Process Engineer

LeoForce; Lynchburg (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K plan

Paid time off

Job summary

LeoForce is seeking a hands-on Process Engineer in Lynchburg, VA, with strong injection molding experience to develop, optimize, and troubleshoot molding processes in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

The role focuses on process stability, quality, productivity, scrap reduction, and new mold/product launches. Candidates should solve root causes on the production floor and mentor technicians.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years in injection molding process engineering or development.
• Bachelor-level degree in plastics/ manufacturing/ mechanical engineering or related field.
• Strong knowledge of thermoplastics, molds, cooling, and hot runners.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and optimize injection molding processes.
• Lead mold trials, sampling, qualification, and production launches.
• Establish process windows based on materials, molds, and equipment capabilities.
• Troubleshoot defects: short shots, flash, burns, splay, warpage, sinks, voids, weld lines, dimensional variation.
• Identify root causes related to equipment, molds, materials, methods, and processing conditions.
• Improve cycle times, scrap, startup waste, downtime, and overall efficiency.
• Develop process docs, setup sheets, troubleshooting guides, and standard work.
• Support PFMEAs, control plans, DOE, corrective actions, and process validations.
• Analyze data to identify continuous improvement opportunities.

Skills

Injection molding

Root-cause analysis

Problem solving

Education

Bachelors in Plastics/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Job description

Process Engineer

Lynchburg,VA, US

Job Description

Experience: Mid Level

Salary: $90,000 - $115,000 per year

Job Details

About the Role

We are seeking a hands‑on Process Engineer with strong injection molding experience to develop, optimize, and troubleshoot molding processes in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment. This role will have significant impact on process stability, quality, productivity, scrap reduction, and new mold/product launches. The ideal candidate takes a scientific approach to molding, enjoys solving complex problems on the production floor, and focuses on identifying root causes rather than temporary fixes.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and optimize injection molding processes using scientific molding principles.
• Lead new mold trials, sampling, qualification, and production launches.
• Establish and maintain robust process windows based on materials, molds, and equipment capabilities.
• Troubleshoot molding defects including short shots, flash, burns, splay, warpage, sink, voids, weld lines, and dimensional variation.
• Identify root causes related to equipment, molds, materials, methods, and processing conditions.
• Optimize cycle times, scrap, startup waste, downtime, and overall process efficiency.
• Develop and maintain process documentation, setup sheets, troubleshooting guides, and standard work.
• Support PFMEAs, control plans, capability studies, DOE, corrective actions, and process validations.
• Analyze production and process data to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Partner with Production, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, Materials, and Automation teams.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to Process Technicians and other manufacturing personnel.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of injection molding process engineering or process development experience.
• Degree in Plastics Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; equivalent hands‑on experience considered.
• Strong knowledge of thermoplastic materials, mold construction, cooling systems, hot runners, material handling, and auxiliary equipment.
• Experience with hydraulic, electric, or hybrid injection molding equipment.
• Strong troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to interpret drawings, specifications, tolerances, and process data.
• Comfortable working hands‑on in a production environment.

Preferred Experience

• Scientific molding training through RJG, Paulson, AIM Institute, or similar.
• Blow molding experience.
• RJG eDART or cavity‑pressure monitoring.
• Experience in medical device, aerospace, automotive, or other regulated manufacturing.
• Experience with DOE, Gage R&R, capability studies, or process validation.
• Automation, robotics, vision systems, Lean, or Six Sigma experience.

A bit about us:

Our client is a growing, and industry leading manufacturing company focused on providing dynamic products to a variety of industries!

Why join us?

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• 401K
• PTO