Job Summary
The Process Engineer supports manufacturing operations by driving continuous improvement in safety, quality, productivity, and cost. This position partners with the Production Manager and Production Supervisors to investigate quality issues, improve manufacturing processes, reduce waste and rejects, lead lean manufacturing initiatives, and manage capital improvement projects. The Process Engineer serves as the primary technical resource for problem solving and process optimization within the plant.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
• Essential Functions: Process Improvement & Productivity Analyzes manufacturing processes to identify opportunities for productivity improvement Develops and implements methods to improve machine efficiency, uptime, and throughput Leads projects focused on reducing waste, scrap, and rework Conducts time studies and line balancing to optimize labor utilization Develops and maintains standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions Evaluates equipment performance and recommends process enhancements Supports setup reduction and changeover improvement initiatives
• Quality Support Leads investigations into internal and external quality issues Performs root cause analysis for defects, rejects, and customer complaints Develops and implements corrective and preventive actions Monitors and analyzes quality data and trends Partners with Production Supervisors to improve in-process quality Assists in developing quality standards and inspection criteria Supports customer visits and quality audits as required
• Lean Manufacturing Leads and facilitates lean manufacturing initiatives Implements continuous improvement tools such as 5S, Standard Work, Kaizen events, and Visual management Waste reduction Trains supervisors and employees in lean principles Tracks and reports on continuous improvement project results
Operational Performance
• Assists in evaluating new equipment and technology • Develops justification and ROI analysis for capital projects • Supports equipment installation and startup activities • Works with Maintenance on equipment reliability improvements • Develops process specifications for new products or equipment • Creates layouts and workflow improvements
Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Works closely with Production Manager, Supervisors, Maintenance, Purchasing, Quality, and Shipping • Provides technical guidance to production teams • Participates in daily and/or weekly production meetings • Supports training initiatives for operators and supervisors • Communicates project status and results to plant leadership
Scope of Authority
• Provides technical direction and recommendations to Production Supervisors and hourly employees • Leads projects and improvement initiatives across shifts and departments
Key Accountability Areas
• Scrap and reject reduction • Machine efficiency improvements • Cost savings from process improvements • Reduction in customer complaints • Successful implementation of lean initiatives • On-time completion of improvement projects • Measurable productivity gains