Production Engineer

Bakelite Synthetics; Wilmington (NC); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Bakelite in Wilmington, NC, is seeking a Production Engineer to optimize chemical processes, lead safety and cost improvements, and drive capital projects. You will direct the site production team to ensure safe, on-time, high-quality manufacturing.

The role requires a BS in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, experience in process control and Six Sigma, and collaboration with maintenance and QA to sustain ISO compliance and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in plant engineering or production duties in chemical processing or similar.
• B.S. degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering.
• Expertise with MS Office and Incuity Process Control applications.
• Customer focus and ability to adapt to internal and external needs.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with minimal direction and prioritize effectively.
• Knowledge of Six Sigma; green belt would be an advantage; SAP knowledge is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage production organization in a safe and compliant manner to maximize value.
• Oversee process optimization of Hexamine, Formaldehyde and Aqua ammonia processes.
• Identify and develop production personnel; act as Incident Commander in emergencies.
• Contribute to evolving the facility Operational Excellence program for continuous improvement.
• Ensure customer expectations for quality and delivery are met.
• Lead plant and process improvement projects and coordinate with Maintenance on work orders.

Skills

MS Office

Incuity

Six Sigma

Customer focus

Analytical tools

Education

B.S. in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

Posted Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM

At Bakelite, you’ll help us create a better tomorrow with sustainable and innovative chemistry today.

We’re Everywhere. Everywhere you look, you’ll find products enabled by Bakelite, from stronger homes to safer automobiles and everywhere in between. With more than 100 years of history and strong customer relationships, we boldly engineer sustainable products to tackle our world’s most challenging demands.

Join Our Team and Help Us Build a Stronger, Safer, Better World.

It’s Better with Bakelite.

Production Engineer: The Impact You’ll Have On The Organization and World

• In this position you will be responsible for process optimization at the site, covering safety, productivity, and cost.
• You will create value by use of your leadership skills and expertise to direct the site production team to ensure quality products are manufactured safely, on-time, at a competitive cost and without significant incident.
• You will work to complete capital projects and EHS activities while managing the OSHA’s Process Safety Management and the EPA’s Risk Management Programs at the site and for leading incident investigations, conduct production trainings, and perform general troubleshooting.
• You will train to back up to the Site Leader when the Site Leader is out of the office.

Life in Riegelwood:

• Our local Bakelite team is proud of its commitment to safety. We recently celebrated nine years with no recordable injuries – a major milestone for a chemical manufacturing company.
• Riegelwood is a short drive from lots of picturesque coastal communities, including Carolina Beach and Myrtle Beach. Wilmington is also a popular nearby destination, with lots of cultural attractions and historical sites to explore.
• With the Wilmington International Airport close by, you can easily hop a flight to anywhere in the world.

What Does a Typical Day Look Like?

Here are your primary responsibilities:

Productivity/Cost

• Lead and manage production organization in a safe and compliant manner that returns maximum value to the company.
• Responsible for process optimization of the Hexamine, Formaldehyde and Aqua ammonia processes.
• Identify, assess, and continue the professional development of production personnel.
• Acting Incident Commander in case of emergency responses.
• Provide input to evolve the facility Operational Excellence program to drive continuous improvement.
• Meet customer expectations of product quality and delivery.
• Champion and lead process and plant improvement initiatives. Conceive, design, fund, install and manage improvement projects.
• Meet with Maintenance on weekly basis to help prioritize work orders and outage plans.
• Help Maintenance troubleshooting efforts including data gathering and automation tools.
• Lead capacity creation improvements through process improvements. Co-owner of Site Effective Efficiency and Productivity Metrics.

Safety

• Ensure that safe work practices as specified in the Bakelite Safety Manual are followed.
• Oversee the OSHA PSM programs including the required Process Safety Information (PSI) related to the technology of the process, maintain the “master copy”, and authorize all additions or changes to the PSI through the management of change (MOC) procedure.
• Lead or assist in PHA reviews.
• Develop, maintain, review, and certify on an annual basis that standard operating procedures are accurate and reflect current operating practices .
• Actively participates on the site safety committee.
• Participate in safety incident investigations and provide solutions to prevent recurrence.
• Drive and promote ownership of the safety program throughout the site.
• Ensure that operating procedures are up to date and accurate.
• Ensure that assigned compliance items are completed as required.

Quality

• Participate in Quality incident investigations and provide solutions to prevent recurrence.
• Work with Site Admin to maintain ISO documentation including revisions to the Production related procedures.
• Champion use Six Sigma and Lean tools in teams to improve quality and productivity.
• Help ensure environmental policies and practices are followed at the site.
• Support the development and implementation of environmental programs and regulations.
• Participate in environmental incident investigations and provide solutions to prevent recurrence.
• Recommend waste reduction methods and formula changes to reduce process waste.
• Ensure that assigned compliance items are completed as required.

What is Needed to be Successful in this Role (Required Skills/Abilities):

• Minimum of at least 2 years’ experience in plant engineering or production duties in the chemical process or similar industries.
• B.S. Degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering.
• Expertise with MS Office and Incuity Process Control applications.
• Customer focus, ability to adjust efforts to meet the needs of internal and external customer.
• Skilled and experienced in addressing multiple priorities/projects with minimum direction while prioritizing and maintaining focus.
• Ability to employ analytical/statistical tools (Six Sigma), green belt certified would be an advantage.
• SAP knowledge would be an asset.

We are an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, minority status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any characteristic protected by law.

In order to be considered for this position candidates are required to submit an application for employment through our career site, be at least 18 years or age, willing to take a drug test, submit to a background investigation as part of the selection process, as well as additional periodic background checks as required by the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) or regulations adopted by the Department of Homeland Security or other regulatory agencies. Candidates are required to have unrestricted authorization to work in the United States. This company participates in E-Verify.