Injection Molding Process Technician

Vanwerted; Van Wert (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanwerted is seeking an experienced Injection Molding Technician to set up and operate production lines, monitor process stability, and lead on-shift technical support. You will troubleshoot defects, manage mold changes, and ensure quality through careful parameter control and equipment care.

Ideal candidates have 2–3 years of hands-on injection molding experience, familiarity with robots and IML systems, and the ability to work independently during the assigned shift.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Technical education in plastics processing, injection molding, mechatronics, maintenance, or manufacturing preferred.
• At least two to three years of hands-on injection molding experience preferred.
• Practical experience in machine setup, production startup, process adjustment, troubleshooting, and defect resolution.
• Experience with mold changes, robots, auxiliary equipment, and IML systems is valued.
• Ability to work independently as the primary injection molding technical resource during the assigned shift.
• Basic computer skills for production, process, quality, and maintenance-support records.
• Ability to complete the company's technical training and internal qualification program.

Responsibilities

• Set up, start, operate, stop, and monitor injection molding machines in accordance with approved setup sheets, work instructions, production schedules, and safety requirements.
• Verify the correct preparation of molds, raw materials, robots, dryers, temperature controllers, material handling systems, label-feeding systems, and other auxiliary equipment.
• Load and verify approved machine recipes and process parameters.
• Conduct production startups following mold, material, label, product, color, or recipe changes.
• Confirm that machine safety devices, mold protection settings, process conditions, and auxiliary equipment are functioning correctly before releasing the line for production.
• Monitor process parameters, machine performance, cycle time, output, scrap, and process stability.
• Adjust process parameters within approved operating limits to maintain product quality and production performance.
• Identify process drift, abnormal machine behavior, and recurring process deviations.
• Record relevant parameter changes and escalate any adjustment required outside the approved process window.
• Perform or support mold, material, label, color, and product changeovers in accordance with approved procedures.
• Verify mold identification, utility connections, line clearance, material preparation, machine recipe, robot program, label setup, and auxiliary equipment configuration.
• Conduct startup trials and restore stable production within approved conditions.
• Obtain the required Quality approval before regular production release.
• Diagnose and correct common injection molding defects affecting product appearance, dimensions, fit, sealing, functionality, and cavity-to-cavity consistency.
• Identify defects such as incomplete filling, flash, deformation, dimensional variation, gate defects, ejection marks, contamination, and recurring cavity-related variation.
• Identify IML defects, including missing, incorrect, doubled, misaligned, folded, damaged, poorly adhered, or visually non-conforming labels.
• Troubleshoot issues involving material feeding, process parameters, hot-runner performance, cooling, ejection, robotic handling, label feeding, positioning, static charging, presence detection, and cycle synchronization.
• Determine whether the probable cause is related to the process, material, mold, machine, robot, automation, label, or operating method.
• Restore stable production when the issue is within the position's training and authorization.
• Escalate complex process, equipment, tooling, automation, or quality issues to the appropriate technical function.
• Conduct routine inspections of machines, molds, robots, label systems, and auxiliary equipment.
• Perform cleaning, lubrication, basic adjustments, and approved autonomous maintenance activities.
• Identify abnormal noise, vibration, leakage, temperature, wear, alarms, or equipment behavior.
• Support preventive maintenance and technical interventions.
• Do not perform specialized electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, automation, or tooling repairs unless trained and authorized.
• Act as the primary injection molding technical resource during the assigned shift.
• Respond to startups, process interruptions, product defects, changeovers, and production instability.
• Determine whether production may continue, requires adjustment, must be placed on hold, or must be escalated.
• Provide a complete technical handover to the incoming shift.
• Support and coach Injection Molding Operators in machine operation, quality checks, process discipline, and standard procedures.

Skills

Independent shift resource

Process troubleshooting

Basic computer skills

Training readiness

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Technical education in plastics processing / injection molding / mechatronics

Tools

Robots

IML systems

Temperature controllers

Mold preparation equipment

Job description

Injection Molding Set up and Operation

• Set up, start, operate, stop, and monitor injection molding machines in accordance with approved setup sheets, work instructions, production schedules, and safety requirements.
• Verify the correct preparation of molds, raw materials, robots, dryers, temperature controllers, material handling systems, label-feeding systems, and other auxiliary equipment.
• Load and verify approved machine recipes and process parameters.
• Conduct production startups following mold, material, label, product, color, or recipe changes.
• Confirm that machine safety devices, mold protection settings, process conditions, and auxiliary equipment are functioning correctly before releasing the line for production.

Process Monitoring and Adjustment

• Monitor process parameters, machine performance, cycle time, output, scrap, and process stability.
• Adjust process parameters within approved operating limits to maintain product quality and production performance.
• Identify process drift, abnormal machine behavior, and recurring process deviations.
• Record relevant parameter changes and escalation any adjustment required outside the approved process window.

Changeovers

• Perform or support mold, material, label, color, and product changeovers in accordance with approved procedures.
• Verify mold identification, utility connections, line clearance, material preparation, machine recipe, robot program, label setup, and auxiliary equipment configuration.
• Conduct startup trials and restore stable production within approved conditions.
• Obtain the required Quality approval before regular production release.

Process, Product, and IML Troubleshooting

• Diagnose and correct common injection molding defects affecting product appearance, dimensions, fit, sealing, functionality, and cavity-to-cavity consistency.
• Identify defects such as incomplete filling, flash, deformation, dimensional variation, gate defects, ejection marks, contamination, and recurring cavity-related variation.
• Identify IML defects, including missing, incorrect, doubled, misaligned, folded, damaged, poorly adhered, or visually non-conforming labels.
• Troubleshoot issues involving material feeding, process parameters, hot-runner performance, cooling, ejection, robotic handling, label feeding, positioning, static charging, presence detection, and cycle synchronization.
• Determine whether the probable cause is related to the process, material, mold, machine, robot, automation, label, or operating method.
• Restore stable production when the issue is within the position's training and authorization.
• Escalate complex process, equipment, tooling, automation, or quality issues to the appropriate technical function.

Equipment Care and Maintenance Support

• Conduct routine inspections of machines, molds, robots, label systems, and auxiliary equipment.
• Perform cleaning, lubrication, basic adjustments, and approved autonomous maintenance activities.
• Identify abnormal noise, vibration, leakage, temperature, wear, alarms, or equipment behavior.
• Support preventive maintenance and technical interventions.
• Do not perform specialized electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, automation, or tooling repairs unless trained and authorized.

Shift Technical Support

• Act as the primary injection molding technical resource during the assigned shift.
• Respond to startups, process interruptions, product defects, changeovers, and production instability.
• Determine whether production may continue, requires adjustment, must be placed on hold, or must be escalated.
• Provide a complete technical handover to the incoming shift.
• Support and coach Injection Molding Operators in machine operation, quality checks, process discipline, and standard procedures.

Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Technical education in plastics processing, injection molding, mechatronics, maintenance, or manufacturing is preferred.
• At least two to three years of hands-on injection molding experience preferred.
• Practical experience in machine setup, production startup, process adjustment, troubleshooting, and defect resolution.
• Experience with mold changes, robots, auxiliary equipment, and IML systems is valued.
• Ability to work independently as the primary injection molding technical resource during the assigned shift.
• Basic computer skills for production, process, quality, and maintenance-support records.
• Ability to complete the company's technical training and internal qualification program.