[Hiring] Senior Engineering Manager, Film @Novolex

Role Description

The Senior Manager, Operating Unit Engineer, is responsible for leading engineering activities supporting blown film extrusion, inline converting, printing operations, roll stock production, and downstream converting processes. Provides technical leadership across multiple manufacturing facilities driving improvements in safety, quality, operational reliability, throughput, yield, scrap reduction, and manufacturing performance. The position serves as the primary technical authority for:

• Blown film extrusion
• Tube-on-roll products
• Single wound sheeting
• Inline bag converting
• Flexographic printing
• Shuttle bag machines
• Rotary bag machines
• Wicket converting systems
• Roll-to-roll printing operations

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with company safety standards, engineering standards, and operational procedures.
• Lead engineering activities across assigned operating unit manufacturing operations.
• Subject matter expertise for LLDPE, HDPE, MDPE, and barrier film structures including nylon-based constructions.
• Technical authority for inline flexographic printing and roll-to-roll flexographic printing operations.
• Lead troubleshooting for complex operational, technical, process, and reliability issues across manufacturing sites.
• Technical leadership for inline converting systems, shuttle bag machines, rotary bag machines, wicket bag operations, sealing systems, perforation systems, stacking systems, registration control systems, and downstream bag converting technologies.
• Provide day-to-day technical leadership, coaching, training, capability-building, and support for plant engineering teams across plants.
• Drive engineering performance across plants, including uptime, throughput, yield, scrap reduction, and operational reliability.
• Partner with Center of Excellence teams to drive adoption and implementation of enterprise engineering standards, tools, governance, and best practices across manufacturing sites.
• Lead execution of capital projects within the operating unit.
• Develop equipment specifications, project scopes, technical justifications, and implementation plans.
• Lead equipment evaluations, FAT/SAT activities, startup support, commissioning activities, and technology implementation projects.
• Partner with Plant Operations teams to support manufacturing readiness, startup stabilization, process performance, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering, process engineering, reliability engineering, or technical operations experience.
• Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing operations across 5 - 8 plants.
• Experience improving operational performance related to throughput, uptime, reliability, yield, scrap reduction, and process capability.
• Experience supporting process troubleshooting, operational stabilization, commissioning, startup, and manufacturing readiness initiatives.
• Experience supporting execution of capital projects within manufacturing operations.
• Experience driving engineering standardization and best practice adoption across manufacturing operations.
• Strong technical problem-solving, troubleshooting, and operational support capability.
• Strong communication, organizational, and cross-functional coordination capability.
• Ability to coach, train, and support plant engineering teams across 5 - 8 plants.
• Proficiency using common office technology and tools.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical discipline highly preferred.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline.

Preferred Experience

• Blown film extrusion, multilayer coextrusion, polyethylene processing, barrier film technologies, flexographic printing, bag manufacturing, wicket operations, shuttle bag machines, rotary bag machines, capital project management, reliability engineering, and continuous improvement leadership.
• Proficiency using common office technology and tools.

Travel Requirements

• Up to 75% travel to manufacturing facilities, suppliers, and equipment vendors.

Success Metrics

• Safety performance
• OEE improvement
• Throughput gains
• Scrap reduction
• Yield improvement
• Reliability improvement
• Cost reductions
• Project execution from development through commercialization
• Product and process quality improvements

Compensation

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $155,000-$170,000 + bonus + benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan with company match
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts
• Paid vacation and sick days
• Paid parental leave
• Paid holidays
• Wellness program