Regional Maintenance, Repairs, Operations Specialist
BrightFarms
Yorkville, IL · Posted September 21, 2026
More in Illinois job market · Agriculture & Food Production · Operations jobs
About the job
About Cox Farms
Cox Farms, which operates across North America, is part of the Cox Enterprises family of businesses and a pioneering leader in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry. Backed by Cox Enterprises’ long-standing commitment to building stronger businesses and a better world, Cox Farms is dedicated to revolutionizing food production through sustainable and innovative technology. Our cutting-edge facilities leverage advanced agronomic, production, and greenhouse systems to deliver fresh, high-quality produce to consumers year-round—minimizing environmental impact while maximizing resource efficiency.
We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Regional MRO Specialist to support the maintenance, reliability, and operational needs of our network of greenhouses and food manufacturing facilities. This position will be responsible for coordinating maintenance-related materials, managing spare parts and materials inventory, supporting equipment reliability, and utilizing the company’s CMMS and ERP system to ensure parts, supplies, and resources are available when needed.
The ideal candidate has experience in industrial maintenance, MRO inventory management, and MRP/ERP systems, along with strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills. This role will work closely with Maintenance, Procurement, Operations, FSQ, and EHS teams to improve equipment reliability and minimize downtime.
This is a builder role that will lead the effort to setup standard processes, parts inventory, and work order planning processes across multiple recently commissioned sites that are going from startup to scale up. A hands on and on site approach will be required with routine travel to sites across the network.
Specifically, you will:
Lead the effort to setup critical and consumable spare parts inventory processes across the network of sites
Partner with site maintenance managers, leads, and technicians improve equipment reliability
Coordinate MRO materials, spare parts, tools, lubricants, and maintenance supplies
Manage and maintain accurate MRO inventory levels
Establish and maintain appropriate minimum/maximum inventory levels and critical-spare requirements
Create and maintain accurate part numbers, descriptions, specifications, and equipment associations
Generate material requests, purchase requisitions, and maintenance-related orders
Work closely with procurement teams to ensure critical maintenance parts are available when required
Support preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities
Assist Maintenance personnel with identifying required parts, materials, and resources for planned and unplanned repairs
Maintain accurate maintenance records, work orders, equipment histories, and material usage within the MRP/CMMS system
Monitor maintenance material usage and identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve inventory efficiency
Coordinate with vendors and suppliers regarding parts, availability, specifications, and lead times
Support and/or lead root-cause analysis and continuous-improvement initiatives related to equipment reliabilit
Support the installation, modification, and commissioning of equipment as needed
Maintain an organized and efficient storeroom and parts-management process
Ensure compliance with company safety policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements
Travel expected at 40%+ across the network of greenhouses
The ideal candidate:
Technical degree, trade certification, or equivalent experience required with Bachelors degree preferred
8-10+ years of experience in industrial maintenance, MRO, inventory management, manufacturing, or a related field
Must have experience in delivering across multiple facilities and successfully coordinating and influencing teams remotely
Experience using an MRP, ERP, CMMS, or computerized maintenance management system
Strong understanding of MRO materials, spare parts, and maintenance processes
Strong organizational and inventory-management skills
Ability to analyze MRP requirements and prioritize material needs
Basic understanding of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment
Ability to read equipment manuals, technical documentation, drawings, schematics, and parts information
Proficiency with Microsoft Office or similar business software
Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills
Ability to work independently while effectively coordinating with multiple departments
Experience with purchasing, vendor management, or maintenance procurement
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar MRP/ERP systems
Previous experience in an MRO Specialist, Maintenance Planner, Maintenance Stores, or Maintenance Materials role
Experience managing critical spare parts and maintenance inventory
Knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance practices
Experience with equipment reliability and root-cause analysis
Technical certification or trade background in mechanical, electrical, industrial maintenance, or a related field
Work Environment
This position operates primarily in a greenhouse and food manufacturing facility and may require interaction with production equipment, maintenance areas, and warehouses. The employee must follow all required safety procedures and personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements. Located at one of our three main lettuce production facilities Lorena, TX, Macon, GA, or Yorkville, IL and expected to 40%+ travel across the network of farms expected.