Materials Process Engineer

Placon Corporation; Plymouth (MN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Next-generation materials and products

Advanced manufacturing technologies

Cross-functional collaboration with R&

Capital projects influence

Growth-focused environment

Competitive compensation

Impact on product quality and profit

Job summary

Placon Corporation is seeking a Materials Process Engineer to develop and qualify new materials for thermoforming, drive process improvements, and support capital projects. You will partner across Innovation, Design, Engineering, and Production to ensure material specifications and processes meet product goals.

The role emphasizes data-driven decision making, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and maintaining technical documentation to support manufacturing excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Strong technical understanding of polymer materials, processing methods, and testing techniques.
• Experience collecting and analyzing data to support process and product decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute plans to qualify new materials and products while demonstrating process capability.
• Investigate, test, and establish specifications for new materials used in thermoforming processes, including mono- and multilayer coextrusions, laminations, and coatings.
• Collect, analyze, and present data-driven recommendations to support decision-making.
• Support capital equipment projects by becoming a subject matter expert on materials, processes, and equipment.
• Create work instructions, process documentation, and training materials for production teams.
• Collaborate with Design and Engineering teams to support new product development and tooling requirements.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including specifications and technical data sheets.
• Establish and review product standards for material usage, labor, and equipment performance.
• Support process development and continuous improvement initiatives within ISO quality systems.
• Prepare capital expenditure proposals and support project approval processes.
• Research and evaluate next-generation materials and manufacturing technologies.

Skills

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Written and verbal communication

Organizational skills

Troubleshooting

Time management

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Tools

ERP systems

QMS software

Oracle

InfinityQS

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Materials Process Engineer

We're looking for a curious and hands-on Materials Process Engineer who enjoys solving manufacturing challenges, developing innovative materials, and driving continuous improvement. If you have a strong technical background in polymers or materials science and enjoy collaborating across engineering, innovation, and production teams, this is a great opportunity to make a meaningful impact on new product development and manufacturing excellence.

Compensation

Competitive salary based on experience.

Work Schedule

Standard business hours, M-F 8am - 5pm | Additional flexibility as needed to support projects, trials, and equipment implementation.

Why Placon – You'll Love It Here

• Play a key role in developing next-generation materials and products
• Work with advanced manufacturing technologies and processes
• Collaborate with Innovation, Design, Engineering, and Production teams
• Influence capital projects and process improvements across the organization
• Growth-focused environment that encourages learning and innovation
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package
• Opportunity to make a direct impact on product quality, efficiency, and profitability

What You'll Do

• Develop and execute plans to qualify new materials and products while demonstrating process capability
• Investigate, test, and establish specifications for new materials used in thermoforming processes, including mono- and multilayer coextrusions, laminations, and coatings
• Collect, analyze, and present data-driven recommendations to support decision-making
• Support capital equipment projects by becoming a subject matter expert on materials, processes, and equipment
• Create work instructions, process documentation, and training materials for production teams
• Collaborate with Design and Engineering teams to support new product development and tooling requirements
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including specifications and technical data sheets
• Establish and review product standards for material usage, labor, and equipment performance
• Support process development and continuous improvement initiatives within ISO quality systems
• Prepare capital expenditure proposals and support project approval processes
• Research and evaluate next-generation materials and manufacturing technologies

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field
• Strong technical understanding of polymer materials, processing methods, and testing techniques
• Experience collecting and analyzing data to support process and product decisions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams
• Strong organizational, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
• Self-motivated with exceptional attention to detail and time management skills

What Makes You Stand Out

• Experience in a manufacturing environment
• Knowledge of extrusion, thermoforming, and related plastics processing technologies
• Understanding of statistical process control and capability analysis
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies
• Project management experience, including project planning, risk identification, and milestone tracking
• Familiarity with ERP systems, QMS software, Oracle, InfinityQS, and Microsoft Office Suite

Work Environment

• Combination of office and manufacturing environments
• Exposure to industrial equipment, including extruders, thermoformers, and trim presses
• GMP-certified manufacturing environment, ISO 9001-certified facility, and ISO 8 clean room operations.

Travel

• Limited travel, including local, regional, national, and occasional international trips to support projects, suppliers, and industry events

Placon employment offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug test, basic physical, background check, educational verification, and reference checks (as applicable).

Placon requires that employees have and maintain authorization to work in the country in which the role is based. In general, Placon does not sponsor candidates for non-immigrant visas or permanent residency unless based on business need.

Placon is committed to equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, marital status, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or other protected characteristics.

This role requires the ability to work through differing perspectives and resolve conflict in a respectful and professional manner consistent with The Placon Way.