Manufacturing Engineer - Polymer Chemistry

West Jordan, UT, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Compensation

Salary

Range $67,700.00 - $111,300.00

Benefits

Health Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Employee assistance program

Training and Development

Career growth opportunities

Equal opportunity employer

Job Description

Hexcel Corporation is a pioneering leader in the advanced composites industry, renowned for its cutting-edge research and development efforts and a strong culture of continuous improvement. With its global footprint encompassing manufacturing sites, sales offices, and research and development centers, Hexcel specializes in the production of lightweight composite materials such as carbon fiber, woven reinforcements, resins, prepregs, honeycombs, and engineered core and composite structures. These materials are integral to industries including aerospace, automotive, and defense, where performance, strength, and durability are paramount. Renowned for its innovative approach, Hexcel is committed to applying science and engineering to improve material properties, production processes, and sustainable manufacturing practices. The company’s dedication to quality, safety, and operational excellence has established it as an industry leader and a preferred employer worldwide.

Hexcel is currently recruiting a Manufacturing Engineer specializing in Polymer Chemistry for its Matrix facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah. This position plays a crucial role in supporting operations to ensure adherence to stringent safety protocols, quality standards, and production efficiency targets such as material usage variance, yield optimization, on-time delivery, and throughput maximization. The Manufacturing Engineer will be deeply involved in analyzing and refining resin, film, and prepreg manufacturing processes, applying expertise in polymer chemistry to troubleshoot production issues and implement corrective actions. This will include managing equipment repair and upgrades, developing continuous improvement initiatives, and maintaining detailed procedural documentation.

The role demands a keen understanding of processing conditions and their impact on material properties, requiring the engineer to evaluate variables, perform statistical process control (SPC) analyses, and uphold manufacturing consistency in line with Process Control Documents. Investigating material non-conformances through root cause analysis and instituting preventive measures is a vital aspect of this job. Additionally, the engineer will develop processing parameters for new materials and equipment, providing necessary training to operations personnel and driving advancements in material performance and process capability indices such as Cpk and Ppk.

This position requires collaboration with cross-functional teams on facility expansions, equipment start-ups, and process improvements, ensuring that new investments align with design criteria and process constraints. Candidates will have an opportunity to contribute to Hexcel's legacy of innovation and operational rigor in a dynamic environment that fosters professional growth and development. This is a full-time role based in Salt Lake City, offering the chance to work with industry-leading materials and technologies in an established yet forward-thinking company.

Job Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or Polymer Chemistry/Science
Minimum 5 years of relevant industry experience in polymer chemistry
Proven experience with epoxy, phenolic, and bismaleimide (BMI) resins
Knowledge of continuous resin or prepreg manufacturing processes
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification preferred
Strong analytical skills and experience with complex chemical experimentation
Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate cross-functionally
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Proficient in Microsoft Office and statistical process control tools
Legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident or as otherwise specified

Job Qualifications

Bachelor's degree required, PhD preferred in Chemical Engineering with emphasis in Polymer Chemistry and/or a degree in Polymer Chemistry/Science
Minimum of 5 years of experience focused on polymer chemistry
Experience with epoxy, phenolic, and bismaleimide (BMI) resins is highly preferred
Experience in resin, prepreg or other continuous process industry preferred
Experience in Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma continuous improvement program, green and black belt preferred
Possesses a deep understanding of fundamental physical/chemical properties and structure-property relationships
Ability to conduct complex chemical experiments
Strong project management skills with a demonstrated ability to work both as an individual contributor and as a cross-functional team member managing multiple projects
Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills
Current computer literacy including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Project, Visio and PowerPoint
Experience with SPC and other statistical techniques preferred

Job Duties

Support operations in achieving area safety, quality, material usage variance, yield, on time delivery and throughput targets
Analyze and interpret resin, film and prepreg manufacturing techniques, procedures and processing conditions
Troubleshoot manufacturing process problems and implement corrective measure
Assist in directing equipment repairs and upgrades
Develop and execute continuous improvement plans for resin mix, film or prepreg processes
Write and maintain detailed procedures and specifications to document resin mix, film or prepreg processes
Evaluate resin, film and prepreg processing conditions and resultant material properties and troubleshoot as necessary utilizing SPC techniques
Investigate material non-conformances utilizing root cause analysis techniques and implement corrective actions to prevent future failures
Develop and implement resin, film and prepreg processing conditions for new equipment and/or new materials
Provide training as necessary to operations personnel
Drive improvements in material performance and improve Capability (Cpk and Ppk)
Provide concise design criteria and process constraints for facility expansions or improvements and assume responsibility for all new or improved equipment start up exercises and tests