Plastics Process Development Engineer — Injection Molding

100Hires, Inc.; Anderson (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

100Hires, Inc. is seeking a Plastics Process Development Engineer — Injection Molding in Anderson, IN to anchor plant stability and drive robust molding processes for PP and PC materials.

You will define process windows, publish setup docs, mentor technicians, and lead DOE/SPC initiatives to reduce defects and improve cycle times across shifts.

Qualifications

• BS in Plastics, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related Engineering discipline.
• Experience with PP and PC material behavior in molding.
• 7–10 years of hands-on injection molding process engineering.
• Evidence of data-driven problem solving for complex process issues.

Responsibilities

• Define, validate, and sustain scientific process windows for PP, PC, and similar resins.
• Establish golden settings around melt temperature/shear, velocity profiles, pack/hold pressure and time, cooling efficiency, and mold temperature control.
• Publish controlled setup documentation and standard work; mentor technicians and operators to protect process integrity across shifts.
• Lead root-cause investigations into hesitation, jetting, sinks, warp, blush, splay, burns, voids, and dimensional instability.
• Correlate defects to moisture/degradation, venting/cooling/gating, and machine response/screw recovery.
• Deploy DOE, cavity pressure analytics, and SPC to implement durable solutions.
• Run mold trials, guide steel-safe changes, and launch new tools; confirm molds can run within defined windows.
• Define wear components and PM expectations; own Cp/Cpk for molding processes.
• Apply SPC to critical parameters and part characteristics; pivot quality from inspection-heavy to process-controlled.
• Use data to resolve scrap, quality holds, and customer complaints.
• Commission and validate presses, robots, dryers, chillers, and material handling systems; verify equipment capability aligns with resin and mold needs.
• Reduce cycle time responsibly—never at the expense of part performance or mold life.
• Uphold safety, environmental, and quality standards.
• Enable consistent performance through strong cross-shift communication.

Skills

Data-driven problem solving

Injection molding

PP/PC materials

DOE

SPC

Six Sigma

Mold design

MS Office / MES

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Plastics/Mechanical/Manufacturing

Tools

RJG Master Molder I/II

DOE software

Lean tools

MS Excel

MES systems

Job description

Are you the go-to expert for scientific molding?Do you engineer processes that hold up under pressure? Can you take PP and PC from first shot to stable window, translate resin behavior into actionable settings, and coach a plant to run them flawlessly? If your answer is yes, read on.Role snapshotPosition Title: Plastics Process Development Engineer — Injection MoldingReports To: Sr. Manager of EngineeringLocation: AndersonDepartment: Engineering / OperationsThis description outlines the role’s primary scope and responsibilities; it is not a comprehensive list of all tasks and skills.Hands-on, floor-first impact: This role anchors plant stability and performance by building, protecting, and continuously improving robust molding processes.Impact you’ll makeDefine, validate, and sustain scientific process windows for PP, PC, and similar resins.Establish golden settings around melt temperature/shear, velocity profiles, pack/hold pressure and time, cooling efficiency, and mold temperature control.Integrate resin-specific science: PP viscosity, shrink, crystallization; PC thermal sensitivity.Publish controlled setup documentation and standard work; mentor technicians and operators to protect process integrity across shifts.Lead root-cause investigations into hesitation, jetting, sinks, warp, blush, splay, burns, voids, and dimensional instability.Correlate defects to moisture/degradation, venting/cooling/gating, and machine response/screw recovery.Deploy DOE, cavity pressure analytics, and SPC to implement durable solutions.Partner with Tool Room and Maintenance to optimize cooling circuits, venting and gas evacuation, and ejection/part release.Run mold trials, guide steel-safe changes, and launch new tools; confirm molds can run within defined windows.Define wear components and PM expectations; own Cp/Cpk for molding processes.Apply SPC to critical parameters and part characteristics; pivot quality from inspection-heavy to process-controlled.Use data to resolve scrap, quality holds, and customer complaints.Commission and validate presses (electric/hydraulic/hybrid), robots, dryers, chillers, and material handling systems; verify equipment capability aligns with resin and mold needs.Reduce cycle time responsibly—never at the expense of part performance or mold life.Uphold safety, environmental, and quality standards.Enable consistent performance through strong cross-shift communication.Execute related duties as required.QualificationsRequiredBS in Plastics, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related Engineering discipline.7–10 years of hands-on injection molding process engineering.Proficiency with PP and PC material behavior in molding.Evidence of data-driven problem solving for complex process issues.PreferredRJG Master Molder I/II or equivalent scientific molding certification.Experience with DOE, SPC, and Six Sigma.Background in high-volume, multi-press production.Core capabilitiesExpertise in molding processes, mold design, resin behavior, and parameter development.Comfort reading drawings/specs and mining process data for insight.Analytical, structured problem solver with quality improvement toolkit.Strong communicator and collaborator; self-directed continuous improver.Working knowledge of Lean; fluency with MS Office and MES.Tools, methods, and knowledge areasEngineering degree fundamentalsData analysis and manipulationContinuous improvement, Lean, KaizenMeasurement System Analysis (MSA)5 Why and Fishbone (Ishikawa) root cause methodsAdvanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)Supplier managementMotor replacement/repair/maintenanceManufacturing instructions (MI)Troubleshooting industrial automation equipmentProcess engineering and process developmentProduction optimizationDesign for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA)Quality control practices; non-conforming product identificationMechanical design and engineering; tolerance analysisElectrical/electronic systems familiaritySix Sigma experienceOperational risk managementProduction planning and schedulingHigh-level operations analysisBudgeting and forecasting exposureQuality control data analysis