Process Engineer

Job Purpose:

The positions will support the need for improving the manufacturing cost component of profitability of all products and to optimize existing products for increased productivity and quality.

Key Responsibilities:

Manufacturing Cost Management

• Ensures gross profit goals are achieved or exceeded on each product.
• Works with Manufacturing Manager to optimizes process (rates and change over) for each product.
• Maximizes profitability through reducing manufacturing cost and increasing efficiencies.
• Communicates with Sales regarding products that did not meet gross profit goals to look for solutions to bring in line with profitability metrics.
• Participates in the GP review meetings by investigating root causes and applying corrective actions.
• Run trials to develop improved processing methods that increase velocity and or reduce manufacturing cost or RMC

Existing Product/Process Improvement

• Performs daily Pre and Post-production review of all manufactured products to ensure we have stable processes.
• Reviews new formulas from Lab that are outside of the formulation guidelines to ensure they are manufacturable or recommend changes if they are not.
• Implements plans to minimize process problems through new equipment trials.
• Coordinates Trial efforts with Corporate Process Engineering Manager.
• Assists in the development of training of operators on new processes.
• Investigates product complaints and determines root cause and corrective action if it was process related.
• Implements methods to meet annual manufacturing targets/goals.
• Supports Critical runs as needed

New Product Development Management

• Plans and designs manufacturing processes within the
• organization's facilities.
• Facilitates trials to develop new products in the lab and in the
• manufacturing plant.
• Approves products to be run in production.
• Coordinates with Technical Service to optimize formulation guidelines based on our equipment and process capabilities that result in profitable processable formulas conducive to manufacturing.
• Plans and runs trials of new products and documents results and updates manufacturing guidelines based on findings.

Equipment Improvement Management

• Determines the parts and tools needed to achieve manufacturing goals according to product specifications.
• Maintains current extrusion parts inventory and determines annual spare parts needs for corporate bid.
• Assists with annual assessment of wear on current equipment and determines what parts are needed to be replaced. 
• Investigates equipment upgrades for process improvement and completes A3's and Capital Expense proposal as well as runs trials at vendors location

Education/Experience:

• BS in Engineering discipline preferred - Mechanical, Industrial, or Polymer preferred.
• More than 3 years of experience in extrusion of engineered compounds or more than 5 years of relevant experience

Skills/Knowledge/Ability:

• Computer literacy and proficiency, including Microsoft Office suite.
• Good communication and presentation skills required.
• Proven ability to develop detailed, organized, logical process development plans in the past.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles.