with variable temperatures, odors, noise levels, elevated heights, and/or confined spaces Ecolab is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with a disability. What’s in it For You: • Starting on Day 1 : Access to our comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, matching 401K, company-paid pension, stock purchase plan, paid parental leave, select discounted childcare resources, and more! • T he opportunity to take on some of the world’s most meaningful challenges, helping customers achieve clean water, safe food, and healthy environment • The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth • T he support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives, and ideas to achieve our best About Ecolab: At Ecolab, we prioritize our talent-first philosophy by creating the most capable and diverse team to excel at our nearly three million customer sites. Building on a century of innovation, our 48,000 associates help deliver comprehensive science-based solutions, data-driven insights and world-class service to advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, and optimize water and energy use, and improve operational efficiencies and sustainability for customers in the food, healthcare, life sciences, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. Our solutions not only enhance operational efficiency but also contribute to sustainability and public health, making a positive impact on the world. We are committed to eliminating unnecessary complexities and embracing a beginner's mindset, continuously seeking new perspectives and innovative solutions to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. Annual or Hourly Compensation Range: The pay rate starts at $40.74 per hour. Many factors are taken into consideration when determining compensation, such as experience, education, training, geography, etc. We comply with all minimum wage and overtime laws. Benefits Ecolab provides the following benefits: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, pet insurance, identity theft protection, short-term and long-term disability, 401k, pension plans, retirement health care benefits, short-term incentives, vacation (12 days), holidays, parental leave, employee stock purchase plans (Full-Time Associates), discount on day care services and caregiver services, adoption assistance, group legal services, employee assistance program, employee discount program, and education assistance program, on-Site childcare and fitness facilities may be available at select Ecolab locations. Click here  for additional benefits information.  If you are viewing this posting on a site other than our Ecolab Career website, view our benefits at jobs.ecolab.com/working-here . Potential Customer Requirements Notice To meet customer requirements and comply with local or state regulations, applicants for certain customer-facing roles may need to: - Undergo additional background screens and/or drug/alcohol testing for customer credentialing. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Ecolab will provide reasonable accommodation (such as a qualified sign language interpreter or other personal assistance) with our application process upon request as required to comply with applicable laws. If you have a disability and require accommodation assistance in this application process, please visit the Recruiting Support link in the footer of each page of our career website.

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