Summary:
The Cutting and Sewing Mechanic Specialist is responsible for maintaining, repairing, adjusting, and installing industrial sewing machines, cutting equipment, and other related machinery to ensure smooth and efficient production processes. This role supports both preventive and corrective maintenance, minimizing downtime while ensuring equipment safety and optimal performance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Perform routine inspections, troubleshooting, and maintenance of sewing machines (e.g., lockstitch, overlock, coverstitch) and automated/electronic cutting machines.
- Diagnose mechanical and electrical issues and perform timely repairs to minimize production disruption.
- Install and set up new machines or reconfigure existing ones according to production needs.
- Ensure optimal machine settings for speed, tension, and quality output.
- Keep accurate maintenance records, machine logs, and service reports.
- Work closely with operators and supervisors to identify machine-related quality or performance problems.
- Conduct preventive maintenance according to schedules and OEM guidelines.
- Order and maintain spare parts inventory and tools as needed.
- Comply with safety, health, and environmental regulations.
- Train operators on basic machine care and safe use procedures.
- Other duties as assigned.
Education, Qualifications, and Experience:
- High school diploma, technical school certification, or equivalent experience in mechanical or industrial maintenance.
- Minimum 3–5 years of experience in sewing machine and/or cutting machine maintenance in an industrial setting.
- Strong knowledge of industrial sewing machines (e.g., Juki, Brother, Pegasus) and fabric cutting systems (manual and automatic, like Gerber or Lectra).
- Ability to read mechanical drawings, service manuals, and schematics.
- Familiarity with pneumatic and basic electrical systems.
- Basic computer skills for maintenance, logging, and diagnostics.
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
- Familiarity with most sewing and cutting machines and equipment, such as: Lectra , Gerber, and Yi cutting machines; Sewing Machines such as single & multi needle lockstitch & chain stitch, bar-tack, buttonhole, felling & irons.
Language Skills: Must be able to read, write, and speak in English effectively. Creole and/or Spanish is a plus.
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
- Appearance/Personality - Listens well, dependable, and takes pride in work.
- Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions.
- Diversity - Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences.
- Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values.
- Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.
- Quantity - Meets productivity standards; Completes work promptly; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly.
- Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; Determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly.
- Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time.
- Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
- Initiative - Volunteers readily; Undertakes self-development activities; Asks for and offers help when needed.
- Reasoning Ability - Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit most of the day, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, and talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Also, must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. Must be able to comfortably do repetitive sewing and work alone without constant supervision.
Work Environment: Should be prepared to work in a noisy manufacturing area with heavy traffic and floor vibrations.
Skills Required
- High school diploma, technical school certification, or equivalent mechanical/industrial maintenance experience.
- Minimum 3-5 years experience in sewing machine and/or cutting machine maintenance in an industrial setting.
- Strong knowledge of industrial sewing machines (Juki, Brother, Pegasus) and fabric cutting systems (Gerber, Lectra, Yi).
- Ability to read mechanical drawings, service manuals, and schematics.
- Familiarity with pneumatic and basic electrical systems.
- Basic computer skills for maintenance logging and diagnostics.
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to read, write, and speak English effectively.
- Creole and/or Spanish language skills.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs and perform repetitive tasks; work independently.
What We Do
Goodwill South Florida empowers individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment through job training and education, while also operating business enterprises like apparel manufacturing.
