Plastic Injection Molding Project Engineer

IEG Plastics, LLC•Bellefontaine, OH

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Plastic Injection Molding Project Engineer is responsible for managing engineering projects from concept development through production launch. This role coordinates new product introductions, mold and tooling development, injection molding process validation, equipment installation, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure projects meet customer requirements, quality standards, cost targets, and delivery schedules. The Project Engineer works closely with customers, tooling suppliers, production, quality, maintenance, purchasing, and other cross-functional teams to ensure successful project execution and stable manufacturing processes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
Typically 3–5 years of experience in plastic injection molding, manufacturing engineering, or project engineering
Strong understanding of injection molding processes, mold construction, tooling design, and plastic materials.
Experience with new product launches, mold trials, process validation, and troubleshooting.
Familiarity with engineering drawings, GD&T, dimensional inspection, and manufacturing documentation.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project management tools; CAD knowledge is preferred.
Plastic injection molding process development and optimization.
Mold design review and tooling qualification.
Mold flow analysis and DFM fundamentals.
Scientific molding and process capability analysis.
PFMEA, Control Plans, PPAP, APQP, and SPC, where applicable.
Root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies.
Project scheduling, risk management, and cross-functional coordination.
Knowledge of engineering change management and document control.

Nice To Haves

Experience with automotive, consumer products, or other regulated manufacturing environments is an advantage.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage projects from initial concept through tooling development, validation, and production launch.
Develop project plans, timelines, budgets, milestones, and resource requirements.
Monitor project progress, identify risks, resolve issues, and communicate status to management and customers.
Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure on-time completion of project deliverables.
Manage engineering changes and maintain project documentation.
Coordinate the design, development, fabrication, sampling, and qualification of injection molds.
Review mold designs, including parting lines, gates, runners, cooling channels, ejector systems, and venting.
Work with mold designers and toolmakers to resolve tooling issues and optimize mold performance.
Coordinate mold trials, mold modifications, and corrective actions.
Evaluate tooling readiness and ensure molds meet cycle time, quality, and production requirements.
Develop and optimize injection molding processes, including injection pressure, temperature, fill time, holding pressure, cooling time, and cycle time.
Establish and document process parameters and setup standards.
Troubleshoot molding defects such as flash, short shots, sink marks, warpage, weld lines, burn marks, and dimensional variation.
Support scientific molding, process capability studies, and process optimization where applicable.
Ensure process repeatability, productivity, and consistent product quality.
Lead new product introduction activities, including design reviews, mold trials, sampling, and production readiness.
Coordinate T0, T1, and subsequent mold trials, as applicable.
Support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews and provide feedback on part design and tooling feasibility.
Prepare and execute process validation activities, including IQ, OQ, and PQ where required.
Coordinate First Article Inspection (FAI), dimensional layouts, capability studies, and customer approvals.
Support PPAP submissions and Production Part Approval Process documentation when required by the customer.
Collaborate with Quality Engineering to investigate customer complaints, internal defects, and process deviations.
Implement root cause analysis and corrective and preventive actions using tools such as 5 Why, Fishbone, and 8D.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, downtime, cycle time, and manufacturing costs.
Apply Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other process improvement methodologies as appropriate.
Support PFMEA, Control Plans, work instructions, and standard operating procedures.
Coordinate the installation, commissioning, and qualification of injection molding machines, auxiliary equipment, robots, and automation systems.
Evaluate production capacity, machine tonnage, material handling, and cycle time requirements.
Support mold changeover improvements, preventive maintenance planning, and equipment troubleshooting.
Ensure production processes comply with applicable safety, environmental, and quality requirements.
Assist production teams during launch and stabilize processes before handover to routine manufacturing.
Work with purchasing and suppliers to obtain tooling quotations, evaluate costs, and track project expenditures.
Monitor project budgets and identify cost-saving opportunities.
Coordinate with resin suppliers, mold makers, automation vendors, and external service providers.
Evaluate material alternatives and process changes based on performance, quality, and cost.
Track project KPIs, including launch timing, scrap rate, cycle time, tooling cost, and process capability.
Other duties and tasks as assigned.
Adhere to IEG Plastics’ core values: Positive Thinking is Powerful Thinking, Lock and Load, Individual Contribution to the Group Effort, Do The Right Thing, Aim For The Highest Peak.