Manufacturing Engineer - Molding (2nd Shift)

Summit Polymers•Vicksburg, MI

About The Position

This hands-on technical role supports injection molding of plastic parts for automotive interior trim, full center consoles, and kinetic parts. Under general supervision, the Manufacturing Engineer provides technical support and leadership to production teams, with a focus on operational excellence. The position covers injection mold processing, molding automation and end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), and injection mold tooling. The Engineer contributes to new-product mold and process development, including part and mold design reviews, automation planning, equipment procurement, mold trials, master process development, and implementation of tools and processes at the manufacturing plant. The role also develops and controls process documentation, supports operator and quality instructions, coordinates preventive maintenance, provides training, and oversees mold changes, startups, and production until personnel demonstrate safety and proficiency. The position supports and continually improves production molding operations by helping improve safety, quality, and efficiency; troubleshooting tooling, process, and equipment issues; assessing molding machine capability; and leading reduction efforts for cycle time, scrap, regrind, mold-change time, and purge. It also contributes to molding-room safety and models safe behavior.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a similar technical discipline, or five years of experience in a technical position in an injection molding environment may be considered.
Scientific injection molding knowledge and hands-on mold process development ability.
Knowledge of injection mold design, with the ability to read and critique drawings and contribute to high-quality mold designs.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Independent thinking and strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Flexibility and ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
Agreement to complete all required post-hire training.
Minimum Wonderlic Select Assessment score of 50, or a traditional cognitive-portion score of 26.

Nice To Haves

Krauss Maffei and VanDorn molding machine experience.
Molding automation and EOAT knowledge, with hands-on molding robot programming ability; Wittmann robot experience is preferred.
Knowledge of gas-assist, sequential valve gate processing, applique insert molding, and two-shot or multi-material molding technologies.

Responsibilities

Contribute to the development of molding tools and processes for new products, including part design input and output reviews and injection mold design reviews.
Optimize part and mold designs for quality, robust tooling conditions, and processability, considering mold and press size, manifolds, valve gates, runners, gates, mold actions, cooling, ejection, parting lines, venting, and engraving.
Develop molding automation plans and tooling; specify end-of-arm tooling, degators, nesting, and other secondary equipment; and procure that equipment through internal design and construction or external sourcing.
Participate in injection mold trials at sample facilities and support master mold process development, mold critique, and corrective action plans for new molds.
Lead introduction of molding tools and processes at the SPI manufacturing plant and collaborate with plant staff to ensure required facilities and equipment are in place.
Identify issues with molds, secondary equipment, molding machines, and auxiliary equipment, and collaborate with program and plant teams to resolve them.
Develop plant-specific injection molding processes based on the master molding process.
Implement molding automation, including adjusting EOAT and degators, programming robots, and integrating related press peripheral equipment.
Document and control molding process setup sheets, process verification sheets, and robot programs.
Develop Operator Instruction Sheets and support development of Quality Inspection Standards.
Coordinate entry of molds, EOAT, and degators into the preventive maintenance system and develop preventive maintenance instructions.
Collaborate with the SLMS Engineer on internal mold-store packaging that supports efficient labor and automation while ensuring safe, defect-free storage, transport, and handling.
Provide mold-specific setup and operational training for technicians, supervisors, utilities/operators, and managers; oversee mold changes, startups, and production until safety and proficiency are achieved.
Collaborate with project engineering to coordinate engineering changes to molds and molding secondary equipment.
Support production team performance and improve safety, quality, and efficiency using practical problem solving, kaizen, and scientific molding methodologies.
Troubleshoot tooling, process, and equipment problems with tooling and maintenance teams.
Collaborate with maintenance to assess molding machine capability.
Lead cycle-time, scrap, regrind, mold-change-time, and purge-reduction activities.
Develop justifications for process improvement projects.
Conduct layered process audits to verify compliance with process setup and verification, standardized work, and quality-system requirements.
Promote safe operation and behavior by promptly addressing unsafe conditions involving molding systems and related equipment or housekeeping conditions.
Model safe behaviors in all aspects of job performance.