Materials Engineer

Materials Engineer

TRG is a leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative plastic sheet materials, serving the awards, recognition, and signage markets. Headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, our products are distributed in over 85 countries worldwide. We are committed to excellence, customer satisfaction, and the professional growth of our employees. As a Materials Engineer, you are responsible for optimizing, maintaining, and improving extrusion processes through new understanding of new resin types, processing aids, flowrate, melting point... to ensure high-quality production of ABS, Acrylic or other plastic types. This role focuses on improving driving process efficiency, reducing waste, improving quality, and ensuring adherence to safety and quality standards. The Materials Engineer will collaborate with production, quality, and maintenance teams to troubleshoot and solve issues while ensuring consistent product quality and performance.

Additional Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Materials Development
• Evaluate and select appropriate plastic materials based on product requirements (e.g., strength, flexibility, thermal stability, cost).
• Develop and test new plastic formulations (ABS, Acrylic...) or blends to achieve desired performance characteristics.
• Work with suppliers to source and qualify raw materials.
• Collaborate closely with production to schedule R&D trials for developing new products, evaluating new materials or product quality improvements.
• Sales/Customer Service Support
• Support all plastic sheet products within the business development sales channel as well as external events and partnerships.
• Work closely with sales and with customers on RFQ process.
• Support production of new products, new product development opportunities, quality support, and customer interface.
• Troubleshooting & Problem Solving
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve issues in the extrusion process, including machine setup, material flow, die performance, and other process parameters.
• Collaborate with the maintenance team to ensure machinery operates at optimal efficiency.
• Quality Control
• Ensure extrusion processes meet the company's quality standards and comply with industry regulations.
• Implement process controls to reduce defects and rework.
• Work closely with the quality team to address any product quality concerns.
• Validating product quality.
• Process Documentation & Reporting
• Create and maintain accurate process documentation, including machine settings, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and control charts.
• Analyze process data to identify trends and implement corrective actions.
• Continuous Improvement
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives such as lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other quality improvement methods to drive operational excellence.
• Lead process improvement projects to reduce costs and improve productivity.
• Design, set-up, and troubleshoot new equipment and procedures.
• Learn the thermoform process to better understand how our product reacts to temperature and the forming process.