Molding Process Engineer — Plant Lead (Aurora)

Pretium Packaging, L.L.C.; Aurora (IL); On-site; USD 77,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Pretium Packaging is seeking a hands-on Process Engineer for our Aurora, Illinois plant. You will be the technical authority for molding process development, optimization, and validation, working to improve cycle times, part weight, and scrap reduction.

The role emphasizes practical troubleshooting, data-driven improvements, and collaboration with Quality, Maintenance, Tooling, and Engineering to sustain robust molding processes and enable successful new-mold launches.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Plastics, Chemical, Packaging or Manufacturing Engineering or related field.
• Hands-on experience developing, troubleshooting, and optimizing plastic molding processes.
• Knowledge of SPC, control charts, process capability, dimensional and weight data, process windows, root-cause analysis, and production validation.
• Ability to connect machine and mold parameters to part quality, cycle time, and repeatability.
• Experience with molding equipment and automation; familiarity with Aoki, Uniloy, Zhongya or similar platforms is beneficial.
• Ability to lead structured trials, document findings, and communicate recommendations across Production, Quality, Maintenance, Tooling, and Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Establish robust molding process windows, setup standards, centerline settings, and operating limits.
• Apply SPC, control charts, and trend analysis to evaluate stability and performance.
• Lead capability studies, process trials, designed experiments, first-article runs, and validations.
• Diagnose variation sources related to machine, mold, resin, drying, temperature, and tooling.
• Partner with Quality to define critical-to-quality characteristics and acceptance criteria.
• Use data to distinguish common vs. special-cause variation and implement corrective actions.
• Optimize cycle time across molding steps while protecting quality and equipment.
• Troubleshoot equipment and control-system issues with Maintenance and Controls teams.
• Develop and validate process changes, documentation, and training materials.

Skills

Process engineering

SPC & control charts

Molding process optimization

Root-cause analysis

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Plastics/Packaging Eng

Related engineering experience allowed

Job description

Pretium Packaging is seeking a hands-on Process Engineer for our Aurora, Illinois plant. You will be the technical authority for molding process development, optimization, and validation, working to improve cycle times, part weight, and scrap reduction.

The role emphasizes practical troubleshooting, data-driven improvements, and collaboration with Quality, Maintenance, Tooling, and Engineering to sustain robust molding processes and enable successful new-mold launches.