Extrusion Production Manager

Summary and Purpose

The Extrusion Production Manager plans and oversees all aspects of extrusion operations including both Product Development and Commercial Lines. This position requires basic P&L and Balance Sheet budgeting skills. The Extrusion Production Manager will direct and manage extrusion compounding, pelletizing, and blending/tolling operations at each Danimer GA campus with overall responsibilities for safety, quality, productivity and other related activities. This position requires that the Extrusion Production Manager to spend a significant amount of time on the production floor. In doing so, he/she will work with direct reports to develop opportunities for process improvement, improved uptime, reduced waste, cost reduction, and quality enhancements all in a safe manner. In short, this individual must develop future leaders by mentoring, training, developing, and challenging them.

Essential FunctionsEssential job functions for this position include but are not limited:

• Plan, manage and direct all operations activities to achieve safe, efficient and economical production within established manufacturing costs; and to maintain the highest standards of quality and volume requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives on the shop floor.
• As a key member of the manufacturing staff, develop short and long-term plans, policies, programs, operating procedures and objectives to support the broader business.
• Provide guidance and give direction and training to the Line Leaders and Extrusion/Production Operators.
• Provide operability and quality feedback to internal (R&D and Ops) customers as well as review and investigate product issues from external customers.
• Maintain close monitoring of operations through reports, staff meetings, observation and personal contact to ensure integration of workflow, timely production, budgetary conformance and utilization of personal skill.
• Assist and advise others to resolve problems and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Act as a liaison between teammates and management team to keep people informed on matters of communication, decisions and policies.
• Administer or assist in coordination of various programs such as, housekeeping, cost reduction, extrusion compounding production security, staffing and hourly wage administration, continuous improvement, 5S, and Behavior-based Safety (BBS) initiative.
• Ensure all extrusion productivity, quality and safety goals are achieved. Support extrusion operations and teammates at other facilities as warranted.
• Ensure all quality and process procedures are followed at all levels in Production. Collaborate with Product Development team on scale-up strategy and optimizing execution.
• Prepare, analyze and issue production and performance reports; KPIs.
• Control costs to achieve company budget goals.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive preventive maintenance program.
• Work with the Maintenance, Supply Chain, Engineering, and R&D teammates so they are completely integrated into and always in support of operational objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, unless doing so imposes an undue hardship on Danimer Scientific.
  
  All Danimer Teammates
• Comply with all safety policies and procedures as required by Danimer Scientific, including but not limited to those required by OSHA and any other government agencies.
• Comply with cGMP, regulatory, customer, and food safety requirements.
• Follow standards for testing protocols and labeling of products.
• Have the right and responsibility to report unsafe conditions (food safety, quality, or personal safety) to direct supervisor, Quality, and/or Safety leader where appropriate.
• Have the right and responsibility to stop the production line in the event of a critical incident.
• Adhere to Danimer Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.
• Complete required Quality and Food Safety training in LITMOS.
• Support food safety systems and participate in GMP audits, internal and external audits when necessary.

Requirements: (education, skills and abilities)•Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering preferred or a BS in a technical discipline.
•Knowledge of extrusion, compounding, pelletizing, polymer and blown film extrusion, lamination, and film converting.
•10+ years' production management operations experience

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• The individual must have a working knowledge of the extrusion equipment design, feed equipment configuration and layout, and compounding capabilities that can be translated into efficient operations.
• The ideal candidate should have proven operational effectiveness at a leadership level of a manufacturing production team of over 20 team members, possess excellent management skills, have lean manufacturing certification and/or proven success in managing process improvement projects. Experience working in the extrusion manufacturing industry is required.
• This position also entails the Extrusion Line Leader's role of teacher and trainer for his/her personnel.
• Flexible hours to support multi-shift operation.
• Organizational skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Excellent interpersonal and coaching skills.
• Must be able to communicate effectively (oral and written) with co-workers at all levels.
• Strong supervisory and people development skills
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements for manufacturing plants; i.e. OSHA, EPA.
• Able to lead root cause analysis investigations.
• Proficient with MS Office: build computer generated reports that measure and track performance of one or more departments.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret complex documents and statistical information.

Supervisory ResponsibilityThis position does have supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their duties.

• Work is performed in an industrial environment, which involves frequent exposure to hot and cold temperatures, noise, fumes, limited dust, and chemical agents.
• Work is performed using office equipment with substantial time spent working on a computer, requiring sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate computer keyboard and other office equipment.
• Requires walking, climbing stairs and ladders, bending, and occasional lifting of material up to fifty (50) pounds.
• Performance of this position will require exposure to hazards which require the use of personal protective equipment.

Position Type/Work Hours/Travel

• Full-time position
• Must be willing to work non-standard hours supporting 24/5 operations, including weekends as necessary.
• Up to 10% travel

Work Authorization/Security Clearance (if applicable)

Must be authorized to work in the United States

AAP/EEO StatementDanimer Scientific provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Danimer Scientific complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Danimer Scientific expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Danimer Scientific's employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

Other DutiesPlease note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Danimer Scientific is a pioneer in creating more sustainable, more natural ways to make plastic products. For more than a decade, our renewable and sustainable biopolymers have helped create plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable. They return to nature instead of polluting our lands and waters.

Our technology can be found in a vast array of plastic end products that people use every day. Applications for our biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibers, filaments, films, hot-melt adhesives and injection-molded articles, among others. These products offer all the advantages of our bioplastics, including:

• Reduced dependency on petrochemicals
• Adherence to ASTM and EN requirements for biodegradability and compostability
• FDA approved for food contact
• Biodegradation in a fraction of the time it takes for petro-based plastic decomposition
• Virtually no carbon footprint

Our Mission Statement:
Out of concern for the environment, Danimer Scientific provides sustainable biopolymer solutions to plastic pollution, through innovative technologies