Production Engineer

Core Plastech International Inc offers an on-site Production and Maintenance Engineer role in Waterloo, IA with a focus on reliability and efficiency. The compensation starts at USD 55,000 per year, and the benefits package includes 401(k) with matching, dental, health, life and vision insurance, plus paid time off. The company promotes a safety-forward culture, 5S discipline, and collaborative problem solving on the shop floor.

In this role you will apply an electrical engineering background to oversee motors, control valves, and automated utilities, with the goal of maximizing uptime and sustaining productive output. This onsite position emphasizes practical, hands-on maintenance and close coordination with production teams to meet targets.

Position overview: The Production and Maintenance Engineer is responsible for overseeing daily production targets while maintaining the operational integrity of plant machinery. A strong electrical background is required to manage complex systems including motors, control valves, and automated utilities, ensuring maximum efficiency and minimal downtime.

Responsibilities

• Target Achievement: Execute production planning and monitor in-line inspections to meet daily, weekly, and monthly targets.
• Process Optimization: Adhere strictly to production process parameters and technical standards to ensure quality and quantity outputs.
• Waste Reduction: Implement strategies to reduce lumps, rejections, and material waste.
• Reporting: Provide comprehensive shift completion reports to the Senior Shift Supervisor and review status updates with the Production Manager.
• Preventive Maintenance: Plan, schedule, and execute preventive maintenance for all production machinery, including pumps, blowers, forklifts, and overhead cranes.
• Breakdown Response: Lead troubleshooting and repair efforts for electrical and mechanical failures to minimize plant downtime.
• Utility Oversight: Maintain and validate critical equipment such as heat exchangers, heaters, and various valve types (ball, gate, globe, butterfly, and safety valves).
• System Validation: Ensure all critical machines and utilities are qualified and validated according to industry standards.
• Safety & 5S: Maintain high standards of 5S and safety protocols within the shop floor area to ensure a hazard-free environment.
• Team Supervision: Control, check, and supervise operator activities to ensure compliance with operational values and targets.
• Resource Management: Lead and manage resources to align with the vision and efficiency goals set by management.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Proven experience in maintenance within a process industry.
• Strong understanding of electrical control systems, power distribution, and mechanical utility maintenance.
• Strong understanding of Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) for production tracking, scheduling, and formal reporting.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for coordinating with internal departments, management, and vendors if needed.

Technologies

• Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook)

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance