Plant Engineering Manager - Plastics

Lead advanced thermoforming and injection molding operations that support rapidly growing product lines within the vehicle aftermarket manufacturing space.

Please note this position is located onsite in Dyersburg, TN, which is about 2.5 hours west of Nashville.

This organization is a rapidly expanding leader in the automotive aftermarket, delivering engineered solutions across suspension, exterior, and cargo management product lines. While operating at scale with extensive domestic manufacturing and distribution capabilities, the company maintains a close-knit culture where leaders are visible, decisions move quickly, and contributions are recognized.

The Dyersburg, TN facility plays a critical role in supporting high-growth product lines through advanced thermoplastics manufacturing, including heavy-gauge thermoforming and high-volume injection molding.

The Site Manager has full operational ownership of a plastics manufacturing facility in Newbern, TN. This role combines senior-level leadership with deep technical expertise in thermoforming and injection molding. The Site Manager serves as the senior technical authority on-site and is responsible for production performance, facility optimization, financial results, safety, quality, and team development.

This is a hands-on leadership role for a proven plastics manufacturing expert who wants full accountability for results.

Technical & Operational Leadership

• Oversee the full production lifecycle, including raw materials, sheet extrusion, heavy-gauge thermoforming, and high-volume injection molding
• Act as the senior technical resource for complex processing challenges, cycle time optimization, and material yield improvement
• Lead preventative maintenance programs for molding equipment, thermoforming lines, CNC routers, and auxiliary systems

Engineering & Facility Optimization

• Design and implement efficient facility and process layouts that minimize travel, reduce waste, and maximize equipment utilization
• Apply Lean Manufacturing tools such as Value Stream Mapping and Spaghetti Diagrams to eliminate bottlenecks
• Conduct capacity planning to support new product launches and seasonal demand fluctuations

Strategic Leadership & Financial Ownership

• Lead, mentor, and develop supervisors, technicians, and production personnel
• Own facility P&L performance, including labor costs, scrap rates, energy consumption, and capital expenditures
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through Kaizen events, Six Sigma projects, and OEE improvement

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Maintain a zero-incident safety culture with full OSHA compliance
• Ensure products meet automotive-grade quality standards, including IATF 16949
• Partner with Quality teams on root cause analysis and corrective actions

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Industrial Management, or a related discipline + 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in plastics manufacturing
• 5+ years of management experience in a high-volume plastics manufacturing environment

Demonstrated technical mastery of one or many of the following:

• Thermoforming (vacuum and pressure forming)
• Sheet extrusion experience with TPO, ABS, or PE preferred