Principal Maintenance and Reliability Engineer
Waters · Taunton, MA
- Level
- Senior
- Team
- Reliability
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Pharma & life sciences
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A senior reliability role at Waters (pharma & life sciences) in Taunton, MA.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Root cause, FMEA, EHS / safety
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Reliability Engineer roles in Massachusetts: typical posted base $97k–$132k.
Median of the low and high ends of 8 live postings that list pay, out of 14 reliability engineer openings in Massachusetts, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Massachusetts plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 13 other live reliability postings in Massachusetts.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (5+ vs 8+)
Typical $97k–$132k, from 8 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Root cause 71%
- Tooling 57%
- New product launch 43%
- Automation 43%
- Lean 36%
- ✓ FMEA 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for EHS / safety, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
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 Waters
We found 2 people at this company and state: 2 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See 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.
Write to Mark → (free) - 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 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.
This plant: Waters in Taunton
2 other open roles at this site · 2 people we found in reliability roles at Waters.
- Sr Process Engineer · Process · Senior
- Maintenance Mechanic II · Reliability · Technician
Full description from WatersAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Qualifications
- ✓Bachelors degree in one of the following engineering disciplines; Chemical, Mechanical, or Industrial plus a minimum of ten years working in a maintenance and reliability function. This must include a minimum of 5 years experience overseeing mechanical reliability in a complex chemical manufacturing facility.
- ✓Significant experience in the implementation and application of OSHA’s PSM (Process Safety Management) standard.
- ✓A demonstrated, detailed working knowledge of ASME, NFPA, API and OSHA maintenance, reliability, and mechanical integrity standards and best practices.
- ✓A strong knowledge of reliability tools and methodologies (RCM, FMEA, RCA).
- ✓Experience with CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Software) systems (Maximo preferred)
- ✓Demonstrated capability to apply reliability engineering principles to design and development activities
- ✓The successful candidate should also have the following attributes:
- ✓Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- ✓Good interpersonal skills with the ability to interact at all levels of an organization.
- ✓Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects in parallel.
- ✓Detail oriented.
- ✓High degree of mechanical aptitude.
- ✓Strong troubleshooting, investigative and problem-solving skills.
Company Description
Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.
Key Words
#Reliability #Engineer
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Overview
The Principal Maintenance and Reliability Engineer has primary responsibility for the Asset Management and Reliability plan for the Waters chemical manufacturing site located in Taunton, MA. They are the SME for reliability on site and assess risk, develop plans, implement mitigation, and facilitate improvements by collaborating with a highly skilled maintenance, engineering, and tech support team. This position reports to the Maintenance and Facilities manager.
Reliability Engineering
- •Manage the Mechanical Integrity and Reliability program at the Taunton Facility.
- •Develop and implement a strategic reliability plan, including mechanical integrity, instrument calibration, and equipment reliability, for all critical assets.
- •Select, procure, and manage external contractors and vendors for key reliability testing. Manage contractor performance to ensure they deliver high quality service and meet all safety requirements.
- •Analyze equipment performance data to identify trends and failure patterns.
- •Work with the Process Engineering and Tech Support departments in identifying in-house problems, implementing solutions, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
- •Complete failure mode assessments on new equipment to determine potential breakdowns and design preventative maintenance plans to minimize.
Maintenance Optimization
- •Collaborate with maintenance teams to improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
- •Conduct investigations into breakdowns to identify true root cause and implement effective long-term repairs and solutions.
- •Evaluate and enhance CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) usage and data integrity.
Project & Asset Management
- •Assist in capital projects related to equipment upgrades and replacements.
- •Provide technical support for equipment selection, installation, and commissioning.
- •Maintain asset integrity and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
Safety & Compliance
- •Ensure all maintenance, mechanical integrity, and asset reliability programs and activities comply with all applicable safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
- •Ensures compliance with the Mechanical Integrity standards for the site OSHA PSM (Process Safety Management, 29 CFR 1910.119) program.
- •Participate in audits and inspections and support continuous improvement initiatives.