Industrial Electrician, Chicago, IL

Industrial Electrician Role Overview

Excelon Associates is conducting a search for an Industrial Electrician in Chicago, IL on behalf of its client, a major food manufacturer operating a high-volume bakery facility. The Industrial Electrician plays a crucial role in installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical equipment and systems throughout the plant, carrying direct ownership of the facility’s electrical infrastructure.

This position directly impacts the productivity and reliability of the bakery’s operations, minimizing manufacturing downtime through rapid troubleshooting and proactive preventive care. It is a hands-on, mid-senior role calling for 7 to 10 years of industrial electrical experience, with no travel required. Industrial electrical work of this kind is governed by the electrical safety standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, including lockout/tagout, the arc flash and National Electrical Code standards published by the National Fire Protection Association, and, given the collective bargaining environment, the trade represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Work Schedule

Shift flexibility is required. Candidates must be available to work one of the following:

• 2nd Shift (Evening): typically 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM, or similar afternoon and evening hours.
• 3rd Shift (Overnight): typically 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM, 12:00 AM to 8:00 AM, or other overnight hours.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

• Execute all standard electrical work processes using Autonomous Maintenance (AM) and Progressive Maintenance (PM) standards.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair bakery equipment to maximize operational reliability.
• Minimize downtime and execute preventive maintenance to optimize production line performance while strictly adhering to safety and quality standards.

Safety, Quality, and Reporting

• Ensure all safety processes are observed and quality assurance activities are strictly performed.
• Identify, track, and report technical and equipment losses within the assigned area.

Qualifications

Required

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Proven industrial electrical experience working with 480V systems.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting and maintaining PLC and VFD systems.
• Proven experience troubleshooting complex manufacturing and production equipment.
• Ability to accurately read and interpret electrical blueprints and technical schematics.
• Strict adherence to industrial safety and quality standards, including LOTO and arc flash safety.
• Fluency in reading, writing, and communicating as appropriate to the plant site.
• Strong collaboration skills within a diverse, fast-paced team environment.

Preferred

• Degree or certification in Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or Industrial Engineering.
• Experience with PLC programming, logic modification, and industrial system coding.

Role Details

• Experience level: 7 to 10 years, mid-senior.
• Management experience required: no.
• Travel: none.
• Relocation assistance: not available.
• Visa sponsorship: not available.
• Security clearance required: no.

Benefits

This position offers the following in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Some benefits have eligibility requirements.

• Healthcare benefits.
• Retirement benefits.
• Paid time off.

Who Thrives as an Industrial Electrician

This role suits a seasoned plant electrician who is at home on a live production floor. The strongest candidates bring 7 to 10 years of industrial electrical experience, real fluency with 480V power, PLC, and VFD systems, and the ability to read blueprints and schematics and act on them quickly. When a line goes down, they diagnose and restore it fast, because uptime is the job.

Safety discipline is non-negotiable here. People who do well treat LOTO, arc flash safety, and quality standards as the way work gets done, not as paperwork, and they keep preventive maintenance ahead of failures rather than chasing breakdowns. Comfort tracking and reporting equipment losses in an AM and PM framework rounds out the technical picture.

Finally, this is a shift-based, team-oriented role in a fast-paced food manufacturing plant. The best fit is reliable on 2nd or 3rd shift, collaborates well within a diverse crew, and takes genuine ownership of the facility’s electrical infrastructure and the production reliability that depends on it.

About Excelon Associates

Excelon Associates is a retained and contingency executive search firm founded in 2007, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida. Alongside its higher education and healthcare practices, the firm recruits skilled trades and industrial maintenance talent, including electricians, mechanics, and maintenance technicians, for manufacturing and production employers.

This Industrial Electrician search is managed by an Excelon recruiter who serves as the single point of contact through screening, interviews, and offer. You can browse current open roles, review recent campaigns to see the kinds of searches Excelon runs, or learn more about the firm’s service markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Apply for This Industrial Electrician Role

Excelon does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital or veteran status, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.