Plastics Engineer - Manufacturing

United Pipeline Systems, Inc.; Farmington (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision

401(k) with company match

Life Insurance

Short/Long Term Disability

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Professional development

Career growth

Job summary

United Pipeline Systems, Inc. is seeking a Plastics Engineer to lead rotational lining operations and optimize thermoplastic lining processes for high-quality pipe components.

You will work with production, maintenance, and quality teams to improve cycle times, material handling, and product performance. Qualifications include a plastics engineering degree and 3–7+ years in plastics processing, with hands-on rotational molding experience and strong documentation skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering or related field.
• 3–7+ years of experience in plastics processing or manufacturing engineering.
• Hands-on experience with rotational molding, rotational lining, and thermoplastic processing equipment.
• Strong understanding of thermoplastic material behavior and processing parameters.
• Proven ability to develop process parameters, troubleshoot defects, and improve process consistency.
• Experience collaborating with production, maintenance, and quality teams.

Responsibilities

• Own and support rotational lining machine operations and process control from material prep to finished product evaluation.
• Develop and optimize temperature profiles, heating/cooling cycles, rotation speeds, and material loading.
• Set process windows and standards for consistent lining thickness and surface quality.
• Troubleshoot defects, variability, and quality issues in the lining process.
• Evaluate materials and how thermal history affects finished lining properties.
• Collaborate with maintenance and production to improve cycle time and throughput.
• Improve equipment, fixtures, and process instrumentation; establish preventive maintenance.

Skills

Plastics processing

Manufacturing engineering

Rotational molding

Materials science

Education

Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering

Job description

What We Do

Since 1985, United Pipeline Systems, Inc. has built a reputation for innovation, expertise, and excellence in pipeline integrity. Today, United is the global leader in high-performance thermoplastic internal pipeline lining systems, delivering proven solutions that protect critical infrastructure from corrosion and abrasion across the oil & gas, mining, industrial, municipal, and energy markets.

With more than 40 years of experience, United has protected over 30,000 miles of pipeline in more than 30 countries through our industry-leading Tite Liner® system and other engineered lining solutions. Our success is built on innovative technology, exceptional service, and an unwavering commitment to safety and quality.

As we expand our global reach, product offerings, and manufacturing capabilities, we're looking for talented, hardworking people to grow with us. At United, safety comes first, dedication is recognized, and employees have opportunities to develop their skills and build rewarding careers.

Job Description

We're seeking a Plastics Engineer to provide technical leadership and process support for United Pipeline Systems' rotational lining operations. This role will focus on the rotational molding/lining equipment and manufacturing processes used to produce high-quality thermoplastic-lined pipe, fittings, and related components.

The Plastics Engineer will develop, optimize, document, and troubleshoot rotational lining processes, with particular emphasis on material behavior, heating and cooling cycles, rotational parameters, lining thickness and uniformity, surface preparation, and finished-product quality. This position will work closely with production, quality, maintenance, and engineering teams to improve process consistency, equipment capability, throughput, and overall product performance.

Salary

$90,000-$130,000 annually, based on experience, with growth potential

Key Responsibilities

• Provide engineering ownership and day-to-day technical support for the rotational lining machine and lining process, from material preparation through heating, rotation, cooling, inspection, and finished-product evaluation.
• Develop, document, and optimize rotational lining parameters, including temperature profiles, heating time, rotational speed, cooling cycles, material loading, and part positioning.
• Establish process windows and operating standards that produce consistent lining thickness, coverage, surface quality, and overall finished-product integrity.
• Troubleshoot lining defects and process variation, including uneven lining thickness, incomplete coverage, voids, bubbles, surface defects, material degradation, and other quality issues.
• Evaluate thermoplastic materials used in rotational lining and understand how material properties, powder characteristics, processing temperatures, and thermal history affect the finished lining.
• Work closely with operators and production leadership to improve cycle time, repeatability, throughput, scrap/rework, and overall equipment effectiveness.
• Support the design, modification, and improvement of rotational lining equipment, fixtures, tooling, controls, and process instrumentation.
• Partner with maintenance personnel to identify equipment-related causes of process variation and establish preventive maintenance and calibration requirements for critical process equipment.
• Develop and maintain process documentation, including work instructions, process specifications, parameter sheets, troubleshooting guides, inspection criteria, and process-control records.
• Establish appropriate inspection and testing methods for lined products and analyze quality data to identify trends and drive corrective actions.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations and continuous-improvement projects using tools such as FMEA, SPC, DOE, and Lean manufacturing methods.
• Support development and qualification of new lined products, pipe/fitting configurations, materials, and process improvements.
• Provide technical training to rotational lining operators, maintenance personnel, and other manufacturing employees.
• Visit project sites regularly and travel as required.

• Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related field.
• 3-7+ years of experience in plastics processing, manufacturing engineering, or a related manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with rotational molding, rotational lining, thermoplastic processing, or comparable thermal plastics-processing equipment.
• Strong understanding of thermoplastic material behavior, including the relationship between temperature, time, material flow, cooling, and finished-part properties.
• Demonstrated ability to develop manufacturing process parameters, troubleshoot defects, perform root-cause analysis, and improve process consistency.
• Experience working directly with production equipment, operators, maintenance, and quality personnel in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to analyze process data, identify sources of variation, and translate findings into practical manufacturing improvements.
• Strong technical documentation and communication skills.

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Basic Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Voluntary Long Term Disability & Life AD&D.
• Paid time off
• Paid holidays
• Opportunities for advancement and professional development