Manufacturing Process Optimization Engineer (Plastics Extrusion)

A day in this role

You start your morning on the production floor, reviewing overnight OEE and quality trends. A converting line shows a spike in changeover time, while an extrusion line’s scrap edged up 0.7%. You huddle with Operations and Maintenance, align on a plan, and head to the Gemba. By mid-day you’ve run a SMED exercise on the converting line, updated the PFMEA where a new failure mode emerged, and queued a preventive task in CMMS to ward off repeat downtime. Before you leave the floor, you coach a tech on a new error-proofing check and log a corrective action from a root-cause session. Tomorrow, you’ll pilot a process tweak aimed at boosting yield—without compromising safety or quality.

What you’ll improve

• Reliability and performance of manufacturing systems with a focus on Extrusion and Converting.
• OEE drivers: reduce equipment downtime and scrap, elevate throughput and first-pass quality, and shorten changeovers.
• Preventive and predictive maintenance strategies in partnership with Maintenance, leveraging data to prioritize work.
• Standardization: build and maintain process flows, PFMEAs, SOPs, line capability/performance documentation.
• Error-proofing (poka‑yoke) methods that reduce escapes and simplify operator checks.
• Engineering changes—scope, cost, estimate, document—and guide implementation.
• Quality protection: initiate actions that prevent product, process, and system nonconformances.
• Incident support: provide technical inputs for investigation, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Continuous improvement projects from concept through implementation, including long-term improvement plans.
• Team enablement: provide guidance to the maintenance team on assigned tasks and projects.

How you’ll work

• Champion safety: keep your area clean and safe, practice 5S daily, and communicate proactively with Operations and Maintenance.
• Champion food and consumer safety: attend GMP and food-safety training and escalate concerns with urgency.
• Partner across the plant staff to identify, develop, and deliver innovations that increase process capability and production volume while upholding safety and quality standards.
• Carry out company policies, procedures, and practices; perform additional responsibilities as assigned to meet organizational goals.

Your background

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5–10+ years in a manufacturing environment (preferred), with 5+ years of blown film extrusion experience highly preferred.
• Robust mechanical, electrical, and process acumen; demonstrated Lean leadership and facilitation.
• Analytical, data-driven problem solver with command of structured tools (e.g., 5-Why, fishbone, PFMEA, SPC).
• Clear communicator who sees the big picture, collaborates across functions, and navigates ambiguity and change.
• Advanced proficiency with MS Office (Excel, Access, etc.) and related software tools.
• Industry exposure: Food and Beverage Manufacturing.

Compensation and benefits

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $100,000-120,000 + performance based bonus + benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. At Novolex, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

The benefits for this role include 401(k) plan with company match, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending and health savings accounts, paid vacation, and sick days, free onsite clinic, paid parental leave, paid holidays and wellness program.

Compliance

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Successful completion of pre-employment background and drug screen.