What a day looks like
You start your morning on the molding floor, coaching associates on safe startup procedures and the why behind each parameter. A press flags a quality driftwithin minutes you’re troubleshooting, dialing in settings, and documenting corrective actions. By midday, you’re estimating cycle time and shot weight for a new customer program and building a robust process that meets all quality and productivity commitments. The afternoon shifts to continuous improvement: implementing changes to shave seconds off cycle times, planning a changeover, and ensuring the work area is orderly and compliant. Before you leave, you wrap up reports, complete required forms, and check in with the team to sustain a positive, long-term associate relations environment.
Your impact
- Train and mentor associates on injection molding processes, equipment function, and best practices.
- Diagnose and resolve quality and production issues tied to plastic injection molding, executing root cause analysis and corrective actions.
- Lead and support continuous improvement initiatives from concept through implementation.
- Develop and validate molding processes for new products to meet customer specifications, quality standards, and productivity targets.
- Implement process enhancements to optimize cycle times and overall efficiency.
- Estimate cycle times and shot weights for new components and tooling.
- Monitor worksite cleanliness and safety, promoting a culture of compliance.
- Perform machine adjustments and changeovers as required to maintain output and quality.
- Complete all necessary documentation and prepare reports as needed.
- Foster associate relations in alignment with long-term management objectives.
- Follow and reinforce all safety rules; maintain a clean, organized workspace.
- Perform other duties as necessary.
Education and technical background
- Bachelor’s degree in Process Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related discipline with a focus on plastic injection molding; or 5+ years of hands-on injection molding experience.
- In-depth knowledge of engineered resins and the operation of injection molding machines and peripheral equipment.
Functional experience
- Comfortable with hand tools, cranes, grinders, calipers, and gauges.
- Ability to operate a Powered Industrial Truck (PIT) and hand or powered pallet jacks.
- Competent with computers and common office software; able to use a handheld scanner.
- Working knowledge of manufacturing equipment within your assigned area.
Work environment and physical requirements
- Office setting exposure to typical peripheral noise (printers, drives) and routine use of a video display terminal for stretches exceeding 30 minutes.
- Frequent time in a factory environment with elevated noise.
- Potential exposure to moving machinery, energized components, and electrical shock hazards; serious injury can occur if safety procedures are not followed.
- Occasional travel by automobile between customer locations, including high-traffic conditions and the inherent risks of driving.
- Ability to lift, carry, or move items weighing up to 50 pounds on occasion.
