Process Engineer

Role details

World Centric is a highly mission driven company that seeks to have a meaningful impact on people and the planet through our compostable products and the donation of 25% of profits to the most vulnerable in the world.

World Centric is a leader in providing innovative compostable packaging solutions for the food service industry. We are seeking a hands-on Process Engineer to join our engineering and commercialization team. The Process Engineer owns process development mainly including extruders, injection molders, thermoformers, and heated presses. This is the person who takes a formulation that works at the bench and turns it into a repeatable, documented process with defined windows, cycle times, and specifications, working directly on the equipment alongside our R&D scientists.

It is a methodical role: run structured trials, change one variable at a time, record everything, and figure out what the process can and cannot do.

This role will be located on-site at our facility in Stone Mountain, GA (greater Atlanta metro area). This position will report to the director of engineering and commercialization and will work within a cross functional team of R&D scientists, engineers, and technicians. The ideal candidate is patient and data-driven, works very well independently, and is comfortable owning a process from first trial through a production-ready specification.

Essential Responsibilities

• Sets up, operates, and optimizes pilot process equipment including twin screw and single screw extruders, injection molders, heated presses and forming tools, mixers, dryers, and downstream equipment.
• Develops, optimizes, and documents processes for: extrusion (temperature profiles, screw configuration, feed rates, moisture, venting), injection molding (mold trials, cycle time, drop-in parameters), and pressing and forming (dough consistency, mold temperature, pressure, dwell, venting).
• Leads process trials of new formulations with R&D scientists, advising on processability before the trial and setting the run plan, machine setup, and sample plan.
• Runs structured trials and designed experiments to quantify how formulation and process parameters affect processability, part quality, cycle time, and yield, and turns the results into process windows, control limits, and specifications.
• Troubleshoots process problems in real time (feeding, melt stability, torque, die and cavity pressure, sticking, warping, moisture) and implements corrective actions.
• Scales processes from lab and pilot equipment to production systems, defining operating procedures and the process data needed by customers and contract manufacturers.
• Defines process requirements for screws, dies, molds, tooling, and auxiliaries and works with the R&D engineer on equipment selection, installation, and commissioning.
• Performs routine care, preventive maintenance checks, and minor repairs on process equipment during operation; coordinates larger repairs with other engineers
• Trains and certifies scientists and technicians on lab-tier equipment and writes the run sheets technicians work from.
• Maintains trial records, run sheets, trial reports, and process data sheets so results are comparable across programs and over time.
• Ensures safe operation of all equipment and adherence to safety procedures and housekeeping standards.

Required

• BS in Chemical, Mechanical, Materials, Polymer, or Plastics Engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience
• 5+ years hands-on process engineering experience in polymer or materials processing
• Demonstrated proficiency operating twin screw and single screw extruders, including screw changes and recovering from torque trips and lockups
• Hands-on experience injection molding, compression molding thermoforming, film extrusion, foam extrusion or other manufacturing processes
• Experience running structured trials or designed experiments and turning the data into process windows and specifications
• Strong documentation and data analysis skills
• Comfortable in a hands-on manufacturing environment including working directly on equipment and around hot processing equipment

Preferred

• Experience processing natural materials such as starches, cellulosics, and biopolymers
• Experience in food or pet food extrusion
• Experience with process scale-up and technology transfer to production or contract manufacturers
• Previous experience working in a startup environment

Logistics: Position is located in Stone Mountain full time.