Entry-Level Industrial Engineer / Process Engineer – Textile Dyeing & Finishing Plant at Colorworks – Elizabethton, Tennessee

Description:

The Industrial/Process Engineer supports daily production operations in the dyeing, finishing, coating, and inspection departments. This role focuses on improving process efficiency, reducing waste, optimizing machine utilization, and ensuring consistent product quality. The engineer works closely with production supervisors, lab technicians, maintenance, and quality teams to troubleshoot issues and implement improvements.

Requirements:

Process Optimization

• Analyze dyeing and finishing processes to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement.
• Assist in developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for dyeing, drying, calenders, coating, and finishing operations.
• Conduct time studies, workflow analysis, and capacity calculations to improve throughput.
• Support implementation of lean manufacturing tools (5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping).

Quality & Technical Support

• Monitor process parameters (temperature, pH, chemical dosing, dwell time, tension settings) to ensure product consistency.
• Work with the dye lab to validate dye recipes and troubleshoot shade variations, streaks, uneven dyeing, or finishing defects.
• Participate in root-cause analysis for quality issues and help implement corrective actions.

Production Support

• Provide daily floor support to operators and supervisors to resolve process deviations.
• Assist in setting up new production runs, including machine settings, chemical mixes, and process conditions.
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as first-pass yield, rework rate, machine uptime, and chemical usage.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Collect and analyze production data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.
• Maintain accurate process documentation, including process sheets, machine logs, and improvement reports.
• Support digitalization efforts such as MES, ERP, or real-time monitoring systems.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all process changes comply with plant safety, environmental, and chemical-handling standards.
• Participate in safety audits and continuous improvement initiatives related to chemical storage, wastewater, and energy usage.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/protected veterans