Plastic Process Technician - 2nd Shift

Theuniversityunion; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 33,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly Pay

Health Insurance

401K with match

Onsite Medical Clinic

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Cascade Engineering, located in Grand Rapids, MI, is hiring for a Set Up/Process Technician level 3 or 4 (2nd shift). You will set up and shut down plastic injection molding equipment, perform mold changes, and troubleshoot defects with a collaborative team across plants.

The role offers growth, learning opportunities, and a supportive work environment with a focus on the Triple Bottom Line and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older.
• High school diploma or GED or equivalent; 4–5+ years plastics experience.
• Valid driver’s license or ability to operate with limbs and coordination; doctor’s note for vision if required.
• Technical experience with plastic injection molding; hands-on with raw materials, mold setup, troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Start up and shut down of plastic injection molding equipment.
• Troubleshoot molding defects and equipment issues; work with robots and tooling.
• Assist with mold changes, cleaning, dryers, and support tasks across the team.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Fast-paced environment

Troubleshooting

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associates Degree in Plastics (preferred)

Tools

Crane operation

Mold set-up

Job description

• Location 5145 36th Street,Grand Rapids, MI, 49512,United States
• Job Category Technical , Troubleshooting
• Industry Plastic Injection Molding, Manufacturing
• Employee Type Full Time

Cascade Engineering is a Family of Companies that invests in our triple bottom line philosophy - People, Planet and Profit. We have been in business for over 50 years in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We manufacture injection molding/plastic products for automotive, office furniture, polymer compounding, waste and recycling industries. We focus on driving organizational excellence through a people centered leadership culture based on the principles of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Are you looking for a positive and encouraging environment? Are you seeking a position where you are included, recognized and celebrated? You belong here! Are you excited for what is ahead? We are too!

Scope of Responsibility

Cascade Engineering is currently hiring for the position of Set Up/Process Technician level 3 or 4. In this role, you will be responsible for setting up, shutting down, mold changes and troubleshooting mold defects and machines. In this opportunity, you will have the ability to develop and grow your technical skills.

You will have an opportunity to work with a diverse, supportive and driven team across all the plants! With this opportunity, you will be collaborating with your team to produce high quality components while learning to build new processes and work as a team to solve complex issues while working with large-scale plastic molding presses.

Location: West Plant (5050 33rd St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512)

Shift: 2nd shift from 3:00pm - 11:10pm (including over time and weekends as business needs arise)

Target Pay: The target starting base salary for this position is $24.76 - $39.78/hour (plus $1.00 shift premium and quarterly bonus incentive). Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Cascade Engineering considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.

General Responsibilities

Day to day – Responsible for starting up and shutting down of plastic injection molding equipment. Conducting timely and accurate installations and removal of injection molds and dies. Assisting with troubleshooting of plastic injection molding presses

Troubleshooting – In this role, you will lean on your extensive knowledge of plastics and communicate any equipment issues/breakdowns to maintenance. Troubleshoot molding defects such as splay and short shots and identify continuous improvement opportunities. You will have the opportunity to work in a team environment to diagnose, troubleshoot and solve complex issues dealing with robots, hot stamp technology and other tooling issues

Support - While working collaboratively with all levels of the team you will be responsible for offering support where needed. This could include cleaning hoppers, doing moisture checks and setting up dryers. You could be called upon to help with various mold changes, crane operation and color changes

Culture Bearer

• Understands and supports the values of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
• Exhibits high moral and ethical standards and high integrity
• Values people regardless of their background
• Exhibits the traits of a servant leader
• Exhibit the principles of 7 Habits and Emotional Intelligence
• Encourages open dialogue and communication
• Develops high trust relationships within all levels of the organization

At Cascade Engineering, we welcome and celebrate diversity and inclusion. We are committed to fostering an authentic workplace where everyone belongs and thrives, and we look forward to welcoming candidates who are enthusiastic about our community. We recognize that women and people of color are often underrepresented in manufacturing and want to see this change. When making hiring decisions, we believe in considering the whole person and the life experiences they bring to our teams. Our diversity drives our innovation and has been integral to our success.

Requirements

• Must be 18 years or older
• Must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent; or equivalent experience (4-5+ years of plastics experience)
• Must have a valid driver’s license or be able to use all 4 limbs such as arms, legs (upper and lower limbs), torso/trunk at the shoulder. Have coordination of eyes, hands and feet. Not have any known/documented convulsive disorders and corrected vision (obtain doctor’s note verifying proof of the corrected vision)
• Technical experience with plastic injection molding required, along with hands‑on experience with raw materials, mold set‑up, and troubleshooting skills
• Must be well organized
• Able to operate in a fast pace environment
• Basic computer skills
• Effective communicator, both written and verbal; good visual skills and reasoning ability

Preferred Education

• Associates Degree in Plastics is preferred
• Previous Lock Out/Tag Out experience is preferred
• Prior Overhead Chain and Crane is preferred
• Previous Routsis or Paulson training is preferred
• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance - Starting on Day 1
• Life Insurance (Company Paid and Supplemental)
• 401K with match – Starting on Day 1
• Flex Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• Quarterly Bonus Program
• Paid Time Off
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short- and Long-Term Disability (Company Paid)
• Onsite Medical Clinic
• Weekly Pay
• Childcare Assistance (Tri-Share)
• Attendance Recognition Program
• Voucher programs for Safety Shoes and Prescription Safety Glasses
• Employee Discount Programs
• Employee Referral & Retention Bonus Program