Technologist / Maintenance Engineer

3M · Iowa

Level: Engineer
Team: Reliability
Base pay: $99k–$121k
Travel: 10%
Degree: Required (or equivalent experience)
Industry: Industrial
Posted: 30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

An engineer-level reliability role at 3M (industrial) in Iowa. Of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

They ask for: degree required (or equivalent experience)
Tools it names: Root cause, PLC, Robotics, Automation, EHS / safety
Base pay: $99k–$121k
Day to day: some off-shift / weekend coverage · about 10% travel

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

How this role compares

Against 422 other live reliability postings in the US.

Base pay: About 10% below similar roles
Experience asked: Not stated

Skills these teams ask for most

✓ Root cause 52%
Team leadership 31%
✓ Automation 26%
FMEA 25%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

At a glance

Off-shift / weekend coverage

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

1
Pick 2–3 people on the Reliability team at 3M
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- The posting says about 10% travel. Between which sites?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

Full description from 3MAs posted on their careers site.Show

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As a Controls/Systems Engineer you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:

◆Provides daily technical assistance to maintenance, process and production personnel in diagnosing, troubleshooting and determining root cause failures.
◆Develops and implements strategies to maintain, upgrade or replace legacy platforms.
◆Leads cross functional teams to recommend, initiate and complete control system improvement projects.
◆Provides control system theory and programming training to maintenance craft person, control system technologists and control system engineers.
◆Supports corporate, division and plant engineering groups with the planning and installation of capital projects.
◆Ensures accuracy of plant electrical documentation including elementary drawings, process flow diagrams and P&ID drawings.
◆Willingness to be on-call and work different shifts to provide coverage.
◆Other duties as assigned.

Your Skills and Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following

qualifications

✓Associates degree or higher in Electrical/Automation/Controls or equivalent technology program (completed and verified prior to start)
✓Three (3) years of manufacturing experience in a private, public, government or military environment

Additional

that could help you succeed even further in this role include

◆Experience with PLC/control systems experience
◆Experience with Allen Bradley PLC’s
◆Experience with packing robots and automated production lines

Responsibilities

of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.

Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/

3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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Job Description

Job Title

Controls/Systems Engineer

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

Work location

•Work location: Knoxville, IA

Travel: May include up to 10% domestic travel

Relocation: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Supporting Your Well-being

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.

Chat with Max

For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.

Good Faith Posting Date Range 09/10/2026 To 10/10/2026 Or until filled

All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.