Engineering Technician: Injection Molding

Lego Group; Chester (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The LEGO Group in Virginia, Chester, is seeking an experienced engineer to serve as the primary technical escalation point for complex injection-molding problems on-site. You will diagnose across process, machine, mold, material, and automation, coordinating with maintenance, automation, and quality teams to isolate failure modes.

Apply scientific molding, DOE, and process capability studies to optimize cycle time, scrap, uptime, and OEE while maintaining safety and quality.

Qualifications

• Experience performing advanced injection molding diagnostics.
• Ability to lead root cause investigations and coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with DOE and process capability analysis.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary technical escalation point for complex injection molding problems.
• Independently diagnose manufacturing problems across Process, Machine, Mold, Material, Controls, Automation, and related systems.
• Analyze molding data, alarm histories, and production trends to isolate failure modes.
• Lead structured root cause investigations and coordinate cross-functional resources.
• Verify corrective-action effectiveness through production results and process capability.

Skills

Advanced molding diagnostics

Root cause analysis

Process data interpretation

DOE

Cross-functional collaboration

Automation & controls knowledge

Tools

PLC/HMI diagnostics

Mold maintenance

Process monitoring systems

Job description

Job Description

Core Responsibilities

Advanced Injection Molding Diagnostics & Technical Problem Solving

• Serve as a primary technical escalation point for complex, chronic, or high-impact injection molding problems beyond standard production troubleshooting and routine process adjustments.
• Independently diagnose manufacturing problems across Process, Machine, Mold, Material, Controls, Automation, auxiliary equipment, and operating practices, including interactions between these systems.
• Analyze molding parameters, machine and process data, alarm histories, equipment behavior, production trends, and product defects to isolate technical failure modes and sources of manufacturing variation.
• Lead structured root cause investigations, develop evidence-based conclusions and corrective-action recommendations, and coordinate Engineering, Maintenance, Automation, Quality, and other specialized resources when required.
• Verify corrective-action effectiveness through process capability, quality, equipment, and sustained production results, emphasizing elimination of systemic causes rather than repeated correction of symptoms.

Scientific Molding & Advanced Process Analysis

• Apply advanced scientific molding principles to troubleshoot, develop, evaluate, and optimize injection molding processes and establish robust, repeatable processing windows.
• Execute and interpret advanced molding studies including fill, pressure-loss, gate-seal, viscosity, cooling, process-window, capability, and other structured technical studies.
• Analyze relationships between machine settings, actual process conditions, material behavior, mold performance, environmental conditions, automation, and finished-product quality.
• Apply statistical methods, process capability analysis, structured trials, and Design of Experiments (DOE), where applicable, to identify significant variables and develop technically supported recommendations.
• Optimize molding processes to improve cycle time, scrap, uptime, productivity, capability, and OEE while maintaining established safety, quality, and process-control requirements.

Molding Machine, Controls & Automation Diagnostics

• Utilize molding-machine controls, HMI diagnostics, alarm histories, process-monitoring systems, and manufacturing data to diagnose complex process and equipment abnormalities.
• Diagnose interactions among molding machines, molds, hot runner systems, auxiliary equipment, material-handling systems, automation, robotics, and downstream processes.
• Analyze PLC/HMI diagnostic information, sensors, I/O status, alarms, interlocks, machine sequences, and equipment feedback to distinguish process issues from controls, automation, electrical, or mechanical problems.
• Read and interpret technical drawings, mold documentation, control diagrams, electrical schematics, process specifications, and equipment documentation required for advanced diagnostics.
• Provide Engineering, Machine Maintenance, Mold Maintenance, and Automation teams with technical evidence and execute process verification and stabilization following repairs, modifications, controls changes, or significant maintenance events.

Qualification, Validation & Manufacturing Readiness

• Execute technical qualification and validation activities for injection molds, molding processes, equipment, materials, and associated manufacturing systems through structured studies, trials, data analysis, and capability evaluations.
• Evaluate mold and process performance