Manufacturing Process Engineer - Plastics

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health care program

Paid time off

Competitive benefit programs

Job summary

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences in Indianapolis is seeking a Process Engineer to support quality and operations teams by driving process optimization in plastics manufacturing. This on-site role requires strong knowledge of engineering principles and experience in troubleshooting manufacturing issues.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 3+ years of experience in process engineering, with expertise in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies. The company offers competitive benefits in a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of manufacturing engineering or process engineering experience.
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles.
• Experience with manufacturing automation and process controls.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes to improve performance.
• Troubleshoot process issues using data analysis tools.
• Lead root cause investigations for quality defects.

Skills

Troubleshooting manufacturing processes

Process optimization

Data analysis

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Process, Industrial, Plastics)

Tools

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Statistical software tools

Job description

The Process Engineer supports the operations, quality, maintenance, and engineering teams by driving process optimization, troubleshooting manufacturing issues, improving equipment and process performance, and leading continuous improvement initiatives across plastics manufacturing operations. This role is intended for individuals with a strong understanding of plastics manufacturing processes, automation systems, data analysis, and problem-solving methodologies who can effectively lead technical projects in a fast‑paced, complex production environment.

This position reports to the Plastics Engineering Manager and is part of the Plastics Manufacturing Engineering Team located in Indianapolis, IN and will be an on‑site role.

In This Role, You Will Have The Opportunity To

• Develop, optimize, and sustain injection molding, blow molding, automation, and secondary manufacturing processes to improve safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Troubleshoot process, equipment, tooling, material, and automation‑related issues using structured problem‑solving methodologies, while leveraging manufacturing data and statistical analysis tools to improve process capability, reduce scrap, increase yield, and maximize overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Lead root cause investigations for quality defects, process deviations, equipment‑related issues, and customer complaints.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions, continuous improvement initiatives, and operational excellence efforts focused on cycle time reduction, waste elimination, labor efficiency, capacity expansion, and cost reduction.
• Support the full lifecycle of manufacturing equipment and processes, including validation, qualification, installation, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness activities.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, quality, supply chain, equipment suppliers, mold manufacturers, and automation integrators to establish process standards, support new product introductions and engineering changes, and ensure long‑term manufacturing performance and reliability.

The Essential Requirements Of The Job Include

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Process, Industrial, Plastics, or related field) with 3+ years of manufacturing engineering, process engineering, or plastics processing experience, including demonstrated success troubleshooting and optimizing manufacturing processes in a high‑volume production environment.
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles, statistical analysis, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies, including Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5‑Why, Fishbone Analysis, DOE, SPC, and FMEA, with the ability to analyze complex technical problems and implement practical, data‑driven solutions.
• Experience working with manufacturing automation, process controls, data collection systems, and industrial equipment, combined with strong project management, organizational, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills to effectively manage multiple priorities and drive business results.

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environment Requirements

• Ability to lift, move or carry equipment up to 50 lbs, any other physical requirements

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in:

• Experience with plastics manufacturing processes, including injection molding, blow molding, mold qualification, automation systems, robotics, vision inspection systems, and material handling systems.
• Experience supporting regulated manufacturing environments through process validation, IQ/OQ/PQ execution, equipment qualification, CAPA investigations, nonconformance investigations, and the use of MES, SCADA, ERP, industrial networking, data analytics, and statistical software tools.
• Demonstrated success leading OEE improvement initiatives, process capability studies, cycle time optimization, scrap reduction, cost savings projects, equipment installations, automation integration, manufacturing expansions, and new product introductions.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

Danaher Corporation and all Danaher Companies are committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The U.S. EEO posters are available here. We comply with federal and state disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact: 1‑202‑419‑7762 or [e-mail].