Under the direction of the Production Supervisor, the Shift-Based Process Engineer is a hands-on technical leader assigned to a specific production shift, responsible for maintaining stable, capable, and repeatable injection molding processes. This role works directly on the production floor, supporting mold startups, changeovers, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement activities during the assigned shift.

The Process Engineer is the primary technical authority on shift, ensuring processes remain within validated scientific molding windows and that quality, scrap, downtime, and safety issues are addressed in real time.

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Essential Duties & Responsibilities

This position includes, but is not limited to, the following shift-specific responsibilities:

Production & Process Ownership

• Serve as the on-shift technical owner for molding processes across assigned machines.
• Lead and support mold setups, startups, and changeovers during the assigned shift.
• Establish, validate, and sustain RJG/D3 scientific molding processes on the production floor.
• Ensure processes are running within defined windows and take immediate action when deviations occur.
• Troubleshoot molding, tooling, material, automation, and machine issues impacting quality or throughput.

New Tooling & Process Validation

• Run and support new mold trials, tool samples, and ECN validations on the assigned shift.
• Develop practical, shift-ready setup sheets, startup instructions, and processing standards.
• Identify and escalate tooling, machine, or design concerns discovered during production runs.
• Communicate trial results and shift learnings clearly during shift handoffs and to Engineering leadership.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Identify whether part quality issues are process-, tooling-, machine-, or material-related and lead corrective actions.
• Conduct DOE studies and capability improvements directly in production to improve CTQs.
• Drive scrap reduction, cycle time improvements, and process stability initiatives.
• Support and participate in root cause investigations for recurring shift-level issues.
• Interface with Quality on control plans, inspection methods, and capability concerns.

Shift Team Support & Development

• Work side-by-side with Setup Technicians, Process Technicians, Operators, Maintenance, and Automation.
• Provide on-the-job training and mentoring in:
  • RJG process control
  • Scientific molding (D3)
  • Practical troubleshooting and escalation criteria
• Act as the primary technical escalation point during the shift.
• Ensure strong communication during shift handoffs, including process status, risks, and actions required.

Safety, 5S & Standards

• Support and enforce plant safety initiatives and safe setup practices.
• Maintain and enforce strong 5S and housekeeping standards within molding areas.
• Promote disciplined process control and adherence to documented standards.

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What Success Looks Like on Shift:

• Stable processes maintained throughout the shift
• Faster, smoother startups and changeovers
• Reduced scrap, downtime, and unplanned adjustments
• Strong technical capability across shift personnel
• Clear, effective shift-to-shift communication and handoff

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• Minimum 10 years of hands-on injection molding experience in a production environment.
• Proven experience as a Process Engineer or Senior Process Engineer, working directly on molding machines.
• Strong background in RJG process control and scientific molding (D3).
• Deep working knowledge of molding machine controls and troubleshooting.
• Ability to read and understand tooling prints and mold construction concepts.
• Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable being the primary technical authority on a shift.
• Ability to communicate clearly across shifts and with Engineering, Quality, and Operations leadership.
• Willingness to work assigned shift and provide support during critical production events.
• Ability to travel between facilities or customer locations as required.
• Lean manufacturing and 5S experience preferred.