CI Engineer
Asahi Kasei

At Asahi Kasei we believe anyone can buy equipment or build a facility. It is our diverse team members around the globe who will enable us to develop ideas and technologies and capture the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. We look for candidates with a fresh perspective, people with a wide variety of skills who are creative thinkers, enjoy challenges and are driven to excel.

We are currently seeking applications to fill the following job opening at Daramic where we develop and manufacture advanced lead-acid battery separators that are driving innovation in transportation and industrial applications with cars, trucks, forklifts, and golf carts as well as ESS.

Company:
Daramic, LLC

Job Description:

Continuous Improvement Engineer
Daramic - Owensboro, KY

About Us

For over 85 years, Daramic, LLC has led the way in developing new and innovative technology for the lead acid battery market. With headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA- Daramic supplies high-performance polyethylene and phenolic resin battery separators to the lead acid battery industry. Daramic is part of Polypore International, a leading global high technology company specializing in microporous membranes. Polypore brings advanced development and manufacturing know-how as well as unique problem-solving capabilities to customers' lithium-ion and lead-acid battery development teams. Polypore is an Asahi Kasei Group company, which is a diversified group of companies led by holding company Asahi Kasei Corp., with operations in the material, homes, and health care business sectors.

Reporting Relationships

Directly reports to the Continuous Improvement Manager and has no supervisory role.

About the Role

This role primarily has the authority to enforce corrective action and ensure these job expectations are met and enforced in order to facilitate effective environmental, safety and quality management systems

Daramic's Values

Safety:

We take ownership in creating a safe and healthy. Working environment for our employees and our community.

Excellence:

We strive to exceed expectations. We are creative and innovative by adding value through unity and synergy.

Partnership:

We actively create an environment that is transparent and sincere. We work collaboratively to build consensus and resolve conflicts in the achievement of common goals. We truly appreciate the uniqueness of each and every individual.

ISO REQUIREMENT

ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY:

• Understand the importance of conformance with the environmental policy relevant procedures and the requirements of the EMS (Environmental Management System).

• Understand the environmental impacts associated with their work activities and the environmental benefits of improved personal performance.

• Understand their role in achieving conformance with the environmental policy, relevant procedures, and the requirements of the EMS, including preparedness and response.

• Understand the potential consequences of deviation from specified operating procedures.Immediately report any accidents and release to the Supervisor.

• Recognize that adhering to job responsibilities and procedures regarding environmental, health and safety is a condition of employment.

• Comply with all environmental, safety, and health rules, policies, and programs established by the company to the extent of training received.

ISO 9001 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/EMPLOYEE REPSONSIBILITY:

Adequately provide resources for all assigned processes and procedures to fulfill requirements. Awareness of expectations is demonstrated in all relevant levels of the organization. Reporting on the operation (audits & inspections) nonconformity and performance of the QMS (business meetings, KPI reviews, etc.).

Providing customers with products and services that meet or exceed their expectations. This will be achieved through:

• Establishment of meaningful and measurable quality objectives that are subject to regular management review.
• Use of a quality management system that is primarily based on prevention rather than detection, and Continued improvement of processes at all levels of the organization.

Role Responsibilities

Primary Role Description

Responsible for the development and implementation process improvements for manufacturing, utilizing principles and technology of chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering and related physical and natural sciences. Through data analysis, identifies as well as leads capital and non capital projects, which are aimed at continuous improvement for the manufacturing process supports.

Primary Activities

• Responsible for implementing activities to the existing manufacturing process in order to drive improvements. This may include:

• New Raw material qualification & commercialization.
• NPI and ramp up.
• New formulation.
• New Tools for New Products.
• New Supplier Qualification.
• New Machines or Design modifications to existing machines.
• SMED of new equipment.
• CPP definition for any new additions to process.
• Leads and supports plant continuous improvement activities aligned to site goals and supports the capital plan for the facility and may serve in role of project manager.
• Tracks KPIs and identify medium / long terms focus point of improvement
• Identify, manage, and implement projects (capital & non capital) utilizing MET (Most Effective Technology) to achieve improved performance (OEE) as directed by site leadership.
• Partners with the PTC ( Process Technology Center) group to develop and implement a Plant Specific Technology Plan that delivers positive year-over-year ROC (return on capital) and non-capital continuous improvement while meeting the plant level EH&S improvement goals
• Focuses on medium/long term improvement initiatives of the plant process by teaming with the production engineers and maintenance team to understand current problems and their impact.
• Serves as the implementation arm of the technology center. This includes serving as the local focal point for Most Effective Technology (MET) implementation, new development and Hazops follow-up.
• Analyze processes and identify ways to reduce waste, improve work flow, and drive the plant level continuous improvement targeted at delivering maximum value from the assets.
• Utilize technical knowledge and project/program management skills to perform end-to-end project management, which includes initiation, approval process, design, construction, commissioning to hand-off, spare parts management, financial cost tracking and training.
• Drives knowledge exchange with technology experts to increase awareness of potential improvement opportunities for the technology
• Conducts research with production engineers to develop strategy for new / improved manufacturing processes by utilizing data from Power BI dashboards, ERP systems and analyzing trends using SPC.
• Could be involved in advanced problem solving for different operations such as mixing, extrusion /compounding, calendaring, grinding, distillation, carbon beds, evaporation, extraction and finishing (converting).
• Supports root cause failure analysis (RCA) process by serving as a team member or facilitator for incidents related to process technology..
• Lead as required 6 Sigma/ Continuous Improvement teams on defined topics and related investment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including operators and technicians and ability to drive ideas and operational issues to meaningful and workable solutions to serve the needs of the business.

Mentor and Teacher

• OBO leadership team
• OBO - DTC team
• Global Process Technology Center group

Working Conditions

Manufacturing plant setting that would require working in a production environment. Work will require standing and walking for up to 80% of the time. Lighting and temperature is adequate. Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount to force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

Candidate Requirements

Education: BS degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred

Professional experience:

Minimum 5 years process / project engineering or direct process experience with exceptional ability to solve problems in complex scenarios / multiple constraints.

Intermediate knowledge of Excel, Minitab (primarily to perform data analysis)

Experience with working with Unions a plus ( not required).

Preferred Six Sigma / Lean manufacturing experience.

Materials Engineering & Compounding (Extrusion) is a plus (not required).

Familiarity with database systems such as Power BI is a plus ( not required).

Desired Skills:

Strong Problem Solving Skills and experience with typical Continuous

Improvement problem solving tools ( fishbone, 5 why, process flow Map, etc.).

Good Project Management Skills.

Good interpersonal skills.

Team player and facilitator.

Ability to analyze data to determine solutions and improvement Opportunities.

Bias for action and deep diving to deliver results.

Process Instruction & report writing ability.

#LI-TR1

We believe a diverse workforce is crucial to our growth as a global supplier of advanced materials. Asahi Kasei is an equal opportunity employer.

This job has expired.