Project Engineer

Essentra•Erie, PA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Essentra is hiring a Project Engineer for Erie, Pennsylvania, or Flippin, Arkansas. The position is hybrid and requires working onsite three days per week. The Project Engineer reports to the Custom Solutions Manager and manages assigned New Product Introduction (NPI) projects from commercial quoting support through tooling development, production launch, and project close. The role involves preparing, coordinating, and monitoring projects from initial conception through scheduling and completion, performing project tasks as stages progress, and keeping teams informed of updates or problems while providing support as needed. Candidates must be local to Erie, PA, or Flippin, AR. Visa sponsorship and relocation assistance are not provided. The Project Engineer partners with Commercial (Sales) on costing and quoting for custom solutions; leads manufacturability reviews; coordinates tooling design, construction, and supplier quotes; and manages project schedules, budgets, technical risks, and communications. The role also supports production launch and project close, ensuring documentation and activities comply with ISO 9001 requirements and internal procedures. Travel may be required, up to 10%.

Requirements

3–5 years of progressive related job experience in the plastic injection molding industry, including at least 2 years of injection mold tooling experience.
Fluency in English and strong verbal and written communication skills.
Willingness to travel up to 10% in the U.S.
Experience using SolidWorks and CAD systems.
Full understanding of drawing and drafting practices using CAD.
Drawing interpretation, drafting practices, data analysis, project management, time management, and problem-solving skills.
Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
Experience in injection mold part and tooling design and construction techniques.
Knowledge of injection molding processes and procedures.
Data analytics skills.
Project management skills, including decisiveness and the ability to identify potential problems and find appropriate solutions.
Strong time-management skills to meet tight project deadlines.
Ability to prioritize tasks and keep projects running smoothly.
Flexibility to adapt when unexpected issues arise, including adapting to new systems and processes.
Dedication to Essentra’s health, safety, and employee engagement culture.
Strong collaboration skills with cross-functional teams.
Must be local to Erie, PA, or Flippin, AR.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering; related experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Experience with Pro/E.
Experience implementing continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, or other process-improvement techniques.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Commercial (Sales) team to develop and review part-costing details for quotes for new custom solutions.
Prepare and review estimates for parts, tooling, and engineering changes, including material, labor, machine time, and overhead costs, to support accurate quotes and project budgets.
Lead Design for Manufacturability reviews to identify technical requirements, manufacturing constraints, and project risks.
Obtain and review tooling quotes to support supplier selection, project costs, and timing.
Meet or exceed customer expectations from tooling conception through production launch.
Coordinate tooling design and construction while managing project schedules, budgets, and technical risks.
Communicate technical requirements, project status, timing, costs, and risks to customers, suppliers, and internal teams throughout projects.
Stay current with new mold-design and construction technologies and methods as they relate to company philosophies.
Ensure project activities and documentation follow ISO 9001 requirements and internal procedures.
Coordinate production launch and project close, ensuring required deliverables are completed and the project is handed over to Operations.
Travel as required to support customers and suppliers, up to 10%.
Perform related job duties as assigned and required.