Process Engineer

TOPPAN Packaging Americas•Hickory, NC

36d•Onsite

About The Position

The Process Engineer provides technical support to plant operations in the areas of film characteristics, adhesive capabilities, printing and lamination, and processing technology. This role assists with customer trials, troubleshooting, data analysis, and process improvements, ensuring production runs efficiently and meets quality standards. The Process Engineer also plays a key role in trial execution and scale-up, supporting the commercialization of new products. Our Thermoformed and Flexible Packaging business serves North America, Latin America and Europe with 22 locations. We create and manufacture sustainable packaging solutions. Our customers span the food, retail, and medical sectors. Our packaging meets the needs of a wide range of applications including snacks, condiments, healthcare items, prepared meals, fresh produce, coffee, and pet food. We are committed to responsible packaging that protects products and supports a healthier planet. Our Vision Change the World through Packaging Innovation Our Mission Foster a society focused on well-being and sustainability, while safeguarding our planet for future generations, through the continuous development of innovative packaging solutions that explore cutting-edge materials and technologies. TOPPAN Privacy Policy

Responsibilities

Provide technical support to the plant for film characteristics, adhesive capabilities, printing & lamination, and processing technology.
Set up and run plant trials, handling the scale-up process to move new products into commercial production.
Work closely with sales, technical representatives, and customers to evaluate runnability and long-term capability.
Assist with troubleshooting production issues, whether related to machine settings, raw material variability, or operator error, to quickly restore and maintain stable operations.
Help prepare and supply customers with trial materials, ensuring timely delivery while supporting efforts to minimize trial expenses.
Support the establishment of product specifications, process conditions, and quality testing protocols.
Maintain and update technical information such as manufacturing specifications, process settings, and testing protocols under the direction of the Technical Manager.
Participate in quality and productivity improvement projects to reduce cost and improve efficiency, applying Lean or Six Sigma tools when applicable.
Assist the quality team during customer quality audits, internal audits, and GMP/Product Safety audits.
Support root cause analysis and corrective actions for customer quality concerns or runnability issues.
Provide technical input during raw material or equipment evaluations as needed.
Help identify and prioritize opportunities to reduce losses, variation, and cost.
Assist in tracking and reporting savings/results from improvement projects to ensure alignment with plant KPIs.
Contribute to sustaining improvements by applying Lean/Six Sigma tools and sharing best practices across teams.