Extrusion Engineer & Production Manager

TACO Metals•Sparta, TN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

TACO Metals is seeking a hands-on Extrusion Engineer & Production Manager to join their Plastics Manufacturing team in Sparta, TN. This role offers a high-impact growth opportunity for individuals with extrusion expertise who enjoy problem-solving at the machine level and are ready to develop into a leadership position. The successful candidate will collaborate with the current Plastics Extrusion Engineer and Plastics Production Manager, acquiring the technical, operational, and leadership skills necessary for the department's future. This is not a desk-bound engineering position; it requires a presence on the production floor, a deep understanding of extrusion processes, real-time troubleshooting capabilities, and the ability to build trust across various teams including operators, maintenance, quality, engineering, and production leadership. This role provides a chance to make a visible impact and prepare for long-term advancement within the company.

Requirements

Strong plastic extrusion or polymer processing experience.
Understanding of extrusion lines, tooling, dies, resins, additives, downstream equipment, and process optimization.
Comfortable on the production floor and solving real manufacturing problems.
Ability to communicate clearly with operators, technicians, engineers, supervisors, and managers.
Organized, analytical, and able to follow issues through to resolution.
Continuous improvement mindset.
Leadership experience or the drive and potential to grow into leadership.
Desire for a role where work directly impacts safety, quality, delivery, cost, and team development.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
Equivalent hands-on extrusion experience will be considered.
3–7 years of experience in plastic extrusion, polymer processing, or related manufacturing.
Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, ERP systems, production documentation, scheduling, or employee supervision is a plus.

Responsibilities

Troubleshoot, develop, and optimize plastic extrusion processes to improve quality, efficiency, throughput, and uptime.
Evaluate and improve tooling, dies, downstream equipment, line setup, and process parameters.
Support new product development, prototype trials, and production launches.
Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions related to quality, process performance, and equipment reliability.
Support daily production operations across shifts to meet production targets and customer delivery needs.
Help reduce scrap, improve line performance, and strengthen manufacturing standards.
Train, coach, and support extrusion operators and production team members.
Partner with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain to solve problems and drive results.
Participate in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, safety, cost-control, and capital planning initiatives.
Develop knowledge in production scheduling, workforce management, budgeting, and departmental leadership.