Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer

Supersede; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Career growth opportunities

Collaborative environment

Sustainability impact

Direct product impact

Job summary

Supersede in Phoenix, AZ is seeking a Senior Manufacturing / Process Engineer to develop, optimize, and scale recycled plastic compounding, extrusion, and downstream fabrication. This role collaborates across engineering, production, maintenance, quality, and product development to raise safety, quality, throughput, and cost performance.

The travel‑heavy position requires hands‑on leadership and a track record of delivering robust manufacturing improvements in a startup environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, chemical, materials engineering or related field.
• 7+ years manufacturing or process engineering experience in plastics extrusion, compounding, recycling or building materials.
• Experience scaling manufacturing processes from development to production.
• Experience leading equipment installations, commissioning and startups.
• Strong understanding of process control and data-driven decision making.
• DOE, statistical analysis and data-driven decision making experience.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% between Phoenix, AZ and Elkhart, IN.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, optimization, and scale-up of recycled plastic compounding, extrusion, and downstream manufacturing processes.
• Establish SOPs, work instructions, and manufacturing standards.
• Define process parameters, operating windows, and production controls for consistent quality.
• Support new manufacturing technologies and equipment deployment.
• Improve material flow, process capability, and overall plant productivity.
• Coordinate equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning and startup activities.
• Lead corrective actions to improve reliability and uptime.
• Support facility expansion and future capacity planning.
• Drive Lean, Six Sigma and KPI monitoring to optimize performance.
• Provide technical leadership to production teams and assist in training.

Skills

Communication

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Organizational skills

Troubleshooting

DOE / statistics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

PLC & Automation protocols

Job description

Materials Quality Engineer – Testing & Product Development

Location: Phoenix, Arizona (with travel to Elkhart, Indiana)

Company: Supersede

Reports To: Vice President of Engineering

Position Overview

The Senior Manufacturing / Process Engineer will be responsible for developing, optimizing, and scaling manufacturing processes for recycled plastic compounding, extrusion, and downstream product fabrication. This position will play a critical role in establishing manufacturing standards, improving operational efficiency, supporting new product launches, and driving continuous improvement throughout the organization.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in plastics manufacturing, process engineering, equipment commissioning, and production operations. This individual will work closely with engineering, production, maintenance, quality, and product development teams to improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost performance.

This is a highly visible role requiring both strategic thinking and hands‑on execution in a fast‑paced startup environment.

The position is based in Phoenix, Arizona and requires travel of up to 30% to Supersede’s manufacturing facility in Elkhart, Indiana for equipment commissioning, process development, production support, and operational improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Process Development

• Lead development, optimization, and scale-up of recycled plastic compounding, extrusion, and downstream manufacturing processes.
• Establish and document standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and manufacturing standards.
• Define process parameters, operating windows, and production controls to ensure consistent product quality.
• Support development and implementation of new manufacturing technologies and equipment.
• Evaluate and improve material flow, process capability, and overall plant productivity.

Equipment & Capital Projects

• Lead equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning, and startup activities.
• Collaborate with equipment vendors, contractors, and internal stakeholders to ensure successful project execution.
• Develop equipment acceptance criteria, commissioning plans, and performance validation protocols.
• Troubleshoot equipment issues and implement corrective actions to improve reliability and uptime.
• Support facility expansion and future manufacturing capacity planning initiatives.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Identify and implement process improvements that increase throughput, reduce waste, improve quality, and lower manufacturing costs.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical methodologies to drive operational excellence.
• Conduct root cause analysis and corrective action investigations related to process, quality, and production issues.
• Lead Design of Experiments (DOE) and process capability studies to optimize manufacturing performance.
• Establish and monitor key manufacturing performance indicators (KPIs).

Production Support

• Provide technical leadership and support to production teams during daily operations.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, and quality teams to resolve production challenges.
• Support workforce training related to equipment operation, process control, troubleshooting, and best practices.
• Participate in production planning and manufacturing readiness activities for new products.
• Ensure manufacturing processes meet safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with R&D and product development teams to transition new products from development into production.
• Evaluate manufacturability of new products and recommend design improvements.
• Support pilot trials, process validation, and production launch activities.
• Assist in development of tooling, fixtures, and process equipment required for product commercialization.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 7 years of manufacturing or process engineering experience, emphasis on sheet extrusion, preferably in plastics extrusion, compounding, recycling, or building materials manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience scaling manufacturing processes from development through commercial production.
• Experience leading equipment installations, commissioning, and startup projects.
• Strong understanding of process engineering principles, process control, and manufacturing systems.
• Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical analysis, and data‑driven decision making.
• Proficiency in PLC and Logic and Automation protocols.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot complex manufacturing and process challenges.
• Experience developing SOPs, process documentation, and operational standards.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and cross‑functional leadership abilities.
• Proficiency with CAD software such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% between Phoenix, AZ and Elkhart, IN.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in recycled plastics processing, polymer compounding, or extrusion manufacturing.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience with manufacturing automation, controls, and process monitoring systems.
• Knowledge of quality management systems and process validation methodologies.
• Experience supporting ISO‑certified manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with industrial safety systems, environmental compliance, and regulatory requirements.
• Startup or high‑growth manufacturing experience.

Why Join Supersede?

At Supersede, we value innovation, teamwork, and a commitment to sustainability. You’ll have the opportunity to work in a dynamic environment where your contributions directly shape our products, manufacturing processes, and future growth. As a member of our engineering team, you’ll help develop industry‑leading sustainable building materials while building systems and capabilities from the ground up.

We offer:

• Competitive compensation
• Career growth opportunities in a rapidly expanding company
• Collaborative and entrepreneurial work environment
• Meaningful work advancing sustainability and circular manufacturing
• Opportunity to make a direct impact on product innovation and quality