Plastics Engineer Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

The Role:

The Extrusion Engineer / Process Engineer will be a key member of the engineering team, responsible for developing, optimizing, and maintaining extrusion processes used to manufacture high-precision cable products. This role will focus on extrusion process development, tooling design, equipment performance, process documentation, and continuous improvement to ensure products meet internal requirements, customer specifications, and applicable quality standards.

Your Responsibilities:

• Product and Process Development: Develop new products and extrusion processes in support of product management and business goals, from concept and prototyping through production release.
  
• Material Processing: Develop, implement, and maintain robust extrusion processes for fluoropolymers and polyolefins, including FEP, PFA, ETFE, PTFE, PVDF, and HDPE.
  
• Process Optimization: Apply PFMEA, process control plans, design of experiments, and structured problem-solving methods to improve extrusion performance, quality, consistency, and manufacturability.
  
• Production Support: Work closely with production personnel, R&D, Engineering, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to ensure extrusion processes meet customer specifications, tolerances, and internal requirements.
  
• Tooling and Equipment: Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to develop extrusion tooling, fixtures, and equipment improvements that support high-precision product manufacturing.
  
• Troubleshooting: Identify and resolve extrusion processing issues by analyzing process parameters, material behavior, equipment condition, and product performance.
  
• Training and Best Practices: Provide technical support and training to production staff to ensure adherence to best practices, quality standards, and safe operating procedures.
  
• Documentation and Compliance: Maintain accurate records of extrusion processes, improvements, process parameters, traceability, and compliance with quality and business management system requirements.
  
• Continuous Improvement: Support productivity improvement, scrap reduction, setup-time reduction, cost savings, material optimization, and quality improvement initiatives.
  
• Health, Safety, and Environment: Support and comply with all company health, safety, environmental, QMS, and EMS policies and procedures.
  
• Other assignments as required. 
  

Requirements:

• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on precision extrusion experience, preferably in cable, wire, tubing, or related polymer extrusion environments.
  
• Background as an Extrusion Engineer, Plastics Engineer with extrusion specialization, or Process Engineer with extrusion specialization.
  
• Post-secondary education in an engineering or technical discipline, or equivalent relevant technical experience.
  
• Preferred degree areas include Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Polymer Science, or Materials Engineering.
  
• Experience setting up extrusion equipment, running product, troubleshooting process issues, and supporting production teams in a manufacturing environment.
  
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, adapt to shifting priorities, and contribute to a collaborative project environment.
  
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, verbal communication, written communication, and computer skills.
  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including spreadsheets, databases, and word processing tools.
  
• Dexterity and visual acuity for product inspection, process evaluation, and computer-based work.

Technical Competencies:

• Experience with extrusion equipment design, operation, setup, and optimization.
  
• Understanding of the relationship between process instrumentation, equipment settings, material behavior, and observed process effects.
  
• Strong understanding of polymer rheology, heat transfer, screw design, extrusion tooling, and statistical process control.
  
• Knowledge of fluoropolymer processing challenges, including corrosion resistance requirements, high-temperature processing, melt stability, and resin drying and handling.
  
• Experience with DOE, PFMEA, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and root cause analysis methodologies.
  
• Root Cause Analysis