Nonwovens Global Coating Process Engineer

Owens Corning - Fort Smith, AR

Full-time - Mid Level

Fort Smith, AR

10,001+ employees

Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing

About the position

The Nonwovens Global Coating Process Engineer plays a pivotal role in providing technical leadership for all Non-Wovens coating lines' processes. This position is focused on building and retaining a strong technical team that drives change across manufacturing and technical teams within the organization. The engineer will be responsible for implementing mechanical process improvements, developing escalation mitigation strategies, and responding to emergencies effectively. The role emphasizes a shift from reactive to proactive problem-solving, enhancing process understanding, and ensuring stability in operations. In this capacity, the Coating Process Engineer will collaborate closely with operations to deepen their understanding of the processes involved in Non-Wovens coating lines. The engineer will lead innovation and development projects, focusing on the manufacturing processes, technology, and procedures necessary for product manufacturing. As a technical expert, the engineer will resolve complex technical issues using both existing and new techniques and tools. The role also involves working with Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Leaders to prioritize loss reduction projects and contribute to TPM initiatives. The engineer will analyze performance metrics and statistics to enhance production efficiencies, proactively identifying potential problems and addressing them before they lead to significant losses. This position requires the development of detailed recommendations for process improvements and performance standards. Although there are no direct reports, the engineer will exert influential technical leadership across various Non-Wovens sites, including Blythewood, Aiken Coating Line, Brugen, and Bobcat (Fort Smith Coating Line). The engineer will report directly to the Non-Wovens Engineering Leader.

Responsibilities

• Support the Owens Corning safety culture by identifying and implementing best practices across the organization.
• Embrace company policies and procedures for documenting hazards, near misses, and incidents.
• Implement a personal safety action plan.
• Act as a subject matter expert on Non-Wovens coating processes, continuously improving understanding for self and other engineers.
• Integrate company experience and deep technical knowledge into operations.
• Identify use cases for new technology and develop trials to evaluate their effectiveness.
• Solve non-routine problems based on analysis of multiple factors and alert plant teams with developed reaction plans.
• Analyze and interpret research to evaluate and recommend solutions for process improvements.
• Develop and communicate clear performance expectations for the manufacturing network.
• Partner with Technical Leaders to develop project plans that close performance gaps in plants.
• Work with Technical teams to resolve quality issues with precursor suppliers.
• Develop procedures to alert increases in plant losses and react before escalations occur.
• Participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) teams during process-related escalations, ensuring thorough reviews and closure of potential causes.
• Support and lead aspects of new line vertical start-up initiatives.
• Develop strong connections with manufacturing, technical resources, and other departments to influence results across Non-Wovens operations.
• Mentor less experienced team members and provide specialized technical guidance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field with applicable experience.
• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing process engineering, preferably in the paper industry or other continuous manufacturing processes.
• Ability to travel up to 50%.
• Strong problem-solving skills and general material characterization knowledge.
• Project management knowledge and familiarity with TPM, quality tools, and statistics.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written.

Nice-to-haves

• Ability to travel to Europe.
• Experience working in a multicultural environment.
• Strong communication skills, able to convey complex information simply and effectively.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance bonuses.
• Health insurance coverage.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company matching contributions.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development and continued education.