Thermoplastic Film Extrusion Technician

Novolex Corporate•Franklin Park, IL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

At Novolex, we make the everyday safer, fresher, and more sustainable. As a global leader in food, beverage, and specialty packaging, we support foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial customers with solutions spanning resin, paper, molded fiber, aluminum, and more. Our portfolio is vast—120 product categories, 250 brands, and over 39,000 SKUs—backed by deep manufacturing and sourcing expertise. Our sustainability vision is anchored by three pillars—our products, our operations, and our people—guiding wide-ranging initiatives and ambitious goals that move our business and our communities forward. A Day in the Role You arrive a little early, review the prior shift’s log, and walk down the extrusion line. Gauges and readouts look good. As production ramps, you keep the machine running at or above standard for waste, quality, efficiency, and utilization. A minor variation appears—you diagnose it fast, make precise adjustments, and verify that quality returns to spec. When a teammate has a question, you share what you’ve learned and keep everyone aligned on safety, housekeeping, and standard work. Before handoff, you complete end-of-shift documentation—crewing time, machine time, and production counts—so the next operator can hit the ground running.

Requirements

1+ years of experience operating extrusion machinery in a manufacturing setting.
Willingness to work a 12-hour rotating schedule, including every other weekend.
Dependability—arrive before shift start, ready to begin on time.
Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills specific to extrusion processes.
Clear written and verbal communication; diligent, accurate recordkeeping.
Solid analytical and math capabilities.
Ability to perform quality checks and use production measurement tools; familiarity with product quality standards.
Comfort wearing required PPE (hairnets, beard-nets, steel-toed shoes/boots, ear protection, bump caps) when required.
Good manual dexterity.

Responsibilities

Run extrusion equipment safely and consistently to meet or exceed targets for waste, quality, throughput, and utilization.
Diagnose and correct machine issues through mechanical adjustments and parameter tuning.
Offer practical, innovative ideas to improve production outcomes.
Provide guidance to less experienced operators to elevate line performance.
Inspect output, identify defects, and adjust the process to remove root causes.
Complete accurate end-of-shift paperwork, including crew hours, machine time, and quantities produced.
Maintain housekeeping standards and follow all safety and standard work procedures.