The Lumber Manufactory is seeking a
Process Engineer to design, optimize, and continuously improve mill operations across our sawmill, planer mill, and engineered wood facilities. In this role, you will own material flow from log intake through finished goods, evaluate and specify the equipment that maximizes recovery and throughput, and partner closely with production, maintenance, and capital projects teams to execute modernization initiatives. You will spend meaningful time on the mill floor running studies, validating layouts, and commissioning new equipment, turning data into measurable gains in yield and efficiency. This is a hands-on engineering role at the center of TLM's competitive advantage in sustainability and efficiency.
Location: This role carries at least 25-50 percent travel, concentrated at our New Albany, Mississippi mill sites initially, with additional onsite support across other US locations as our operations grow.
In This Role, You Will- Design and optimize material flow from log intake through primary breakdown, secondary processing, drying, surfacing, and finished goods staging, minimizing handling, rehandling, and queue buildup between operations
- Develop and maintain mill layouts for sawmills, planer mills, panel plants, or engineered wood facilities, incorporating equipment footprints, log, cant, and lumber flow paths, green chain and dry chain configurations, and trim and sort systems
- Determine primary and secondary breakdown equipment requirements, including headrigs, frame saws, and gang saws, and define optimal sequencing to maximize recovery and throughput
- Evaluate and specify automation and optimization systems such as scanning and optimization technology (log, cant, and lumber optimizers), PLC-controlled sort systems, and automated stacking and strapping lines
- Perform line balancing and bottleneck analysis across the mill, from the log deck and debarker through the green chain, kiln scheduling, dry mill, and shipping, ensuring equipment utilization is matched to production targets
- Conduct time studies and production flow analyses to establish standard work, crew sizing, and shift capacity targets across mill departments
- Partner with maintenance, production, and dry kiln teams to plan and execute equipment installations, mill reconfigurations, and capacity expansion projects with minimal downtime
- Apply lean principles to wood products manufacturing, identifying waste in lumber handling, sort and stacking operations, trim optimization, and grade flow
- Support capital project development for mill modernization initiatives, including scanning upgrades, automated grading systems, and materials handling improvements, contributing to vendor evaluation, installation, and commissioning
- Own and maintain mill flow diagrams, equipment layout drawings, and standard operating procedures, authoring and updating documentation as equipment, products, or processes change
- Adapt to changing priorities and support team and operational needs as they evolve
Who You Are- A technically deep engineer who thrives on solving complex material flow and equipment sequencing problems in high-volume manufacturing environments
- Someone who prefers collaborative, cross-functional problem-solving and enjoys partnering with operations, maintenance, and capital projects teams to execute ambitious mill improvements
- Hands-on and detail-oriented, comfortable spending time on the mill floor conducting verification tests, validating layouts, and commissioning new equipment rather than working only from a desk
- Comfortable with ambiguity in early-stage projects, able to work within the constraints of existing mill infrastructure while envisioning and planning future state configurations
- A self-directed owner who carries projects from analysis through implementation and holds oneself to rigorous engineering standards and timelines
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Process Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or an equivalent technical discipline
- 5+ years of process or industrial engineering experience in wood products manufacturing (sawmill, planer mill, OSB, LVL, plywood, MDF, or similar environments)
- Working knowledge of primary and secondary wood breakdown processes, including log merchandising, sawing patterns, kerf and recovery optimization, surfacing, and grading
- Hands-on experience with mill layout design and material flow planning, including green end and dry end configurations, lumber handling systems, and sort and stacker integration, with proficiency in layout tools such as AutoCAD
- Familiarity with scanning and optimization systems and how optimizer settings translate to recovery and grade yield outcomes
- Experience evaluating and implementing automation in mill environments, including PLC-controlled sort lines, automated stackers, kiln tracking systems, and MES or production reporting platforms
- Proficiency in time study methods, OEE analysis, and capacity modeling applied to high-volume, continuous-flow wood processing
- Knowledge of kiln drying operations and how drying schedules, kiln capacity, and green inventory management interact with mill flow
- Understanding of lumber grading rules and how product mix and grade targets influence equipment sequencing and line design
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across mill operations, construction and installation teams, maintenance, forestry and procurement, and sales teams
The expected salary range for this position is $150,000 to $180,000. Placement within this range is determined by the candidate's relevant experience, skills, and educational background as compared to the requirements of the role. Our compensation and benefits package includes comprehensive health coverage, life insurance, and flexible, unlimited time off.
We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including:- 100% employer-paid health coverage for employees and dependents (medical, dental, and vision)
- 100% employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage
- Paid time off and company holidays
- The opportunity to help build something from the ground up in an essential, evolving industry
Join our team as we modernize timber from forest to finished product.
