Lead Process Engineer: Manufacturing Optimization

Advanced Powder Products, Inc.; Philipsburg (Centre County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Advanced Powder Products, Inc. seeks a Lead Process Engineer to oversee process development, optimization, and project execution across manufacturing operations. You will lead engineers and technicians, mentor the team, and drive new product introductions while ensuring quality and efficiency.

The ideal candidate has a B.S. in engineering, 5+ years in manufacturing, and 2+ years in leadership. You will interpret blueprints, use Minitab and MS Office, and design tooling with solid modeling

Qualifications

• B.S. in engineering or technical discipline.
• 5+ years manufacturing experience.
• 2+ years in a leadership or supervisory role preferred.
• Read and interpret blueprints and engineering drawings.
• Proficient with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Minitab.
• Experience with polymer compounding, injection molding, sintering, or CNC machining.
• Able to design tooling, fixtures, and parts using solid modeling software.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of process engineers and techs, providing technical guidance and career development support.
• Conduct periodic performance appraisals and provide formal feedback to team members.
• Participate in hiring and training team members.
• Develop, configure, and optimize manufacturing processes from concept to production (NPI).
• Drive scale-up of new products from prototype to full-scale manufacturing.
• Analyze process data and performance metrics to identify opportunities to improve output and quality.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for process deviations or production issues.
• Assist in ramp-up of new equipment (IQ, OQ, PQ) and support preventive maintenance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (R&D, Quality, Maintenance, Operations).
• Develop and maintain process documentation: SOPs, process maps, work instructions.
• Implement tools or automation to enhance process capability and safety.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct process validations and capability studies.
• Participate in Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide training to molding technicians and production staff.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Process optimization

Data analysis

Communication

Problem solving

Safety compliance

Project management

Blueprint reading

Mentoring

Education

B.S. in Engineering or technical discipline

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Outlook

Minitab

Solid modeling software

Job description

Advanced Powder Products, Inc. seeks a Lead Process Engineer to oversee process development, optimization, and project execution across manufacturing operations. You will lead engineers and technicians, mentor the team, and drive new product introductions while ensuring quality and efficiency.

The ideal candidate has a B.S. in engineering, 5+ years in manufacturing, and 2+ years in leadership. You will interpret blueprints, use Minitab and MS Office, and design tooling with solid modeling