Process Engineer

Job Title: Process Engineer

Job Description

This Process Engineer role focuses on leading process improvement and operational excellence initiatives within a manufacturing environment. You will drive safety, quality, efficiency, throughput, and reliability improvements while providing hands-on support to production operations. The position offers a blend of continuous improvement, project management, and day-to-day manufacturing support, with high visibility to plant leadership and strong opportunities for career growth.

Responsibilities

• Lead process improvement initiatives that enhance safety, quality, efficiency, throughput, and reliability across manufacturing operations.
• Facilitate Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement activities, including structured events and root cause investigations.
• Analyze manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve performance, and increase operational consistency.
• Partner closely with operators and production teams to troubleshoot process issues and implement sustainable, data-driven solutions.
• Drive initiatives that improve ergonomics, operational efficiency, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Provide day-to-day engineering support to manufacturing operations, serving as a key technical resource.
• Spend significant time on the production floor observing processes, gathering data, and identifying improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Safety teams to resolve production challenges and support stable operations.
• Support process optimization efforts using data analysis and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Participate in operational risk assessments and continuous improvement reviews to enhance safety and reliability.
• Manage and execute manufacturing improvement projects from concept through implementation, ensuring on-time and effective delivery.
• Support capital improvement (CAPEX) projects, including equipment upgrades and process enhancements.
• Coordinate cross-functional project teams to ensure successful project execution and alignment with operational goals.
• Track project timelines, deliverables, and performance metrics to ensure projects meet targets and expectations.
• Assist with the implementation of new processes, equipment, and technologies in the manufacturing environment.
• Support site safety initiatives and ensure engineering solutions align with safety and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in Management of Change (MOC) activities, Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), and risk assessments.
• Support mechanical integrity and reliability improvement initiatives to enhance equipment and process performance.
• Promote a strong safety culture through proactive problem solving, coaching, and engagement with operations teams.

Essential Skills

• 5-10+ years of manufacturing or process engineering experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading process improvement or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Proven project management experience with the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Hands-on experience in process improvement, continuous improvement, and manufacturing engineering.
• Working knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma tools and techniques.
• Ability to analyze process data, identify trends, and develop practical, sustainable solutions.
• Strong collaboration skills to work effectively with operations, maintenance, quality, and safety teams.
• Clear communication skills to influence plant performance, safety, and reliability.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting Management of Change (MOC), Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), risk assessments, or process safety initiatives.
• Experience with capital improvement (CAPEX) projects, including equipment upgrades and process enhancements.
• Knowledge of manufacturing reliability, mechanical integrity, and process optimization practices.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence certification.
• Experience working in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Interest in roles that offer a mix of continuous improvement, project management, and manufacturing support responsibilities.
• Motivation to influence plant performance, safety, and reliability while contributing to a culture of operational excellence.

Work Environment

This is a fully onsite role in a manufacturing environment with a standard schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with no regular overtime expected. The position requires significant time spent on the production floor observing processes, interacting with equipment, and engaging directly with operations. You will work closely with operators, maintenance, engineering, quality, and leadership teams on a daily basis. While the core schedule is daytime, you may occasionally support off-shift activities or weekend projects as needed to support critical initiatives or implementations.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of South Bend, IN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $80000.00 - $115000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Bonus eligible 401(k) with company match Medical, dental, and vision insurance HSA and FSA options Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage Generous PTO and paid holidays Tuition reimbursement Wellness and employee assistance programs Relocation assistance available Career growth opportunities within a global manufacturing organization

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in South Bend,IN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 14, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.