Maintenance Manager

Plainfield Renewable Energy (PRE) is a 37.5 MW wood biomass gasification power plant located in Plainfield, CT. Owned by Greenleaf Power and operated by NAES Corporation, the facility uses a single steam turbine and generator to produce renewable energy. PRE is equipped with advanced emissions control technologies, including a high-efficiency baghouse, and scrubbing systems to reduce NOx and sulfur dioxide.

Opportunity Summary

The Maintenance Manager at Plainfield Renewable Energy will lead and oversee maintenance personnel, ensuring the safe and efficient execution of maintenance and repair activities for biomass-specific systems, including boilers, turbine-generators, fuel handling equipment, ash systems, and emissions controls, in line with company policies and technical specifications. This role includes managing the plant’s preventive and predictive maintenance programs, monitoring equipment performance trends such as boiler tube wear and conveyor reliability, and coordinating outage and project activities. The Maintenance Manager will also oversee contractor work, develop, and manage budgets, provide staff training on biomass system maintenance and safety, and drive continuous improvement efforts to enhance reliability, ensure environmental compliance, and reduce future maintenance needs.

Your scope of responsibility as Maintenance Manager will include the following primary functions:

- Oversee maintenance personnel to ensure safe, efficient performance of work on biomass boilers, turbine-generators, fuel handling, ash systems, and emissions controls, in alignment with company policies and the station maintenance manual.

- Implement and manage the plant’s preventive and predictive maintenance programs, analyzing equipment failures such as boiler tube leaks, fuel feed interruptions, and conveyor malfunctions, while providing trend data to the Plant Manager.

- Ensure compliance with regulatory and environmental testing requirements for biomass operations (e.g., air emissions, ash disposal, fuel quality), coordinating with compliance staff and maintaining documentation.

- Serve as Project Manager for maintenance projects, including boiler outages, turbine overhauls, fuel-handling upgrades, and emissions system improvements—coordinating schedules, monitoring performance, and ensuring safe, efficient completion.

- Develop and manage contracts, budgets, and schedules for internal and external contractors, ensuring cost-effective use of resources for biomass systems such as conveyors, chippers, reclaimers, precipitators, and SCRs.

- Provide task lists and schedules for plant and contractor personnel during normal operations, planned outages, and forced outages.

- Create and implement detailed work packages for daily maintenance, outages, and corrective actions, ensuring parts, tooling, and services are available on time.

- Assist in training operations technicians on biomass system maintenance and repair, including safe fuel-handling, boiler upkeep, and emissions equipment, while promoting safety and continuous improvement.

- Collaborate with other departments to enhance maintenance planning and ensure timely task completion with minimal impact on generation.

- Keep the station’s maintenance manual current with vendor documentation, and maintain accurate logs, records, and reports to establish maintenance frequencies.

- Review and track work orders in the CMMS for completeness, accuracy, and historical value to support future planning.

- Continuously assess maintenance plans to identify improvements that increase reliability, reduce downtime, and extend equipment life.

- Contribute to the development and implementation of plant policies, objectives, and both short- and long-range plans specific to biomass operations.

- Develop and implement programs to achieve maintenance goals and operational targets, emphasizing safety, reliability, and compliance.

- Oversee warehouse and inventory management to ensure efficient storage, availability, and utilization of biomass-related materials and spares.

- Assist in recruiting, screening, and hiring plant personnel, ensuring the team is skilled and well-trained.

- Complete special projects as assigned by the Plant Manager, including environmental audits, equipment upgrades, and biomass fuel supply planning.

NAES Safe

Safety Is a Core Value Of NAES And As a Condition Of Employment, All Employees Are Expected To Be Mentally Alert And Work Safely At All Times. All NAES Managers And Supervisors Have a Direct And Important Role In Ensuring That All Work Is Performed In a Healthy And Safe Manner. Effectiveness In Carrying Out This Responsibility Is Part Of The Evaluation Of Each Supervisor’s Performance. This Includes, But Is Not Limited To, The Following Functions:

- Conduct and support regular safety meetings (at least monthly).

- Address safety in all group meetings.

- Conduct inspections and observations by establishing a regular inspection process for the work area and a safety observation process for ongoing work.

- Lead these activities in accordance with any rules, requirements, or guidance established within your business unit, group, or division.

- Involve all NAES teammates in these activities.

- Analyze results, write work orders, and provide training and education to eliminate hazards, address at-risk behavior, and meet company regulatory requirements.

- Conduct safety observation tours of high-risk activities (e.g., confined space) to verify that employees are following safe practices, company procedures, and OSHA regulations.

- Hold one-on-one sessions with direct reports to discuss safety issues, communicate expectations, and coach safe behaviors.

- Respond to all safety-related incidents, including injuries, incidents, and near misses; write a report explaining what happened, identify the cause, and recommend corrective actions based on established business unit or division practices. Follow up as necessary to ensure corrective actions are taken.

Working Relationships

The Maintenance Manager reports to the Plant Manager and supervises subordinate maintenance personnel. The Maintenance Manager coordinates with the Operations Manager, Compliance Manager, Plant Engineer, and Plant Administrator as needed in the daily operation of the plant.

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

Physical requirements include standing for extended periods of time, climbing stairs and ladders, working from elevated platforms and walkways at varying heights, and routinely lifting up to 50 pounds.

Power plant environment that may involve entering confined spaces, crawling through narrow areas, and handling hazardous materials, with exposure to fumes, extreme temperatures, and noise. Work may include high heat near equipment and varying outdoor weather conditions.

Some duties may require the use of protective equipment, which can include hard hats, safety glasses, and eye protection, air masks/respirators, ear protection, chemical suits, flame-resistant clothing (FRC), hot gloves, high-voltage protective gear, and fall protection. Fit testing for respirators may be required. Strict smoking restrictions apply in and around the facility.

Fitness for Duty

All personnel will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program, which includes a post-offer physical examination, drug screening, and post-employment random drug screening.

Work Schedule

The Maintenance Manager works a standard Monday to Friday day shift schedule, ensuring consistent plant operation and support during regular business hours. This position will also occasionally necessitate extended working hours and flexible shifts as needed, including weekends and holidays, in response to schedules, workload demands, and plant conditions. Periodic callouts or “On call” status will also be required.

Some travel may be involved to participate in Manager, Owner, User Group, or other offsite meetings.

Compensation

This position offers an annual base salary ranging from $138,600 to $166,300 and includes eligibility for an annual performance bonus.

Professional Expertise & Qualifications

We are seeking an accomplished leader with extensive experience in the operations and maintenance of biomass power facilities, paired with a strong history of career growth and a proven record of achieving results.

- A Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or equivalent is desired, providing a strong foundation for understanding the technical aspects of biomass plant operations and management. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of education on a year-for-year basis.

- Advanced knowledge and leadership experience in biomass plant operations is required, particularly in managing and maintaining facilities with boiler systems, steam turbines, fuel handling and storage systems, ash handling systems, and emissions control equipment.

- Strong technical knowledge of biomass plant equipment and processes, with the ability to diagnose equipment failures such as boiler tube leaks, conveyor malfunctions, or emissions system issues, and apply best practices to improve performance and reliability.

- Proven experience managing maintenance programs, including preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance, with a strong emphasis on boiler, turbine, and fuel-handling system performance. Experience with stoker-fired, bubbling fluidized bed (BFB), or circulating fluidized bed (CFB) units is highly desirable.

- Experience in developing and implementing maintenance programs using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and reliability-centered maintenance approaches.

- Demonstrated leadership and team management skills, with the ability to effectively oversee and coordinate maintenance staff to ensure a safe, productive, and environmentally compliant work environment.

- Thorough understanding of safety and environmental regulations, supported by a consistent record of promoting and maintaining a strong safety culture in biomass or industrial power facilities.

- Strong problem-solving abilities, with a proven capacity to identify challenges and implement effective, lasting solutions.

- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments and communicate clearly with superiors, subordinates, contractors, and regulatory agencies.

- Must possess a valid, unrestricted U.S. driver’s license and ensure it remains in good standing at all times.

About NAES

NAES Corporation is a leading provider of operations, maintenance, and engineering services for energy facilities. We have built a reputation as a reliable partner for clients in North America and internationally, offering services across the power generation, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors. Our growing family of companies allows us to address the entire life cycle of power generation and other industrial plants.

NAES is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We prioritize selecting employees based on merit and competence, seeking individuals of the highest quality, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status, or affiliation protected under USERRA, or any other form of discrimination prohibited by applicable local, state, and federal law.

Qualifications

Skills

Preferred Maintenance Management:

Advanced

Mechanical Maintenance:

Advanced

Mechanical Aptitude:

Advanced

Power Plant Fundamentals:

Advanced

Power Generation:

Advanced

CMMS:

Advanced

Environmental Compliance:

Intermediate

IC&E - Electric, Instrument &Cnrls:

Advanced

Microsoft Office Suite:

Intermediate

Motivating Others:

Advanced

Predictive Maintenance:

Advanced

Preventive Maintenance:

Advanced

Safety Policies and Procedures:

Intermediate

Team Leadership:

Advanced

Verbal and Written Communications:

Advanced

Safety Statutes and Regulations:

Intermediate

Safety Plan Creation/Maintenance:

Intermediate

Renewable Energy:

Intermediate

Behaviours

Preferred Leader:

Inspires teammates to follow them

Team Player:

Works well as a member of a group

Thought Provoking:

Capable of making others think deeply on a subject

Innovative:

Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking

Functional Expert:

Considered a thought leader on a subject

Education

Preferred

Bachelors or better in Engineering or related field

Experience Preferred

We are seeking an accomplished leader with extensive experience in the operations and maintenance of biomass power facilities, paired with a strong history of career growth and a proven record of achieving results.

A Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or equivalent is desired, providing a strong foundation for understanding the technical aspects of biomass plant operations and management. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of education on a year-for-year basis.

Advanced knowledge and leadership experience in biomass plant operations is required, particularly in managing and maintaining facilities with boiler systems, steam turbines, fuel handling and storage systems, ash handling systems, and emissions control equipment.

Strong technical knowledge of biomass plant equipment and processes, with the ability to diagnose equipment failures such as boiler tube leaks, conveyor malfunctions, or emissions system issues, and apply best practices to improve performance and reliability.

Proven experience managing maintenance programs, including preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance, with a strong emphasis on boiler, turbine, and fuel-handling system performance. Experience with stoker-fired, bubbling fluidized bed (BFB), or circulating fluidized bed (CFB) units is highly desirable.

Experience in developing and implementing maintenance programs using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and reliability-centered maintenance approaches.

Demonstrated leadership and team management skills, with the ability to effectively oversee and coordinate maintenance staff to ensure a safe, productive, and environmentally compliant work environment.

Thorough understanding of safety and environmental regulations, supported by a consistent record of promoting and maintaining a strong safety culture in biomass or industrial power facilities.

Strong problem-solving abilities, with a proven capacity to identify challenges and implement effective, lasting solutions.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments and communicate clearly with superiors, subordinates, contractors, and regulatory agencies.

Licenses & Certifications

Required

Driver's License