Production Engineer Senior Specialist

Toyota Boshoku America; Hopkinsville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

401k with company match

Paid time off & holidays

Medical, dental & vision benefits

Job summary

Toyota Boshoku America seeks an experienced engineer to own and optimize E-Coat, pretreatment, and related paint processes within our Kentucky manufacturing operations. You will define operating parameters, drive process stability, quality, and environmental performance, and lead trials for production readiness.

Collaboration with Maintenance, Quality, and suppliers will be essential to reduce cost and improve coating outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering as listed; six+ years in manufacturing/processing environments preferred.
• Experience with E-Coat, pretreatment, or related coating processes is highly desirable.
• Strong problem-solving and data interpretation skills; TPS knowledge is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and own E-Coat, pretreatment, and paint processes.
• Set operating parameters (pH, conductivity, voltage, temperature, flow, chemicals).
• Monitor process capability and KPIs; implement countermeasures for deviations.
• Lead trials, validate processes, and drive production readiness and environmental compliance.
• Coordinate with Maintenance, Quality, and suppliers for continuous improvement.
• Support capital projects, equipment installation, and new model launches.

Skills

Coating technology

Chemical process control

Root cause analysis

TPS knowledge

Statistical data interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical/Materials/Manufacturing/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

• General Summary: Provide engineering ownership and onsite support for all E-Coat, pretreatment, paint process, and associated environmental systems within the manufacturing operation. Responsible for process design, development, optimization, production readiness, coating quality, chemical systems management, equipment improvement, new model support, environmental compliance, and continuous improvement. The position ensures safe, stable, compliant, and cost-effective paint operations that meet customer and company requirements.
• Essential Job Functions:
• Develop, maintain, and optimize E-Coat, pretreatment, and related paint processes.
• Establish, document, and control operating parameters including pH, conductivity, bath solids, voltage, temperature, pressure, flow rates, and chemical concentrations.
• Monitor process capability, production performance, and key process indicators; identify abnormal trends and implement effective countermeasures.
• Plan and conduct process trials to improve stability, throughput, quality, cost, and environmental performance.
• Develop standardized process settings, control plans, inspection criteria, and operating documentation.
• Oversee E-Coat bath chemistry, pretreatment chemistry, chemical additions, and bath maintenance activities.
• Analyze titration, laboratory, supplier, and process data to maintain chemical systems within established standards.
• Coordinate with chemical suppliers regarding product performance, technical service, replenishment, and corrective action.
• Develop bath maintenance and replenishment strategies that maximize bath life, stability, and production availability.
• Lead activities to reduce chemical consumption, waste, and total operating cost without compromising quality.
• Monitor and improve coating thickness, adhesion, cure, corrosion resistance, coverage, and appearance performance.
• Investigate coating concerns including poor coverage, runs or sags, dirt contamination, blisters, craters, adhesion loss, and corrosion failures.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action using A3, PDCA, 8-Step, TBBP, and other approved problem-solving methodologies.
• Coordinate containment, corrective action, verification, and recurrence prevention with Production, Quality, Maintenance, suppliers, and customers.
• Establish process checks and reaction plans that prevent defects from reaching downstream operations or customers.
• Support operation and performance of wastewater treatment, reverse osmosis, filtration, and related environmental systems.
• Support compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and Toyota Boshoku environmental requirements.
• Maintain required processes, chemical, waste, permitting, and environmental records in coordination with Environmental, Health and Safety personnel.
• Support environmental audits, inspections, reporting, and corrective actions.
• Identify and implement improvements that reduce water use, waste generation, emissions, chemical use, and environmental risk.
• Provide technical support for E-Coat system and other specialized equipment within TBWK.
• Diagnose process and equipment abnormalities and coordinate recovery activities with Maintenance, Production, suppliers, contractors, and support groups.
• Develop equipment specifications, technical requirements, scopes of work.
• Lead or support capital improvement projects, equipment installation, commissioning, run-off, and plant sign-off.
• Partner with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, spare parts strategy, preventive maintenance, and abnormality response.
• Support new product launches, model changes, capacity changes, and process modifications.
• Plan and coordinate trials, validation activities, production readiness reviews, and launch follow-up.
• Validate equipment readiness, and standard documentation before production approval.
• Coordinate cross-functional issue resolution and communicate launch risks, countermeasures, ownership, and timing.
• Apply Toyota Production System (TPS) principles to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, process stability, and environmental performance.
• Lead data-based problem solving and continuous improvement activities across all areas of TBWK equipment and paint operations.
• Work with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Environmental, Purchasing, Engineering, suppliers, and regional support groups to drive sustainable improvements.
• Train plant personnel on process standards, chemical controls, troubleshooting, quality requirements, and implemented changes.
• Maintain positive working relationships with internal customers, suppliers, contractors, and Toyota Boshoku support organizations.
• Perform other duties and support activities required to maintain safe and reliable operations.
• Follow safety, quality, confidentiality, and information security policies and procedures.
• Minimum Qualifications/Requirements:

Essential Job Responsibilities

• General Summary: Provide engineering ownership and onsite support for all E-Coat, pretreatment, paint process, and associated environmental systems within the manufacturing operation. Responsible for process design, development, optimization, production readiness, coating quality, chemical systems management, equipment improvement, new model support, environmental compliance, and continuous improvement. The position ensures safe, stable, compliant, and cost-effective paint operations that meet customer and company requirements.
• Essential Job Functions:
• Develop, maintain, and optimize E-Coat, pretreatment, and related paint processes.
• Establish, document, and control operating parameters including pH, conductivity, bath solids, voltage, temperature, pressure, flow rates, and chemical concentrations.
• Monitor process capability, production performance, and key process indicators; identify abnormal trends and implement effective countermeasures.
• Plan and conduct process trials to improve stability, throughput, quality, cost, and environmental performance.
• Develop standardized process settings, control plans, inspection criteria, and operating documentation.
• Oversee E-Coat bath chemistry, pretreatment chemistry, chemical additions, and bath maintenance activities.
• Analyze titration, laboratory, supplier, and process data to maintain chemical systems within established standards.
• Coordinate with chemical suppliers regarding product performance, technical service, replenishment, and corrective action.
• Develop bath maintenance and replenishment strategies that maximize bath life, stability, and production availability.
• Lead activities to reduce chemical consumption, waste, and total operating cost without compromising quality.
• Monitor and improve coating thickness, adhesion, cure, corrosion resistance, coverage, and appearance performance.
• Investigate coating concerns including poor coverage, runs or sags, dirt contamination, blisters, craters, adhesion loss, and corrosion failures.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action using A3, PDCA, 8-Step, TBBP, and other approved problem-solving methodologies.
• Coordinate containment, corrective action, verification, and recurrence prevention with Production, Quality, Maintenance, suppliers, and customers.
• Establish process checks and reaction plans that prevent defects from reaching downstream operations or customers.
• Support operation and performance of wastewater treatment, reverse osmosis, filtration, and related environmental systems.
• Support compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and Toyota Boshoku environmental requirements.
• Maintain required processes, chemical, waste, permitting, and environmental records in coordination with Environmental, Health and Safety personnel.
• Support environmental audits, inspections, reporting, and corrective actions.
• Identify and implement improvements that reduce water use, waste generation, emissions, chemical use, and environmental risk.
• Provide technical support for E-Coat system and other specialized equipment within TBWK.
• Diagnose process and equipment abnormalities and coordinate recovery activities with Maintenance, Production, suppliers, contractors, and support groups.
• Develop equipment specifications, technical requirements, scopes of work.
• Lead or support capital improvement projects, equipment installation, commissioning, run-off, and plant sign-off.
• Partner with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability, spare parts strategy, preventive maintenance, and abnormality response.
• Support new product launches, model changes, capacity changes, and process modifications.
• Plan and coordinate trials, validation activities, production readiness reviews, and launch follow-up.
• Validate equipment readiness, and standard documentation before production approval.
• Coordinate cross-functional issue resolution and communicate launch risks, countermeasures, ownership, and timing.
• Apply Toyota Production System (TPS) principles to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, process stability, and environmental performance.
• Lead data-based problem solving and continuous improvement activities across all areas of TBWK equipment and paint operations.
• Work with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Environmental, Purchasing, Engineering, suppliers, and regional support groups to drive sustainable improvements.
• Train plant personnel on process standards, chemical controls, troubleshooting, quality requirements, and implemented changes.
• Maintain positive working relationships with internal customers, suppliers, contractors, and Toyota Boshoku support organizations.
• Perform other duties and support activities required to maintain safe and reliable operations.
• Follow safety, quality, confidentiality, and information security policies and procedures.
• Minimum Qualifications/Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline; or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.

Experience

• Greater than six (6) years of relevant manufacturing, process, or production engineering experience.
• Experience with paint systems, E-Coat operations, pretreatment, surface treatment, corrosion protection, or related chemical manufacturing processes is preferred.
• Experience with wastewater treatment, reverse osmosis, or industrial environmental systems is preferred.
• Automotive manufacturing experience is preferred.
• Experience leading technical problem solving, continuous improvement, equipment installation, or launch activities is preferred.

Personal/Technical Skills

• Strong working knowledge of coating technology, chemical process control, titration methods, surface preparation, and corrosion protection principles.
• Ability to interpret laboratory results, process trends, statistical data, equipment conditions, and product quality results.
• Ability to diagnose problems to true root cause and implement effective, verified countermeasures.
• Working knowledge of industrial equipment, utilities, controls, drawings, process flow, and manufacturing operations.
• Knowledge of environmental compliance responsibilities associated with chemicals, wastewater, hazardous materials, and waste management.
• Ability to develop technical specifications, standardized work, operating standards, control plans, and project documentation.
• Ability to effectively facilitate cross-functional problem solving and project execution.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, multicultural manufacturing environment and manage multiple priorities with tight deadlines.
• Ability to maintain on‑call flexibility to support abnormal conditions and production recovery.
• Ability to work a fixed or rotating shift schedule, including daily or weekend overtime as business conditions require.
• Strong organization, time management, planning, data analysis, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Hands‑on self‑starter with sound judgment, strong work ethic, and the ability to perform responsibilities with minimal supervision.
• Ability to use Toyota Production System (TPS) and approved problem‑solving methodologies to improve safety, quality, 4S, cost, efficiency, and environmental performance.

Language Skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Japanese, Spanish, or Portuguese language capability is helpful but not required.

Computer/Software

• Solid working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and related computer-based systems.
• Experience with statistical process control, quality systems, process trending, and data visualization tools.
• AutoCAD proficiency is preferred; CATIA or other engineering design software experience is helpful.
• Experience with manufacturing execution, process monitoring, PLC, or equipment control systems is preferred.

Office:

Open Office Environment with a moderate noise level.

Plant:

Required personal protective equipment may include safety glasses, steel‑toe shoes, hearing protection, chemical‑resistant gloves or clothing, and other designated PPE.

Travel:

Must be willing to travel up to 15% of the time.

Physical Demands:

The ability to sit and work on a computer for periods of time is required. While performing the duties of this job, the team member is required to talk, hear, and see with visual acuity. Performance requires mental alertness and sustained attention to process conditions, workflow, equipment performance, quality, and team member safety. The position requires the physical ability to inspect, adjust, and support equipment and process systems. The team member must be capable of walking, sitting, and standing for extended periods throughout the plant; occasionally climbing, stooping, or bending on, under, or near equipment; and occasionally reaching, grasping, or manipulating parts, materials, instruments, or equipment. The team member may occasionally be required to lift 30-50 pounds with or without assistance.

Disclaimer:

This job description is intended to identify the general nature and level of work performed by team members within this classification, as well as certain essential job functions. It is not intended, and should not be interpreted, as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of team members assigned to this job. To qualify for this job, however, a team member must be able to perform its essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Under no circumstances may this job description be construed as altering the at‑will nature of the employment relationship between TBA and any team member.

EOE

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation
• Eligibility for certain incentives and bonuses (e.g. Production Hourly KPI Achievement Quarterly Incentive or Salaried/Office Hourly KPI Annual KPI Achievement Bonus)
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• Affordable Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits
• 401k with Company Match
• Optional tax advantaged accounts, such as Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSA)
• Additional elective benefits are available

Equal Opportunity Employer