Process Engineer

Chesterfield — Full-Time | Permanent

£40,000 + excellent benefits

We're recruiting an experienced Extrusion Process Engineer specialising in plastics to support and optimise extrusion operations for a leading manufacturing business in Chesterfield. You'll take ownership of process parameters, troubleshoot production issues, and drive continuous improvement across HDPE pipe and compression extrusion lines.

This is a technical, hands-on engineering role working closely with Operations, Quality, Maintenance and Production to ensure high levels of efficiency, product quality and process reliability.

Process Optimisation & Technical Leadership

• Define, standardise and optimise extrusion parameters (temperature profiles, melt pressure, screw speed, line speed, cooling rates) for HDPE

• Lead root-cause analysis for product defects and implement corrective actions

• Improve line speeds, throughput and material yield without compromising mechanical properties

• Support scrap-reduction and sustainability initiatives, including PCR/PIR integration and optimisation

Equipment & Tooling Management

• Work with Maintenance and equipment suppliers on preventive maintenance

• Support the design, specification and commissioning of new extrusion lines and associated equipment

• Improve SOPs, setup sheets and troubleshooting guides for operators and technicians

Quality & New Product Introduction (NPI)

• Collaborate with Technical and Quality teams to evaluate and improve process capability

• Oversee trial runs, process validations and scale-up activities for new product launches

• Ensure processes meet mechanical, dimensional and performance standards

• Degree/HNC/HND in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Polymer Engineering or similar

• 3–5+ years' hands-on process engineering experience in continuous plastics extrusion (pipe extrusion)

• Strong technical knowledge of Polyethylene (HDPE), melt rheology and thermal behaviour

• Solid understanding of single-screw extruders and gravimetric dosing systems

• Experience with industrial automation and PLC systems

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and process-optimisation skills

• Experience with multi-layer co-extrusion

• Knowledge of plastics testing standards (ISO/BV/FM) — tensile strength, MFI, density

• Experience improving process capability and statistical process control

• Engineering / manufacturing environment

• Cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Quality, Maintenance and Production

• Hands-on involvement in trials, validations and process optimisation

• Occasional supplier or site visits as required

• £40,000 salary

• 37.5 hours per week

• Monday–Friday, 08:30–17:00 (1 hour unpaid lunch)

• 16-week probation period

• Company sick pay after 6 months

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays + birthday off

• Additional leave for long service

• Christmas shutdown

• Employer pension contribution: 5%

• Life assurance: 1.75× annual salary

• Free onsite parking

• Private healthcare after probation