Operations - Technical Manager

Polytainers

Lee's Summit, MO

Estimated pay: Est. $30–$49/hr (market estimate, not employer-stated)

Shift: Full time

**POSITION SUMMARY:**

Reporting to the Director of Operations, the Molding Technical Manager will provide directions to the technical staff and maintenance supervisors as well as provide technical leadership to ensure that Molding processes have the capability and reliability to meet performance requirements to enable the department to achieve its targets. This position is also responsible for food safety and quality procedures to ensure that the Company’s objectives for food safety and quality meet or exceed customer’s and regulatory agency’s requirements.

**POSITION RESPONSIBILITES:**

• Thin Wall Injection Molding Core Expertise:
• Deep understanding of high-speed thin wall molding (IML / non-IML)
• Process window control: fill speed, pack/hold, venting, shear, cooling
• Mold-machine-material interaction (press rigidity, clamp force, tie-bar stretch)
• Resin knowledge (PP grades, regrind effects)
• Cycle time optimization without sacrificing part quality
• Root cause analysis for short shots, warp, splay, burn, and cosmetic defects
• Scientific molding & process validation mindset
• Tooling & Mold Engineering Leadership:
• Mold design fundamentals:
• Hot runners (valve gate vs thermal)
• Stack molds, multi-cavity balance
• Venting strategy critical for thin wall
• Tool qualification & transfer management
• PM strategy for high-cycle molds (millions of shots)
• Tool life management & spare strategy
• Tool repair vs redesign decision making
• Vendor management (tool shops, hot runner suppliers)
• Design for maintainability & uptime
• Maintenance & Reliability Engineering:
• Maintenance strategy ownership:
• Preventive vs Predictive vs Run-to-Failure
• CMMS leadership (data-driven decisions)
• Press, robot, and auxiliary equipment reliability
• Spare parts strategy (critical spares, obsolescence risk)
• Troubleshooting at system level (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic)
• Maintenance skills development & certification
• Automation & Robotics Expertise:
• High-speed part handling robotics (IML robots, side entry, top entry)
• End-of-arm tooling design for thin wall parts
• Vision systems for quality & orientation
• Conveyance, stacking, counting, and downstream integration
• Automation safety standards (lockout, guarding, risk assessments)
• Automation ROI evaluation & business cases
• Integration of automation with molding cycle optimization
• Continuous Improvement & Cost Reduction:
• Drives performance in safety, quality, uptime, and continuous improvement; sets high standards and holds self and team accountable for outcomes
• OEE breakdown (availability, performance, quality)
• Scrap reduction & regrind optimization
• Energy efficiency in high-speed molding
• Cycle time reduction methodology (tenths of seconds matter)
• Structured problem solving (A3, DMAIC, 8D, fishbone, 5 why)
• Standard work for technicians & setters
• Cross-Functional Leadership:
• Builds strong technical teams through coaching, feedback, and succession planning; develops bench strength and elevates overall technical capability.
• Partners cross-functionally, communicates with clarity under pressure, and models a culture of safety, professionalism, and continuous improvement
• Leading tooling, maintenance, and automation teams
• Coaching senior technicians and engineers
• Translating technical issues for Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain
• Prioritization during downtime events
• Calm leadership under production pressure
• Safety, Quality, & Compliance:
• Machine safety & robot cell compliance
• GP-12 / containment processes
• PFMEA & control plans (process and tooling focused)
• Change management for molds and automation
• Documentation discipline (not tribal knowledge)
• Strategic & Forward-Looking Skills:
• Aligns technical and maintenance strategy with plant performance, cost, capacity, and long-term operational objectives. Makes data-driven decisions that strengthen business results.
• Long-term tooling and automation roadmap
• Capacity & technology planning
• Leads capital projects, process improvements, and technology upgrades with discipline; embeds structured problem-solving and sustains gains through standardization
• New technology evaluation (digital PM, sensors, MES tie-ins, AI)
• Always comply with plant safety and HACCP, using appropriate PPE while performing various duties
• Must follow food safety and cGMP processes and procedures
• Perform other duties as assigned.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

The Technical Manager is expected to demonstrate the following leadership competencies:

Strategic Leadership

• Translates business goals into clear technical and maintenance priorities that drive plant performance
• Balances short-term production needs with long-term capability building (equipment, people, systems)
• Anticipates risks and proactively develops mitigation plans (capacity, tooling, reliability)

People Leadership & Talent Development

• Builds high-performing technical teams through coaching,