Plastic Injection Process Engineer

Summary:

The Process Engineer is responsible for establishing stabilizing and sustaining robust molding processes that deliver safe repeatable and cost-effective production. This role owns process definition control troubleshooting and continuous improvement across injection molding operations. The Process Engineer ensures molding processes are documented controlled trained enforced and partners closely with Operations Maintenance Tool Room and Quality to eliminate variability scrap and downtime.

In This Role Youll Have The Opportunity To:

Establish scientifically validated process windows for PP PC and similar resins.

Define and maintain golden settings based on melt temperature and shear injection velocity profiles pack/hold pressure and time cooling efficiency and mold temperature control.

Apply viscosity shrinkage and crystallization behavior (PP) and thermal sensitivity (PC) to process design.

Own process setup sheets standard work and controlled parameter limits.

Accountable not only for defining molding processes but for training and mentoring the organization to run and protect them correctly.

Lead engineering analysis of complex defects including flow hesitation jetting sinks warp blush splay burns voids and dimensional instability.

Correlate defects to material condition (moisture degradation) mold design (venting cooling gating) and machine dynamics (pressure response screw recovery).

Use DOE cavity pressure trends and SPC data to drive permanent solutions

Partner with Tool Room and Maintenance to optimize cooling circuit performance venting and gas evacuation ejection and part release.

Support mold trials steel-safe changes and new tool introductions.

Ensure molds are technically capable of running defined process windows.

Provide engineering input on wear components and mold PM requirements.

Own molding-related process capability (Cp/Cpk)

Implement SPC on critical process parameters and part characteristics.

Transition quality control from inspection-based to process-controlled.

Support investigations into scrap quality holds and customer complaints with data-driven analysis.

Support commissioning and validation of electric hydraulic and hybrid injection molding presses robots and downstream automation dryers chillers and material handling systems.

Verify machine capability relative to material and mold requirements.

Optimize cycle time without compromising part performance or mold life.

Ensure compliance with all safety environmental and quality policies and procedures.

Support shift coordination and effective communication to maintain process consistency.

Other tasks as assigned.

Requirements:

What You Need To Succeed:

Deep knowledge of injection molding processes mold design material behavior and process parameters.

Proficiency in interpreting technical drawings specifications and process data.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Experience with statistical process control (SPC) root cause analysis and quality improvement tools.

Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Ability to work independently and take initiative on process improvements.

Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.

Computer skills including MS Office and manufacturing execution systems (MES).

Education and Experience:

Required

• Bachelors degree in Engineering (Plastics Mechanical Manufacturing or related)
• 7-10 years of hands-on injection molding process engineering experience
• Strong understanding of PP and PC material behavior in molding applications
• Proven ability to analyze data and solve complex process problems

Preferred

• RJG Master Molder I or II or equivalent scientific molding certification
• DOE SPC and Six Sigma exposure

Experience in high-volume multi-press manufacturing environments