Extrusion Technician Lead- GC

About the Role

Provide process leadership, guidance, and direction for all activities related to standard extrusion process setups, new product qualifications, optimization of processes for key product quality characteristics (including running experiments), overall process stability, increasing line speed, and solving complex extrusion problems. Assist management with identifying opportunities for equipment and process improvements, implementing and evaluating equipment and process changes, and training personnel in extrusion skills.

Operate a high-temperature plastic extrusion line to produce close-tolerance triple-layer plastic foam. Monitor and adjust processes to ensure quality finished rolled goods, optimize extrusion for quality and cost efficiency, identify and resolve production issues (tooling, machinery, material, or human error), and improve quality or reduce costs. Perform a wide range of safety functions to support efficient operations. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Assist in monitoring and coordinating day-to-day activities and functions of the Extrusion department, establishing standardized practices, and improving competitiveness. Promote advanced quality planning, review product and process setups, and guide automation and maintenance activities related to extrusion performance.

Responsibilities

• Order materials for specified work centers; load material and clean hoppers; perform color changes.
• Set temperature controllers on machines; set up jobs based on setup sheets; set knives for slitting.
• Lace up the line with extruded sheet of hot melt to the winder; manually cut over and start new winder rolls.
• Lift finished rolls from machines; package rolls and request warehouse pickup.
• Use lifts to clear trim removal systems; use hand-held measuring devices to check slit width and sheet thickness.
• Die cut and weigh samples to calculate density; monitor production and maintain deviation records.
• Identify nonconforming material, sort, and disposition appropriately; segregate scrap material and move to reclaim room for reprocessing.
• Support reclaim equipment and processes to convert scrap material back into pellets.
• Relieve other employees during breaks; back up for other shifts; cover absences/vacations on other shifts.
• Follow all GMP guidelines, safety rules, procedures, and Code of Conduct; complete necessary documentation for assigned machines.
• Follow manufacturing work orders (BOM); monitor and adhere to company and governmental policies, laws, and regulations.
• Support organizational development through employment, training, and employee relations.
• Ensure employee safety and health by administering company and governmental safety standards and practices.
• Maintain quality standards through quality programs/procedures, GMP, IMS standards, and food safety requirements.
• Coordinate day-to-day operations; adhere to annual and long-term operational/labor objectives.
• Communicate plant maintenance issues to appropriate personnel to aid efficient facility operations.
• Recommend and implement engineering changes to processes and standards.
• Coordinate with the Scheduling department on production schedules.
• Monitor, track, and report all extrusion production, including scrap produced.
• Assist in customer complaint resolution, reduction, and prevention.
• Communicate critical information and delegate appropriately; resolve production problems through analysis and evaluation of machines, tools, and equipment.
• Analyze tooling conditions and recommend necessary repairs.
• Train extrusion employees in plastic extrusion processes and various job functions.
• Perform other duties as assigned; use computers for ERP requirements, emails, and other tasks.
• Use walkies to safely transfer rolls and scrap.
• Attend Safety, Quality, and CIT meetings as available.
• Responsible for following all safety rules, policies, procedures, and work instructions, as well as food safety-related policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Minimum high school diploma or equivalent.
• Mechanical aptitude and good mathematical skills.
• Basic computer skills.
• Scissor lift training and maintaining license.
• 5+ years in a plastic production environment desired; extrusion machine operating experience preferred.
• Familiarity with large processing equipment and GMP.

Physical Demands

• Pushing or pulling (1–50 lbs., typically daily) – transporting gaylords, cleaning screws, moving finished production.
• Lifting or carrying (1–50 lbs., typically 15–40% of the day) – lifting and moving finished production.
• Simple grasping (typically 15–40% of the day) – measuring widths and thickness, weighing samples.
• Firm grasping (typically 0–40% of the day) – cleaning screws, loading hoppers, transporting materials, moving/lifting finished production, clearing trim removal systems, setting knives.
• Fine manipulating (typically 15% of the day) – setups, checking widths and thickness, weighing samples.

Equipment Used

• Hand tools, calculator, micrometer, scales, computer, Kentucky Gauge.

Contacts

Extrusion Manager; Extrusion Techs and Operators; Production and Maintenance Supervisors; other management and hourly associates.

Supervision

Reports to Department Manager.