Process Engineer
Location: Bowling Green, OH, Perrysburg, OH
Position Summary
The Process Engineer is responsible for developing, optimizing, and sustaining manufacturing processes to achieve world-class levels of safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance within a complex manufacturing environment. This role supports continuous improvement initiatives, equipment and process capability development, root cause analysis, and operational excellence efforts across production operations.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineering professional with strong technical problem-solving abilities, experience in industrial manufacturing environments, and a continuous improvement mindset. Experience with grit blasting and surface preparation processes is required. Automotive manufacturing experience is highly preferred.
We provide a safe, clean, and environmentally controlled manufacturing environment. This is a full-time exempt position.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, Applied Physics, Surface Science, Chemistry, or related technical field.
- Minimum of 5 years of hands-on manufacturing or process engineering experience in an industrial manufacturing environment.
- Required experience with grit blasting, abrasive blasting, or surface preparation manufacturing processes.
- Strong knowledge of manufacturing equipment, automation systems, controls, thermal processing, and process optimization.
- Experience troubleshooting manufacturing defects and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
- Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Experience with process validation, capability studies, SPC, FMEA, APQP, and control plans.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
- Strong analytical and root cause problem-solving skills utilizing structured methodologies.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and manufacturing systems such as SAP and Minitab.
Preferred Qualifications
- Automotive manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
- Experience in highly regulated manufacturing environments.
- Experience supporting AS9100, ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar quality systems.
- Experience with predictive maintenance and reliability-centered manufacturing.
- Exposure to PLC-controlled equipment and automated production systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, develop, implement, and optimize manufacturing processes to improve safety, quality, throughput, efficiency, and cost performance.
- Support and improve grit blasting and surface preparation operations to ensure process capability and product quality requirements are consistently achieved.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and standard work methodologies.
- Troubleshoot process variation, equipment downtime, and product defects using structured root cause analysis techniques.
- Develop and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, and R&D teams to improve manufacturing performance.
- Analyze operational and statistical process data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Support APQP activities, product launches, sample production, and change management processes.
- Develop, review, and maintain manufacturing work instructions, process documentation, inspection criteria, and standard operating procedures.
- Participate in Material Review Boards (MRB) and Failure Review Boards (FRB), including disposition of nonconforming materials and implementation of corrective actions.
- Support reliability and predictive maintenance initiatives to maximize equipment uptime and process stability.
- Ensure manufacturing processes comply with customer requirements, engineering specifications, quality standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Track, report, and communicate key manufacturing metrics to leadership.
- Promote and maintain a safe, organized, and compliant work environment.
Technical Skills
- Statistical Process Control (SPC)
- Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
- APQP / PPAP methodologies
- Root Cause Analysis
- Process Capability Studies
- Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma
- Manufacturing Process Validation
- Risk Assessment and Mitigation
- Data Analysis and Trend Monitoring
- ERP systems
- Minitab and Microsoft Office Suite
