Principal Manufacturing Engineer

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Principal Manufacturing Engineer

Full Time Technical Centennial, CO, US

$145,000.00 To $175,000.00 Annually

Company Description

Plastic Molding Technology (PMT) manufactures high precision plastic parts for automotive, telecommunications, medical device, renewable energy, and industrial customers. The primary manufacturing processes are injection molding and thermoforming. PMT has ~100 injection molding presses at its two primary manufacturing locations in El Paso, TX and Centennial, CO (a suburb of Denver).

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Opportunity to work in a dynamic and innovative manufacturing environment
• Growth potential within the company

What you’ll do:

• Serve as the principal technical authority for injection molding across all company facilities
• Define, maintain, and evolve enterprise-wide standards, best practices, and procedures for injection molding execution
• Provide expert technical guidance to the Director of Engineering, process engineers, manufacturing engineers, and leadership on complex, high-impact, or non-standard technical decisions
• Lead the technical evaluation, quoting, and kickoff of all new injection molding tools, ensuring alignment with performance, quality, and long‑term manufacturability requirements
• Act as the primary technical interface with mold builders during tool design, review, and launch phases
• Support new program launches by establishing robust process strategies and resolving tooling‑related risks
• Define technical specifications for injection molding machines, auxiliary equipment, and automation, including development of RFQs and evaluation of vendor proposals
• Collaborate with leadership and finance on capital planning, including equipment selection, replacement strategy, and expansion planning
• Support capital projects through technical justification, vendor engagement, and execution oversight
• Drive efforts to standardize molding systems and practices across sites to improve consistency, efficiency, scalability, and long‑term maintainability
• Identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary engineering labor from quoting and execution workflows by implementing smarter systems, standards, and tools
• Support development of training frameworks and technical documentation to reinforce standardized execution
• Support capacity analysis, equipment sizing, and right‑sizing of molding operations to meet current and future business needs
• Provide technical input into plant layouts, equipment placement, and facility growth plans
• Partner with operations and leadership to ensure manufacturing strategy aligns with business growth objectives
• Serve as the corporate technical representative with equipment OEMs, tooling vendors, automation suppliers, and industry partners.
• Support site teams as needed for complex process challenges, critical customer issues, or strategic initiatives. Stay current on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in injection molding
• Performs other duties as assigned

What we’re looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline with a strong emphasis in plastics manufacturing. Advanced degree (Master’s) or equivalent combination of education and progressive industry experience demonstrating sustained technical leadership and authority
• 15+ years of progressive experience in an injection molding manufacturing environment, with deep expertise in process engineering and/or tooling engineering
• Demonstrated expertise in specifying injection molding equipment, auxiliary systems, and tooling, including development of technical requirements and evaluation of vendor proposals
• Advanced proficiency in scientific injection molding principles and their practical application in production and tooling development
• Proven experience with capacity planning, equipment sizing, and right‑sizing manufacturing operations to support growth and efficiency
• Experience leading or significantly contributing to capital projects, including technical justification, capital request development, and execution support
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to align technical decisions with broader business objectives, cost considerations, and long‑term strategy
• Functional working knowledge of AutoCAD and SolidWorks sufficient to review layouts, tooling concepts, and equipment integration
• Strong background in data‑driven decision making, including use of process data, metrics, and analysis to guide technical direction
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) for technical analysis, documentation, and executive‑level communication
• Demonstrated ability to learn and effectively utilize new software tools and systems used by the organization
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage plant personnel, engineering teams, leadership, customers, and external vendors
• Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, and problem‑solving capabilities, particularly for complex, cross‑site technical challenges
• Exceptional time‑management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities independently
• Commitment to continuous learning, professional development, and staying current with industry best practices and emerging technologies
• High level of attention to detail combined with systems‑level perspective
• Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently

This position is on-site in Centennial, CO, with travel as needed to support strategic initiatives, major launches, and critical technical engagements.