Contractual Pulp Paper Process Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Pay: $150,000.00 - $165,000.00 per year

Job description:

Department
Information Technology

Our team is looking for a Senior Process Engineer to support the design, development, and deployment of a smart manufacturing environment. The right candidate will document the as-is processes and where necessary recommend changes to enable the efficient production of munitions and energetics. The right candidate will elicit and document functional requirements that will improve manual processes and increase personnel safety. The right candidate will identify opportunities to insert smart manufacturing technology that drives throughput and reduce bottlenecks and waste. The Process Engineer will work across a technical team to help translate functional customer requirements to technical requirements.

We partner with the US national defense community to create fully integrated, resilient, and innovative digital solutions that enable them to make smart decisions in real-time. We work with our customers on everything from conquering their data to improving and safeguarding IT infrastructure. Our ultimate goal is to enhance our nation's ability to identify, address, and act – no matter what challenges arise.

Clearance: Secret clearance required

Location: On-Site in Indian Head, MD

Role Overview
This role is responsible for assessing, documenting, and transforming complex, safety-critical manufacturing processes that currently rely on heavy manual and paper-based workflows. The process engineer will work directly with operations, safety, quality, and production personnel to understand how products move through multiple on-site manufacturing buildings in a high-compliance, batch-based environment, and lead the transition to digitally captured, auditable processes while maintaining safety as the highest priority.

Core Responsibilities

Process Assessment & Current-State Analysis
Assess existing end-to-end manufacturing processes, including:
· Manual, paper-based documentation
· Batch movement of product across multiple on-site manufacturing buildings
· Pre-, in-process, and post-operation safety inspections
Required readings, sign-offs, and accountability steps at each phase

Work directly with:

• Safety teams
• Quality personnel
• Machine operators and supervisors
• Operations and production leadership

Observe and document how work is actually performed, not just how it is described in procedures
Identify gaps, risks, inefficiencies, and compliance concerns in existing processes

Stakeholder Engagement & Elicitation
Elicit detailed process knowledge from non-technical stakeholders, including personnel who may be:

• Deep operational experience whose workflows are informal or not fully documented
• Skeptical or resistant to change
• Focused on safety, throughput, or compliance concerns

Translate undocumented operational knowledge and experience-based workflows into clear, structured process documentation

Build trust with operations teams by ensuring proposed changes:

• Improve safety
• Reduce burden
• Do not disrupt critical operations

Compliance & Safety-Centered Process Design
Ensure all process analysis and future-state designs:

• Preserve or enhance safety controls
• Support required compliance documentation and traceability
• Maintain clear accountability at every step of the process

Understand and respect environments with:

• Strict procedural controls
• Required inspections and verifications
• Audit and review expectations

Design processes that are defensible during internal and external review

Digital Transformation & Future-State Design
Lead the transition from paper-based processes to digital data capture, including:

• Tablet-based or workstation-based data entry
• Digital checklists, inspections, and sign-offs
• Structured capture of readings and measurements

Define requirements for digital tools that:

• Reduce manual transcription
• Improve data accuracy and traceability
• Align with safety and compliance needs

Ensure digital solutions reflect real operational workflows, not idealized models
Collaborate with technical teams to translate process requirements into system requirements

Documentation & Deliverables
Produce clear, structured documentation, including:

• Current-state (“as-is”) process maps
• Gap and risk analyses
• Future-state (“to-be”) process definitions
• Requirements for digital workflows and data capture

Clearly articulate:

• Why changes are necessary
• How safety and compliance are preserved or improved
• What operational impact is expected

Preferred Experience & Skills
DoD manufacturing environment
Energetics or ordnance environment
Smart manufacturing environments
Private 5G networks for data communication
Functional understanding of Rockwell ControlLogix Allen Bradley PLCs, sensors (analog and digital), and HMIs
Self-hosted (non-cloud) manufacturing systems, including 5G, IoT devices, and hard-wired sensors

Required Experience & Skills
Proven experience as a Process Engineer in regulated, safety-critical manufacturing environments

Strong background working with:

• Manual and paper-based compliance processes
• Batch manufacturing workflows
• Multi-building or campus-style operations

Demonstrated ability to:

• Elicit requirements from non-technical stakeholders
• Navigate resistance to change
• Balance safety, compliance, and operational efficiency

Experience supporting or leading digital transformation initiatives
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to operate independently in ambiguous environments
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent military experience
5+ years in smart manufacturing
Ability to document processes and requirements
Ability to communicate well in writing and verbally with customers and stakeholders

All employment opportunities are made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status or any other basis protected by law.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: In person

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