Associate Process Engineer

Role details

Associate Process Engineer

Compounding Solutions is a leading manufacturer of custom thermoplastic materials, primarily supporting the medical device industry. Our manufacturing site in Lewiston, Maine supplies the largest medical companies located here in the US and in 22 countries worldwide. The materials we produce save and improve the quality of people’s lives.

For over 20 years, Compounding Solutions has sustained consistent growth by focusing on continuous improvement, investing in R&D and innovative technologies, maintaining a robust quality management system, and offering outstanding customer service.

We seek a candidate to train to become an Associate Process Engineer to support the rapid growth of our manufacturing capabilities. The Associate Process Engineer applies fundamental aspects of chemistry, materials science, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, process control & optimization, and general engineering principles to solve processing challenges and improve manufacturing quality & efficiency. This role requires a hands-on approach to operating machinery and strong communication within the process engineering team.

The main responsibilities of this position are but not limited to: technical assembly & disassembly of extrusion lines, operating extruders & auxiliary equipment according to standard operating procedures, collaborating with Quality department to continuously ensure products meet their specifications, maintain a clean & safe work environment, collecting and analyzing process measurements & maintaining detailed notes of observations, providing feedback & offering suggestions for process improvement, focusing on improving manufacturing metrics such as material yield, equipment, utilization, & reject rate, troubleshooting extrusion process & rapidly communicating with Process Engineering team, and operating in a fast-paced environment with attention to detail & prioritization of tasks.

Responsibilities

• Managing Process steps on Orders Trackers
• Assisting Process Team with day-to-day workload.
• Monitoring production calendar for jobs that have R&D, QC, or Production alerts and ensuring the appropriate staff and resources are available to address the concern.
• Equipment validations
• Weekly Feeder Calibrations
• Running R&D line for trials or development projects
• Providing technical support for extrusion lines

A Successful Candidate should have the following skill set:

• BS in Engineering/Technical degree in Mechanical, Plastics, Chemical, or Material Science
• Understanding of scientific method, the importance of proper documentation, and design experiments
• Good communication, interpersonal skills, and teamwork
• Must be hands-on, mechanically inclines, and able to work in a manufacturing environment.
• Curiosity, continuous motivation to learn, and persistent work ethic.
• Willingness to work staggered shift hours to support the Production department.

Training Program prior to role

2-3mths : Quality

Emphasis on routine testing, data interpretation, and communicating results to team.

9-10mths : Production (27HP & 40maxx)

Gain experience with various resin types, side-stuffing mechanics, and pelletizing troubleshooting. Understanding differences of small to large scale operations.

6mths : Process

Paperwork/workflow and troubleshooting.

2-3mths : R&D

• Engineering thermoplastic review: overview of common polymer types and fillers : Key properties, typical applications.

• Mechanical properties, thermal properties and polymer morphology (Tensile, flex, izod, friction – stress strain behavior, effects of additives on mechanical behavior ; DSC, crystallization, melting point, glass transition, enthalpy ; Rheology – understand viscosity and shear thinning behavior ; MFI, viscosity, residence time, correlations with molecular weight (GPC), effect of additives).

• Polymer reactions – plastic degradation modes (oxidation, hydrolysis, mechanical chain scission)

• Thermal, moisture, shear – why and what happens

• Prevention techniques, stabilization and molecular weight retention

18mths or more : Process

Develop Advanced Polymer Processing knowledge

• Advanced process troubleshooting (Methodology for making process changes. Process window ; Diagnosing machine related issues ; Diagnosing material related issues)

• Screw Design (Feed section, conveying, kneading, mixing ; Venting and vacuum ; Screw fill)

• Machine wear pattern recognition

• Process / Equipment improvement

• Rate optimization – maximizing profits with machine efficiency without sacrificing material quality

• Customer Trials / DOE

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(K) & company match, profit-sharing

Life, Short-term, & Long-term Disability paid by Company 100%

PTO Program

Perfect Attendance Program (earn up to 7 days)

7 Paid Holidays & 5 Paid Company Shutdown days

Pay: $59,700.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person