Manufacturing Engineer

Role details

The Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for developing and optimizing plastic pallet production processes, ensuring quality, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. The role supports new product launches, equipment validations, and continuous improvement initiatives across a plastic pallet manufacturing environment.

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• Safety & Compliance: + Integrate safety considerations into all engineering designs, equipment installations, and process improvements. + Conduct safety risk assessments (e.g., Job Safety Analysis, HAZOP) for new and existing processes. + Partner with EHS team to ensure compliance with OSHA and internal safety standards. + Assist in incident investigations and near misses to implement corrective actions that prevent recurrence. + Promote a culture of safety awareness and accountability across all levels of manufacturing.

• Manufacturing Engineering: + Develop, document, and optimize manufacturing processes for injection molding, extrusion, and vibratory welding. + Identify and implement process improvements to reduce cycle times, improve quality, and increase throughput. + Support tooling design, procurement, and validation for new and existing products. + Lead equipment and process validations including IQ (Installation Qualification), OQ (Operational Qualification), and PQ (Performance Qualification) Protocols, DOE, Gage R&R + Support APQP activities such as DFMEA/PFMEA, Process Flow, Control Plans, and PPAP submissions for new products or tooling. + Provides manufacturing decision-making information by calculating production, labor, and material costs; reviewing production schedules; estimating future requirements. + Assists production department with troubleshooting process, equipment, or tooling related issues.

• Continuous Improvement: + Lead Kaizen events and other lean manufacturing initiatives. + Analyze production data to identify trends and areas of waste. + Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions.

• Project Management: + Support new product introductions (NPI) by working cross-functionally with design, quality, and production teams. + Manage capital equipment projects including justification, procurement, installation, qualifications and validations.

• Quality and Compliance: + Work with Quality Assurance to ensure process capability and adherence to customer specifications. + Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for process-related issues.

• Equipment and Tooling Support: + Support Safe design, specification, and maintenance of tooling and machinery. + Specify and source production tooling and equipment. + Provide engineering support for machine setup, troubleshooting, and operator training. + Collaborate with maintenance to implement PM programs that reduce equipment-related risk, minimize unplanned downtime, ensure operator safety, and extend equipment life.

Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field.
• 5\+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably with injection molding, extrusion, and/or vibratory welding processes.
• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, Six Sigma, and process optimization tools.
• Proficient in CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, etc.).
• Familiarity with statistical process control (SPC), PFMEA, and control plans.
• Working knowledge of PLCs and automation systems.
• Certification in Six Sigma or Lean Manufacturing.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.
• Must be willing to travel as needed, including internationally, to support projects, suppliers, or other manufacturing sites.

Competencies:

1. Technical & Engineering Competencies

• Plastics processing knowledge: Deep understanding of plastic molding methods (e.g., injection molding, compression molding, structural foam molding, extrusion).
• Tooling and mold design: Familiarity with mold design principles, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• CAD/CAM proficiency: Ability to design fixtures, tools, and layouts using software like SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or Creo.
• Automation and robotics: Understanding of automated systems, robotic palletizers, and how to integrate automation into plastic molding processes.

2. Materials Science & Quality

• Polymer knowledge: Knowledge/understanding of resins (HDPE, PP, recycled plastics), additives, and their properties.
• Quality systems: Experience with ISO 9001, Six Sigma, SPC, and other quality frameworks.
• Root cause analysis: Strong skills in problem-solving methods like 5 Whys, Fishbone (Ishikawa), FMEA.

3. Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Lean tools: Application of 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, and SMED to improve process efficiency.
• Waste reduction: Ability to identify and eliminate forms of waste (defects, downtime, overproduction, etc.) specific to plastics processing.
• Cycle time & throughput optimization: Techniques to reduce molding and cooling times without sacrificing quality.

4. Operational & Project Management

• Capacity planning: Managing machine utilization and workforce to meet demand.
• Project management: Leading capital improvement projects, new product introduction, or plant layout changes.
• Cost control: Monitoring material usage, scrap rates, and operational efficiencies to manage cost per pallet.

5. Cross-functional Collaboration & Communication

• Interdisciplinary teamwork: Working effectively with R&D, Quality, Maintenance, Supply chain, and Production teams.
• Vendor/supplier interaction: Coordinating with mold makers, material suppliers, and equipment OEMs.
• Documentation & reporting: Creating SOPs, work instructions, and technical reports.

6. Safety, Compliance & Sustainability

• EH&S standards: Knowledge of OSHA regulations and safe practices.