Extrusion & Mould Setter Engineer

AUSTIN MATLEY; Waterlooville; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

AUSTIN MATLEY is seeking an experienced Extrusion Setter / Engineer to join its manufacturing team in the UK. The role focuses on setup, optimisation and continuous operation of extrusion and injection moulding lines, with emphasis on pipe extrusion.

You will drive stability, minimise downtime and maintain product quality on long runs. Key duties include line setup, tooling alignment, process parameter tuning, and troubleshooting while collaborating with Engineering and Toolroom teams to support

Qualifications

• Experience setting and running plastic extrusion lines and injection moulding machines.
• Hands-on pipe extrusion experience including die changes and calibration.
• Understanding of polymer behaviour and extrusion tooling.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and specifications.

Responsibilities

• Setting, starting, adjusting and shutting down extrusion and injection moulding lines.
• Installing and aligning dies, tooling, calibrators, moulds and downstream equipment.
• Optimising temperatures, screw speeds, pressures and line speeds.
• Managing continuous pipe extrusion with diameter and wall thickness control.
• Setting vacuum calibration and cooling systems, haul-offs and cutters.
• Carrying out first-off checks and recording process parameters.
• Troubleshooting dimensional variation, surface defects and material issues.
• Driving improvements in scrap, OEE and process stability.
• Supporting preventative maintenance and working with Engineering/Toolroom.
• Managing material changes, purging and colour transitions.

Skills

Extrusion setting

Moulding operation

Mechanical aptitude

Engineering drawings

Lean manufacturing

ISO 9001 experience

Education

Polymer Processing

Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Calibration tanks

Haul-offs

Cutters

Slitters

Winders

Job description

We’re working with a successful high-volume manufacturing business looking to appoint an experienced Extrusion & Mould Setter Engineer to join its manufacturing team.

This is a hands-on role focused on the setup, optimisation and continuous running of extrusion and injection moulding processes, with particular emphasis on pipe extrusion.

You’ll play a key role in keeping production lines running efficiently, minimising downtime and scrap, and ensuring consistent product quality across long production runs.

The Role

You will be responsible for:

• Setting, starting, adjusting and shutting down extrusion and injection moulding lines.
• Installing and aligning dies, tooling, calibrators, moulds and downstream equipment.
• Optimising temperatures, screw speeds, pressures, line speeds, cooling and calibration systems.
• Managing continuous pipe extrusion, maintaining diameter, wall thickness and ovality within specification.
• Setting vacuum calibration and cooling systems, haul-offs, cutters, coilers and stacking equipment.
• Carrying out first-off checks and accurately recording process parameters.
• Troubleshooting issues including dimensional variation, surface defects, ovality, melt fracture and material inconsistencies.
• Driving improvements in scrap, OEE, line speeds and process stability.
• Supporting preventative maintenance and working closely with Engineering and Toolroom teams.
• Managing material changes, purging and colour transitions.
• Supporting NPI trials, process development and root-cause investigations, including 8D.
• Maintaining high standards of health & safety and product quality.

About You

We’re looking for someone with:

• Proven experience setting and running plastic extrusion lines and injection moulding machines.
• Strong hands‑on experience of pipe extrusion, including die and calibrator changes, sizing and downstream handling.
• A solid understanding of polymer behaviour, extrusion tooling and downstream equipment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and confidence working with tooling and machinery.
• The ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications.
• Experience within a high-volume or continuous manufacturing environment.
• A practical, hands‑on approach to troubleshooting and problem solving.
• Qualification in Polymer Processing, Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience with calibration tanks, haul-offs, cutters, slitters and winders.
• Knowledge of Lean / Continuous Improvement, including 5S, SMED and OEE.
• Experience working within ISO 9001 environments.
• Forklift or overhead crane certification.

What Success Looks Like

You'll be successful in the role by delivering:

• Stable, repeatable extrusion and moulding processes.
• Reduced scrap and downtime, with improved OEE and line performance.
• Fast and accurate setups and tooling changes.
• Consistent achievement of dimensional and quality standards.
• Proactive problem solving and preventative maintenance.
• Strong collaboration across Production, Quality and Engineering.

If you're an experienced Extrusion Setter / Engineer who enjoys being hands‑on, solving production problems and improving manufacturing performance, we'd like to hear from you.