Plastics Engineering Manager 1st Shift

Airlite Plastics is a premier, privately held, family-owned manufacturer headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Our family style and personal culture is what makes Airlite an amazing place to grow and build a successful career. Airlite's company values of unquestionable integrity and respect and appreciation for each other are at the core of our success These values set a strong foundation to build on where we can 'wow' our customers with innovative products and sustainable solutions, and continuously improve our processes and efficiencies.

Our product lines include rigid plastic containers and lids for food packaging and cosmetics, dry powder scoops, plastic drink cups, shipping containers, industrial strength insulated concrete forms (ICF) and sustainable permeable paving systems. As pioneers in our industry, focused on sustainable solutions, we strive to provide our customers with top-notch service and quality, which aligns with our award-winning products.

How would you contribute?

This role is a contributing member of our Airlite - Pennsylvania team, located in Nazareth, PA. As a Plastics Engineering Manager you are a key to continued growth and success of Airlite. The Engineering Manager is a collaborative leadership role responsible for guiding the engineering team and ensuring the continuous improvement of manufacturing processes within the injection molding plant. This position achieves process excellence by applying advanced technical processing techniques to root cause analysis and proactive problem-solving.

Essential Duties:

• Team Leadership and Development
• Mentorship and Coaching: Provide technical direction, coaching, and development opportunities for direct reports, promoting a culture of shared success and continuous growth. Including the management of assigned internal and external contractors.
• Safety Leadership: Collaboratively lead all safety programs and initiatives for assigned manufacturing operations, ensuring a secure working environment.
• Process Optimization and Technical Guidance
• Continuous Improvement: Champion the use of advanced methodologies, serving as the subject matter expert in Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Six Sigma tools to achieve plant-wide improvement objectives.
• Project Execution: Lead the development and modification of technical specifications, methods, and controls to meet quality, safety, and efficiency standards. This includes conducting feasibility studies and determining processing and installation specifications.
• Technical Problem Solving: Utilize manufacturing reports, videos, and process logs to proactively monitor and assess control initiatives and then lead the technical team through the corrective action process to resolve ongoing issues.
• Machine Standards: Support the establishment and management of machine operating standards across the facility.
• Subject Matter Expert: Serve as the SME for all engineering projects and ensure appropriate engineering principles are applied to projects.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Integration
• Internal Liaison: Act as the key liaison connecting the engineering/technical support team, New Product Development (NPD), and various departmental leaders to ensure seamless technical integration.
• Capital Projects: Provide an efficient interface for evaluating all upcoming capital projects, analyzing, and providing expert feedback on equipment and facility layouts.
• Automation and Training: Provide technical and process management support to the Operations management team. Validate all new systems and prepare required documentation, including partnering with Maintenance and Senior Operators to provide essential training on new automation and validation processes.
• Consults with internal and external subject matter experts to resolve technical and process control issues
• Reports food safety concerns to management.
• All other duties as assigned.

Do you have what it takes? Airlite Plastics is a versatile employer; complacency is not one of our strengths We work hard each day to ensure that equipment efficiency and customer satisfaction never leave our line of sight. Successful candidates for the role will possess the following:

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Proven track record driving process yield enhancement, cost reduction, and SPC systems.
• Experience in the area of manufacturing operations, process validations, design of experiment and statistics
• Ability to learn new technologies and become a subject matter expert quickly.
• Expert knowledge of process improvement methodology
• Proven track record driving process yield enhancement, cost reduction, and SPC systems.
• Capability to utilize problem solving skills.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects/activities/goals.
• Must be able to work well with others, build partnerships and support team members.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and tactful in dealing with people at all levels.
• Must be self-motivated and positive.
• Flexible and adaptable; able to work in ambiguous situations.
• Display highest ethical standards.
• Maintain the utmost level of confidentiality in dealing with sensitive information.
• Detail oriented, with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Basic computer skills with the ability to operate Microsoft Office products.
• Upholds and supports organizational goals and values.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to apply mathematical operations to such tasks as frequency distribution, determination of test reliability and validity, analysis of variance, correlation techniques, sampling theory and factor analysis.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals and technical procedures
• Maintain and develop plant drawings, standards and procedures as appropriate.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, supervisors, employees and customers.
• Takes initiative and asks for help when needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of direct reports. Carries out managerial responsibilities in accordance with the company's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning and assigning work; appraising performance; rewarding and leading employees; addressing conflict resolution and providing workforce success opportunities for team members.

Education & Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering
• Previous experience in injection plastics molding and processing is preferred.
• Experience in the area of manufacturing operations, process validations, design of experiment and statistics required.

Certificates and License:

• None listed

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, cold, and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; however, in the plant environment the noise level will be loud.

Our Core Values Drive Us

• Do you conduct yourself with unquestionable integrity?
• Do you demonstrate respect and appreciation for those around you?
• Are you innovative and strive to challenge the status quo?
• Do you strive for continuous improvement and to deliver the "wow" factor?
• Do you care about environmentally sustainable solutions?
• Do you take meaning and pride in a job well done?

What's in it for you? As a Full-Time employee, you will be eligible for the following benefits:

• Health, dental and vision insurance
• Company paid life insurance
• Company paid short term disability
• Generous 401k match
• Generous Time Off
• Annual company activities