About The Role

The Process Engineer is responsible for improving manufacturing performance through optimisation of processes, equipment, and operational standards across the Porirua site.

The role focuses on identifying and eliminating process losses, improving product quality and operational efficiency, and supporting sustainable manufacturing practices. The Process Engineer works closely with Operations, Maintenance, and Quality teams to implement data-driven improvements and deliver measurable business value.

Key objectives include:

• Improving safety, quality, and operational efficiency across manufacturing processes
• Driving process optimisation using structured problem solving and statistical tools
• Supporting Operational Excellence initiatives through loss analysis and continuous improvement
• Leading or supporting capital investment and equipment improvement projects
• Ensuring production processes are stable, capable, and consistently deliver customer requirements

The scope includes all production and support processes including Extrusion, Slitting, Printing, Conversion and Utilities.

Scope:

• Primary responsibility for Porirua manufacturing operations.
• Works cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering and Supply Chain teams.

What You'll Do

Safety & Compliance

• Promote and maintain a Safety First culture across all activities.
• Participate in hazard identification, risk assessments and incident investigations.
• Ensure process improvements align with EHS, food safety and quality requirements.

Process Optimisation & Continuous Improvement

• Analyse production processes to identify losses, variability and bottlenecks.
• Lead initiatives to improve yield, efficiency, waste reduction and sustainability performance.
• Own and facilitate loss analysis activities with production teams.
• Deploy structured methodologies such as Six Sigma, SPC, DOE and Root Cause Analysis to drive improvements.
• Ensure implemented solutions are sustained and monitored through performance metrics.

Technical Support & Troubleshooting

• Provide advanced technical troubleshooting support when issues cannot be resolved at the operational level.
• Lead investigations into complex processing or quality problems.
• Develop standardised process settings and operating windows to ensure consistent product quality.

Process Control & Capability

• Establish and maintain process control strategies including SPC and process monitoring systems.
• Support the development of process standards and best practices across production lines.
• Work with Quality teams to improve process capability and defect reduction.

Capital Projects & Equipment Improvements

• Lead or participate in equipment and process improvement projects, including capital investment initiatives.
• Support project justification, implementation, commissioning and performance validation.
• Ensure new equipment or process changes deliver expected operational and financial benefits.

Maintenance & Reliability Support

• Collaborate with the Maintenance team to support equipment reliability and process stability.
• Contribute to maintenance planning by identifying process-critical equipment priorities.
Provide technical input for preventive maintenance strategies and equipment upgrades.

Reporting & Communication

• Prepare and communicate technical reports, improvement results and recommendations.
• Present findings and improvement initiatives to operations and leadership teams.
• Maintain clear documentation of process changes and improvement projects.

Knowledge / Experience / Person profile

• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and technical problem solving initiatives
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision making skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and improvement projects simultaneously
• Strong communication skills across operations, engineering and leadership teams
• High level of organisation and self-management in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
• Good understanding of financial drivers in manufacturing performance

Competencies

• Commitment to Safety
• Leadership
• Business Acumen
• Problem Solving & Technical Learning
• Design of Experiments (DOE)
• Customer Focus
• Written Communication
• Managing Through Systems
• Motivating Others

Education / Training

• Engineering degree (Mechanical, Chemical, Plastics, or Industrial Engineering)
• Training in Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing or equivalent continuous improvement methodologies
• Knowledge of Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Experience with Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Licences or Certifications:

Not mandatory but desirable:

• Lean / Six Sigma certification
• Project management training