Process Engineering Manager

Newell Brands•Winchester, VA

About The Position

The Process Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the implementation, optimization, and governance of scientific molding principles across all injection molding and structural foam operations within the Winchester facility. This role blends hands‑on technical expertise with strategic leadership to drive process capability, equipment performance, and workforce development while ensuring stable and repeatable molding outcomes. In addition to collaborating with technicians and mold shop associates, this position also manages a team of engineers, providing direction, technical mentorship, and workload prioritization to ensure strong execution of molding, tooling, and process improvement initiatives. The Manager collaborates cross‑functionally with quality, engineering, maintenance, and operations to achieve consistent product quality, reduced scrap, and enhanced overall efficiency.

Requirements

Industry Experience: 5+ years of hands‑on injection molding experience, with strong preference for candidates possessing extensive processing expertise and a proven history of driving molding performance.
Education: Bachelors Degree in Plastics Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related technical discipline from an accredited four-year college or university.
Technical Expertise: Advanced understanding of Scientific Molding principles and demonstrated ability to apply data‑driven methods within a high‑volume manufacturing environment.
Decision‑Making & Leadership: Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to make sound decisions, exercise independent judgment, and effectively navigate complex technical and operational challenges.
Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey technical information across all levels of the organization, including team members for whom English is a second language.
Professional Competencies: Highly organized, collaborative, and committed to maintaining and advancing quality systems. Must demonstrate initiative, self‑motivation, and the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast‑paced environment.
Technical Tools: Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and comfort working with data, documentation, and digital tools to support engineering and operational decision‑making. Open to using AI as a tool to improve efficiency.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Must be able to work effectively with corporate engineering teams and support the implementation of corporate-led molding initiatives across the Winchester facility.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Moldflow and other CAD software is preferred.

Responsibilities

Scientific Molding Leadership
Provide expert leadership in the development and continuous improvement of scientific molding methodologies across all molding platforms.
Establish and maintain robust process control standards, including pressure‑based processing, fill‑time consistency, and advanced material handling techniques.
Engineering & Technical Team Leadership
Lead, coach, and manage a team of engineers responsible for molding process development, tooling engineering, data analysis, and continuous improvement.
Assign priorities, manage workloads, and provide technical direction to ensure timely and effective execution of engineering projects.
Develop engineering capabilities through mentoring, training in scientific molding principles, and building structured technical competency pathways.
Foster a collaborative, high‑performance environment aligned with organizational goals for safety, quality, and operational excellence.
Process Optimization & Troubleshooting
Serve as the facility’s primary technical expert for diagnosing complex molding problems using scientific principles such as viscosity curves, pressure analysis, and cavity balance studies.
Drive improvements in OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) by reducing unplanned downtime, improving cycle consistency, and optimizing machine performance.
Partner with maintenance, process technicians, and engineering teams to ensure molding equipment remains calibrated, capable, and adherent to scientific molding standards.
Continuous Improvement & Strategic Development
Develop and lead multi‑year improvement roadmaps that enhance process capability, productivity, and throughput across all molding operations.
Utilize industrial engineering tools, structured problem‑solving methodologies, and data analytics to evaluate improvement opportunities and quantify business impact.
Champion a culture of continuous improvement
Tooling & New Product Introduction
Partner with corporate engineering and tooling vendors to ensure new mold designs meet manufacturability expectations and scientific molding requirements.
Lead engineering and technical teams through mold trials, sampling events, and process validation activities for new or transferred programs.
Evaluate and optimize cooling designs, gating strategies, runner configurations, and cycle efficiency.
Documentation & Process Control
Develop and maintain comprehensive technical documentation including setup instructions, process parameters, startup/shutdown procedures, control plans, and validation reports.
Maintain organized, controlled records of validated parameters, mold‑specific best practices, and approved deviation rationale.
Quality & Compliance
Lead cross‑functional scrap reduction initiatives using analytical, data‑driven methods.
Ensure rapid, effective closure of corrective and preventive actions related to molding and tooling defects.
Team Development & Leadership
Develop technical talent across technicians, engineers, and mold shop personnel through structured training in scientific molding and equipment fundamentals.
Promote a culture centered on safety, ownership, quality, and continuous improvement.