About Careertakes

👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Packaging Manufacturing (Pulp & Paper / Sustainable Packaging).

Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.

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About the Role

The Extruder Engineer will support extrusion coating and converting operations at a confidential client in the packaging manufacturing industry. This hands-on role focuses on process optimization, troubleshooting coating and machine issues, improving product quality, and driving continuous improvement to reduce waste and increase equipment uptime. You will work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and Technical teams on the production floor.

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What You’ll Do

• Support daily extrusion operations by monitoring process performance, product quality, and key operating parameters.
• Lead and participate in troubleshooting efforts for coating defects, process variability, equipment performance, and production efficiency.
• Analyze process and quality data to identify trends, root causes, and improvement opportunities.
• Plan and run production trials for new materials, operating windows, and machine or process modifications.
• Work with operators and production leaders to optimize extrusion coating performance, resin use, and machine efficiency.
• Maintain and improve process standards, operating procedures, and best practices.
• Collaborate with Quality and Technical teams to ensure products meet customer specifications.
• Support preventive and predictive maintenance by identifying reliability concerns and recommending corrective actions.
• Participate in safety initiatives, risk assessments, and process safety improvements.
• Build reports, dashboards, and presentations to communicate process performance and project outcomes.
• Support sustainability efforts to reduce waste, energy use, and raw material losses.
• Maintain clear communication across shifts and departments to align production priorities and improvement activities.

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Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Materials, Industrial Engineering, Paper Science, or related discipline.
• 0–3 years of manufacturing or process engineering experience preferred; strong interns, co-ops, or relevant projects encouraged.
• Familiarity with extrusion, plastics processing, coating operations, packaging manufacturing, or pulp & paper is a plus.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to interpret process and quality data.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with data visualization or statistical tools (Power BI, Minitab, etc.) is an advantage.
• Strong communication skills and a willingness to spend significant time on the production floor and work flexible hours for trials or troubleshooting.
• High initiative, curiosity, and commitment to continuous learning.

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Preferred / Nice-to-Have

• Hands-on experience with extrusion coating lines or similar converting equipment.
• Demonstrated continuous improvement or Lean manufacturing experience.
• Experience developing process control documents and standard operating procedures.
• Comfort creating dashboards and presenting technical results to cross-functional teams.

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What We’re Looking For

• Analytical thinker who turns data into decisions.
• Hands-on engineer who enjoys floor engagement and practical troubleshooting.
• Self-starter who drives results with minimal supervision.
• Team collaborator who connects across departments to build solutions.
• Continuous learner who is adaptable and growth-oriented.

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Compensation & Benefits

This role is listed as Contract, Full time. The source lists an estimated annual figure of $46,066 (estimated). Benefits provided by the confidential client may include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Commuter benefits and employee discounts
• Voluntary benefits, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and wellness programs

(Actual benefits and eligibility are determined by the hiring organization.)

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Legal & Hiring Notes

• This position is located in Pine Bluff, Arkansas (AR), United States.
• Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities during the application and interview process. If you need an accommodation, please indicate this during application or contact Careertakes support.
• Final hiring decisions are made by the confidential client. Employment is subject to any lawful pre-employment screening the client requires (e.g., background checks or drug testing) in accordance with applicable law.

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Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency

Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.

If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.