Senior Process Engineer II

Department: Engineering

Job Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Level: Senior / Leadership

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Process Engineer II to provide technical leadership across manufacturing operations, automation, equipment installation, and continuous improvement initiatives. This position serves as a senior technical authority responsible for optimizing manufacturing processes, leading capital equipment projects, implementing automation solutions, and mentoring engineering and technical staff.

The ideal candidate combines strong hands-on controls and automation expertise with proven leadership and capital project management experience. This role supports four primary manufacturing processes: blown film extrusion, in-line printing, bag forming/conversion, and product packaging/cartoning.

Key Responsibilities

Automation & Controls Engineering

• Design, develop, program, and optimize PLC/HMI-based automation systems.

• Work with platforms including Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Beckhoff, SCADA, DCS, and PID control systems.

• Lead integration of robotic systems and automated packaging equipment into production environments.

• Develop automation standards, documentation, programming libraries, and system specifications.

• Troubleshoot complex automation and controls issues impacting production, quality, or equipment uptime.

Equipment Installation & Commissioning

• Manage the complete lifecycle of new manufacturing equipment from initial scope through production handoff.

• Lead equipment installation, startup, commissioning, and validation.

• Develop and execute Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).

• Coordinate facility requirements including electrical, compressed air, pneumatics, water, HVAC, and other utilities.

• Manage third-party vendors, equipment manufacturers, contractors, and integrators during installation.

• Develop startup procedures, equipment documentation, and operator training materials.

Process Engineering & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement improvements that increase yield, throughput, uptime, quality, and overall equipment performance.

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts involving scrap, downtime, quality issues, and process deviations.

• Drive cost-reduction initiatives involving material usage, formulations, equipment efficiency, labor, and manufacturing processes.

• Utilize LEAN, Six Sigma, and structured continuous improvement methodologies.

• Establish and maintain process documentation, standards, and performance metrics.

Capital Project Management

• Develop capital expenditure proposals including technical justification, budgets, and ROI analysis.

• Manage multiple capital projects simultaneously while maintaining budget and schedule expectations.

• Lead vendor evaluation, equipment selection, bidding, procurement coordination, installation, and commissioning.

• Measure project results following implementation and report performance against expected targets.

Engineering Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and supervise engineers and technical personnel.

• Assign projects and prioritize engineering resources according to operational needs.

• Conduct performance reviews and support employee development.

• Serve as the senior escalation point for complex manufacturing and engineering challenges.

• Provide technical recommendations to plant and senior leadership regarding equipment, automation, and manufacturing strategy.

Safety & Compliance

• Promote a strong manufacturing safety culture and actively participate in Safety Committee initiatives.

• Support incident investigations and implementation of corrective actions.

• Ensure engineering activities comply with applicable OSHA, environmental, ASI, GMP, and CTPAT requirements.

• Maintain appropriate housekeeping, equipment safety, and regulatory standards throughout engineering projects.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related engineering discipline.

• 10+ years of process control, automation, or manufacturing engineering experience.

• Minimum 5 years of leadership or supervisory experience.

• Advanced knowledge of PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, DCS, and PID control systems.

• Hands-on PLC/HMI programming experience with platforms such as Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or Beckhoff.

• Demonstrated experience integrating robotics and automated manufacturing/packaging systems.

• Strong experience leading equipment installations and commissioning projects.

• Experience developing and executing FAT and SAT protocols.

• Knowledge of industrial utilities and infrastructure requirements for manufacturing equipment.

• Experience managing contractors, OEMs, vendors, and system integrators.

• Strong understanding of LEAN Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.

• Demonstrated capital project management experience including budgets, schedules, vendor selection, and ROI justification.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate technical information to senior leadership.

• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and root cause analysis capabilities.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Reliable attendance and willingness to work non-standard hours when required for installations, commissioning, startups, or production support.

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will be more than a traditional process engineer. We are looking for someone who can lead people, program and troubleshoot automation systems, manage major equipment installations, oversee capital projects, and drive measurable manufacturing improvements.

Candidates with experience in plastics, blown film extrusion, flexible packaging, printing, converting, automated packaging, or other high-volume manufacturing environments are especially relevant.

Core Skills

PLC/HMI Programming • Industrial Automation • Allen-Bradley • Siemens • Beckhoff • SCADA • DCS • PID Controls • Robotics Integration • Automated Packaging • FAT/SAT • Equipment Commissioning • Capital Projects • Process Optimization • Root Cause Analysis • LEAN Manufacturing • Six Sigma • Vendor Management • Manufacturing Engineering • Team Leadership