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Extrusion Process Engineer
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Chesterfield — Full-Time | Permanent
£40,000 + excellent benefits
The Role
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.
Key Responsibilities
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
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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
Requirements
- 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
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Desirable
- 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
Working Conditions
- 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
Benefits
- £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
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