Plastics Technician

Defy Appliances; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Defy Appliances in KwaZulu-Natal requires an experienced engineer to develop, implement and optimize injection moulding processes. The role involves troubleshooting, leading improvement initiatives, and guiding a team of supervisors and operators to sustain quality and productivity.

The ideal candidate will hold a relevant engineering degree, have 3–5 years in plastics manufacturing, and be proficient in CAD tools.

Qualifications

• Degree or National Diploma in Mechanical, Industrial, Polymer, Plastics or Manufacturing Engineering
• 3–5 years in Injection Moulding and Plastic manufacturing environments
• Strong knowledge of injection moulding processes, tooling, mould maintenance and optimization
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies and project management
• Familiarity with automation, robotics and production engineering principles
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specs
• CAD proficiency with NX, SolidWorks or Autodesk Inventor is advantageous
• Good leadership, communication, problem-solving and organization skills
• Computer literacy and MS Office

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and optimize injection moulding processes to improve productivity, quality and efficiency
• Troubleshoot and adjust moulding parameters to maintain quality and maximize output
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, waste, downtime and costs
• Perform BOM audits and calculate material density
• Manage material cleaning and palletizing; oversee palletized material usage
• Manage process and material trials for optimization
• Introduce new products, tooling, machinery and processes
• Conduct process capability studies and root cause analysis to improve plant performance
• Ensure plastic components meet production requirements and are supplied on time
• Support equipment selection, specification, commissioning and validation
• Analyze workflows and layouts to maximize efficiency
• Lead safety, maintenance, quality and productivity initiatives
• Provide technical guidance to Supervisors, Technicians, Setters, Artisans and Operators
• Ensure compliance with policies, standards and safety requirements
• Drive manufacturing best practices for world-class standards

Skills

Injection moulding

Process optimization

Continuous improvement

Project management

Reading engineering drawings

Leadership

CAD (NX/SolidWorks/Inventor)

Education

Degree or National Diploma in Mechanical/Industrial/Polymer/Plastics/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

NX

SolidWorks

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop, implement, andoptimizeinjectionmouldingprocesses to improve productivity, quality, and efficiency.
• Troubleshoot and adjustmouldingparameters tomaintainproduct quality and maximize output.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing scrap, waste, downtime, and manufacturing costs.
• To perform BOM Audits and calculate material density.
• Manage the process of material cleaning and palletizing. Manage palletized material usage in production.
• Manage process and material trials to assist in optimization.
• Manage the introduction of new products, tooling, machinery, and manufacturing processes.
• Conduct process capability studies and root cause analysis to improve plant performance.
• Ensureplastic components are produced according to production requirements and supplied on time to assembly lines.
• Support equipmentselection, specification development, commissioning, and validation of new manufacturing technologies.
• Analyseworkflows, equipment layouts, and manufacturing methods to maximize operational efficiency.
• Lead and support safety, maintenance, quality, and productivity initiatives within the department.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership to Supervisors, Technicians, Setters, Artisans, and Operators.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, engineering standards, and safety requirements.
• Drive innovation and implement manufacturing best practices to support world-class manufacturing standards.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Degree or National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering.

• Minimum 3-5years experiencein InjectionMouldingand Plastic Manufacturing environments.

• Strong knowledge of injectionmouldingprocesses, tooling,mouldmaintenance, and process optimization.

• Experience in continuousimprovementmethodologies and project management.

• Knowledge of manufacturing systems, automation, robotics, and production engineering principles.

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications.

• Proficiencyin CAD software such as NX, SolidWorks, or Autodesk Inventor will beadvantageous.

• Good leadership, communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.

• Computer literacy andproficiencyin Microsoft Office.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and adapt to changing business requirements.