Maintenance Fitter
JBS Australia is looking for a qualified Mechanical Fitter to join our maintenance team at our Rockhampton beef processing plant. You will keep our plant running safely, reliably and with minimal downtime, as part of a high-performing team delivering some of Australia's best beef brands to customers around the world.
About the Role
- Maintain and repair mechanical equipment across a large-scale beef processing facility
- Execute planned maintenance using SAP (or similar work management systems)
- Diagnose and resolve faults quickly to minimise production impact
- Support reliability programs that reduce unplanned downtime
- Uphold high standards of food safety, hygiene, and plant efficiency
The Pay
The figures below are effective hourly rates, what the role actually earns on average across the 8-week roster, factoring in weekend work, afternoon shifts and on-call. Your base EA rate and penalties are paid as normal on your payslip; the effective rate simply shows what it all adds up to per hour worked.
- L4 Trade-qualified (entry) – $49.41 / hr
- L3 Experienced tradesperson – $50.73 / hr
- L2 Area lead tradesperson – $53.04 / hr
- L1 Senior tradesperson (by appointment) – $54.33 / hr
Plus $500 per year meat allowance paid weekly on top of the hourly rate.
The Roster
An 8-week rotating pattern averaging 40 hours per week. Every worked shift is 10 hours, and you get the same pattern back every 8 weeks, so you can plan life months ahead.
Shift types across the cycle:
- 18-day shifts (5:00am–3:30pm)
- 10 afternoon shifts (12:00pm–10:00pm) – attract a 15% loading
- 4 Saturday day shifts – paid at time-and-a-half
- On-call: 5 weekday standbys + 1 weekend standby per cycle – paid at allowance rates
- 23 days off across the 8 weeks – including 4 full weekends
A typical fortnight looks like:
- Week 1: 4 afternoon shifts / 3 days off / 1 midweek break
- Week 2: 4-day shifts (Mon–Thu) / 3-day weekend
- Week 3: 3-day shifts + Saturday / 4-day weekend before + Sunday off
- Week 4: 4-day shifts ending on an afternoon Friday / 2-day weekend
- Weeks 5–8: Repeat a similar mix – full pattern provided at interview
About You
- Trade qualified Mechanical Fitter (Certificate III)
- Background in manufacturing, processing, or heavy industry
- Strong fault-finding and diagnostic skills
- Comfortable working autonomously or as part of a team
- Safety first mindset
Why Join JBS?
- Effective hourly rates starting at $49.41, averaged across the roster, including penalties and on-call
- Additional $500 yearly meat allowance on top of hourly rate
- Secure, full-time employment with a global industry leader
- Clear progression pathway from Level 4 through to Level 1
- Structured roster with predictable hours
- Staff discounts on meat products