Senior Process Improvement Engineer

Synthomer Malaysia (Korn Ferry); Pasir Gudang; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

LTIP

Company car

Healthcare

Parental leave

Flexible working

Learning & development

Wellbeing program

Pension contributions

Inclusive culture

Performance awards

Job summary

Synthomer Malaysia is seeking a Senior role in Operational Improvement to drive continuous process improvements across our plant operations. You will analyze plant performance, identify issues, and work with a multidisciplinary team to optimise activities while maintaining product quality and productivity.

The role involves leading trials, implementing modifications, and mentoring junior engineers within a global, safety‑driven environment with a flexible, supportive culture.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safety in all activities and regulatory compliance to deliver safe plant operation.
• Identify plant performance issues and develop effective solutions.
• Lead capacity and productivity studies to optimise operations.
• Develop and run development trials to improve process operation.
• Identify opportunities for quality, yield, efficiency, profitability, customer service or compliance improvements.
• Lead introduction of new grades and raw materials to the facility.
• Troubleshoot plant operations and perform root cause analyses.
• Deliver process improvement proposals and projects and support SHE and process safety assessments.

Job description

Synthomer is a leading supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers and ingredients that play vital roles in key sectors such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and health and protection – growing markets that serve billions of end users worldwide. Headquartered in London, UK and publicly listed there since 1971, we employ c.3,500 employees across our 5 innovation centres of excellence and more than 28 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America and Asia. Around 20% of our sales volumes are from new and patent protected products.

At our innovation centres of excellence in the UK, Germany, China, Malaysia and Ohio, USA we collaborate closely with our customers to develop new products and enhance existing ones tailored to their needs, with an increasing range of sustainability benefits. Since 2021, we have been proud holders of the London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark, which recognises green technology businesses making a significant contribution to a more sustainable, low‑carbon economy.

Purpose of the Job:

Operational Improvement team – driving the delivery of continuous process improvements to new and existing operations. Through details analysis of the plant operational performance the candiate will be identify plant performance issues and performance improvement opportunities. Collect and analyse plant data to support troubleshooting, drive improvement and implement plant trials to validate solutions. The candidate should be able to identify suboptimal operation and work with a multidiscipline team to optimise the plant activities.

Ensure product recipes, quality and plant productivity is maintained. Support plant modification with minor and moderate improvement projects including MOC, design, safety assessments, & testing.

Main Accountabilities:

Operational Improvement

• Ensure safety in the number one focus of all activities, ensuring full compliance with rules, best practice and regulations to deliver safe plant operation.
• Support plant operations in identifying plant performance issues and develop solutions
• Lead plant capacity and productivity studies
• Complete development trials to improve the process operation
• Identify opportunities and develop solutions for optimisation, in quality, yield, efficiency, profitability, customer service or compliance improvements.
• Lead new grade and raw material introduction to the facility
• Lead plant troubleshooting and problem root cause investigation
• Develop process improvement proposals and projects
• Support the plant with SHE and process safety assessments
• Support delivery on MOC, minor and moderate modification projects, ensuring they delivered safely within time, to budget and to the required quality.
• Lead the development of conceptual designs with respect to process, technology and key equipment working with internal and external specialists
• Support the development of Process basis of design and concepts, ensure compliance with local and international standards
• Developed and validated plant simulation models to analyze production flow, identify bottlenecks, and optimize manufacturing performance
• Test and prepare documentation for plant operating trials and modification commissioning to demonstrate the plant performance.
• Ensures all engineering work meets the required company standards and statutory compliance.
• Supporting and mentoring the development of Junior engineers
• Training and coaching of operations personal in the plant design basis.

Discretionary global bonus scheme

Discretionary Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP)– for senior positions

Company car or car allowance– varies by region and role

Healthcare– tailored to regional locations

Parental leave and family support– maternity, paternity, adoption (aligned with regional policies)

Working options– flexibility where it matters, based on role and business needs

Learning & development opportunities– training, online platforms, buddy/mentorship programs, Internal Synthomer University with L&D offers

Wellbeing support– employee assistance program (EAP), mental health resources, wellbeing initiatives

Retirement / pension contributions– plans vary by country

Culture of Inclusion– where everyone can thrive

Performance culture, global reward & recognition programmes