Kaiser Aluminum is known around the world for its superior quality. Our secret is what we put into it—innovative thinking, industry-leading reliability, and a world-class commitment to customer service. In short, the same qualities we look for in our people. We are looking for a Corporate Hydraulic Engineer to join the Kaiser Aluminum team!
The Corporate Hydraulic Engineer provides enterprise-wide technical leadership, engineering support, and strategic direction for hydraulic systems across manufacturing, industrial, mining, forestry, pulp and paper, or heavy equipment operations. This role is responsible for improving equipment reliability, optimizing hydraulic system performance, reducing lifecycle costs, leading root cause investigations, and establishing corporate standards for hydraulic design, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
The Corporate Hydraulic Engineer partners with plant operations, maintenance teams, reliability engineers, OEMs, and vendors to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable operation of hydraulic equipment throughout the organization.
This position will report to the VP, Engineering & Maintenance or Director of Engineering.
This position is remote and will be located in one of the following states: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, California or Washington.
What you will work on:
Technical Leadership
- Serve as the corporate subject matter expert (SME) for hydraulic systems and fluid power applications.
- Develop and maintain company-wide hydraulic engineering standards, specifications, and best practices.
- Provide technical guidance to facilities, operations, maintenance, and engineering teams.
- Evaluate new technologies and recommend innovative solutions to improve system performance and reliability.
- Lead efforts to improve hydraulic system reliability and availability across all company sites.
- Analyze equipment performance data, maintenance records, and failure trends.
- Develop and implement preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance strategies.
- Support oil analysis, contamination control, filtration, and fluid management programs.
- Establish hydraulic system health metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Lead complex troubleshooting efforts involving hydraulic equipment failures.
- Conduct root cause failure analyses (RCFA) and develop corrective actions.
- Provide on-site and remote support during critical equipment outages.
- Support reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) initiatives.
- Review and approve hydraulic system designs, modifications, and upgrades.
- Support capital projects involving hydraulic equipment installations and modernization efforts.
- Develop hydraulic schematics, equipment specifications, and design standards.
- Collaborate with project teams to ensure compliance with engineering and safety requirements.
- Participate in equipment commissioning, startup, and performance validation.
- Ensure hydraulic systems comply with applicable safety standards, regulations, and company policies.
- Support lockout/tagout (LOTO) and stored energy management programs.
- Conduct risk assessments related to hydraulic equipment and operations.
- Promote safe work practices throughout all engineering and maintenance activities.
- Develop and deliver hydraulic training programs for maintenance and engineering personnel.
- Mentor plant engineers, maintenance supervisors, and technicians.
- Create technical documentation, procedures, and troubleshooting guides.
- Lead knowledge-sharing initiatives across business units.
- Evaluate and manage hydraulic equipment suppliers, consultants, and service providers.
- Review proposals, technical specifications, and contractor work scopes.
- Support supplier qualification and performance improvement initiatives.
What you will bring to the role:
Education
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Mechanical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
- Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.
- Ten plus (10+) years of experience in hydraulic systems engineering, reliability engineering, or industrial maintenance.
- Experience supporting heavy industrial, manufacturing, mining, forestry, energy, or similar operations.
- Demonstrated success improving equipment reliability and reducing maintenance costs.
- Experience leading complex troubleshooting and root cause investigations.
- Extensive knowledge of:
- Hydraulic power units (HPUs)
- Pumps, motors, and cylinders
- Electro-hydraulic control systems
- Servo and proportional valve systems
- Accumulators and filtration systems
- Fluid contamination control
- Hydraulic system design and optimization
- Predictive maintenance technologies
- Reliability engineering principles
- Failure analysis methodologies
- Hydraulic modeling and simulation software.
- CMMS platforms (SAP, Maximo, Infor, etc.).
- CAD software and hydraulic schematic development tools.
- Microsoft Office Suite and data analytics tools.
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Fluid Power Specialist (CFPS).
- Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE).
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
- Project Management Professional (PMP).
- Experience supporting multiple facilities in a corporate environment.
Key Competencies
- Technical expertise in fluid power and hydraulic systems.
- Strategic thinking and business acumen.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and presentation abilities.
- Project leadership and organizational skills.
- Ability to influence without direct authority.
- Continuous improvement mindset.
- Strong customer-service orientation toward operating facilities.
Travel Requirements
- 25–50% travel to manufacturing plants, mills, operations, and project sites.
- Ability to respond to critical operational issues and equipment failures as needed.
Performance Measures
- Reduction in hydraulic-related downtime.
- Improvement in equipment reliability and availability.
- Reduction in hydraulic component failures.
- Improvement in maintenance cost performance.
- Increased compliance with hydraulic standards and best practices.
- Successful completion of capital and reliability improvement projects.
- Training effectiveness and workforce capability development.
No third-party candidate submissions are being accepted at this time for this opening.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered based on job-related qualifications and abilities. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, veteran, or disability status.
About Kaiser Aluminum: Talented people join our team because we are a company passionate about environmental sustainability, employee growth, contributing back to our communities and championing an inclusive culture.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Agricultural, Industrial Engineering or equivalent experience
- Professional Engineer (PE) license
- Ten plus (10+) years experience in hydraulic systems engineering, reliability engineering, or industrial maintenance
- Experience supporting heavy industrial, manufacturing, mining, forestry, energy or similar operations
- Demonstrated success improving equipment reliability and reducing maintenance costs
- Experience leading complex troubleshooting and root cause failure investigations (RCFA)
- Extensive knowledge of hydraulic power units (HPUs), pumps, motors, cylinders, electro-hydraulic control systems, servo/proportional valves, accumulators, filtration, and contamination control
- Hydraulic system design and optimization, predictive maintenance technologies, reliability engineering principles, and failure analysis methodologies
- Experience with hydraulic modeling and simulation software
- Experience with CMMS platforms (SAP, Maximo, Infor, etc.)
- Proficiency with CAD software and hydraulic schematic development tools
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and data analytics tools
- Certified Fluid Power Specialist (CFPS)
- Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE)
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Ability and willingness to travel 25-50% to manufacturing plants, mills, operations and project sites
- Ability to provide on-site and remote support during critical equipment outages and respond to operational issues
Kaiser Aluminum Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Kaiser Aluminum and has not been reviewed or approved by Kaiser Aluminum.
-
Strong & Reliable Incentives — Incentive earnings through monthly profit-sharing/bonuses and abundant overtime are highlighted as meaningful additions to base pay. Feedback suggests this makes it possible to earn a substantial income when extra hours are available.
-
Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage is offered to employees working 30+ hours, alongside wellness programs, an EAP, and Health Advocate support. First‑day eligibility for many benefits reinforces perceived breadth of core health offerings.
-
Retirement Support — 401(k) savings with company matching is available, with vesting beginning quickly in many cases. Union settings at some facilities also reference pension features that strengthen long‑term retirement security.
Kaiser Aluminum Insights
What We Do
Safety. Innovation. Sustainability. Teamwork. Integrity. At Kaiser Aluminum, these words mean something to us. They are words that describe our culture and the manner in which we conduct business. They are the reason Kaiser Aluminum is Making it Possible. We produce semi-fabricated aluminum mill products engineered to outperform in strength, quality, and recyclability and make a safer and more sustainable world possible. Our coated sheet products protect and preserve the food and beverages your family consumes every day. Our lightweight, high-strength, energy-absorbing automotive extrusions improve your car’s fuel efficiency and performance while protecting your passengers on the road. From nose to tail and wing tip to wing tip, aerospace manufacturers rely on our products to make both commercial and military planes lighter, stronger, and more maneuverable for those who travel and those who protect our nation. We know that customer-focused, innovative solutions that move our industry and our world forward are made possible through the teamwork of a diverse workforce of technical, operational, and business professionals focused on mutual goals. We know that our success is a shared outcome that makes the future possible. At Kaiser Aluminum, we are looking for individuals who share the values that have guided us for more than 75 years. The future belongs to innovators and big thinkers – and Kaiser Aluminum is helping make that future possible. At Kaiser, it’s not just a job, it’s a career. Check out our current opportunities today.
