The posting
Position Summary The Pump Sanitizing Technician I is responsible for the cleaning, sanitizing, maintenance, inspection, and reassembly of pumps, tanks, process equipment, and manufacturing components used in the production of cosmetic, personal care, and home care products. This position plays a critical role in preventing product contamination, maintaining equipment readiness, and supporting compliance with Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs), FDA requirements, and company quality standards. Failure to properly clean, sanitize, inspect, or reassemble equipment can result in product contamination, equipment damage, production delays, and significant financial loss. The ideal candidate is mechanically inclined, safety-focused, detail-oriented, and capable of performing sanitation activities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities Equipment Cleaning & Sanitization
Disassemble, clean, sanitize, inspect, and reassemble pumps, tanks, valves, piping, homogenizers, colloid mills, versators, and other processing and filling equipment. Follow approved sanitation procedures and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure equipment cleanliness and product safety. Inspect equipment components for wear, damage, cleanliness, and proper functionality prior to reassembly. Ensure all equipment is properly sanitized and ready for production use. Maintain strict adherence to contamination prevention measures and sanitation protocols.
Equipment Maintenance & Troubleshooting
Perform basic mechanical troubleshooting and minor equipment repairs. Report damaged equipment, missing parts, or equipment malfunctions to supervision. Assist with maintaining equipment reliability and operational readiness. Utilize hand tools and basic maintenance techniques to support sanitation and equipment care activities.
Chemical & Solution Management
Prepare sanitizing solutions according to company procedures. Monitor sanitizing solution concentrations and expiration dates. Coordinate retesting and sample submissions to Quality Control when required. Ensure chemicals are handled, stored, and disposed of safely.
Compliance & Documentation
Complete sanitation logs, equipment records, cleaning documentation, and required reports accurately and timely. Follow Good Documentation Practices (GDP). Ensure all sanitation activities comply with cGMP requirements, FDA regulations, and company policies. Maintain equipment traceability through accurate recordkeeping.
Safety & Housekeeping
Follow all Health, Safety, Environmental, and company safety requirements. Perform Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures when required. Follow confined space and tank entry procedures. Utilize required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times. Maintain a clean, organized, and sanitary work environment. Participate in safety initiatives and continuous improvement activities.
Material Handling & Equipment Movement
Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, lifts, and material handling equipment as authorized. Move equipment and components safely to and from sanitation workstations. Support production and compounding teams by ensuring timely availability of sanitized equipment.
General Responsibilities
Collaborate with Compounding, Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Warehouse teams to support manufacturing schedules. Communicate equipment issues, sanitation concerns, and schedule conflicts to supervisors. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, safety, and sanitation processes. Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.
Required Qualifications
High School Diploma or GED. Minimum 1 year of experience in manufacturing, sanitation, maintenance, or production environments. Basic mechanical aptitude and understanding of manufacturing equipment. Ability to safely use hand tools and basic maintenance equipment. Ability to read and follow written procedures and work instructions. Basic math skills including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Effective verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality and safety. Good attendance and reliability.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical, food, or other FDA-regulated manufacturing environments. Experience cleaning and sanitizing process equipment and production machinery. Forklift certification and material handling experience. Experience working with cGMP requirements. Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office applications. Experience performing Lockout/Tagout procedures.
Physical Requirements
Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds. Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, squat, kneel, climb, and reach for extended periods. Ability to work in wet, humid, and occasionally hot environments. Ability to safely enter tanks and confined spaces when required. Ability to perform Lockout/Tagout procedures. Ability to wear required PPE, including gloves, safety glasses, face shields, respirators, and protective clothing. No allergies or sensitivities that would prevent the safe handling of cleaning chemicals or sanitizing agents.
Work Environment
Fast-paced manufacturing and compounding environment. Frequent exposure to water, sanitation chemicals, cleaning solutions, fragrances, and manufacturing ingredients. Work performed around processing equipment, tanks, pumps, mixers, and production machinery. Moderate to heavy forklift and material handling traffic. Moderate noise levels and industrial working conditions. Regular interaction with Production, Compounding, Quality, Maintenance, and Warehouse personnel.
