Operations Engineer

The Operations Engineer leads all manufacturing activities at 4OEM Plastics, with full oversight of Production, Quality, Logistics, Tooling, and Maintenance. You will ensure safe, cost-effective, high-quality output that meets customer expectations and company goals.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone with a strong operational background, a commitment to continuous improvement, and the ability to manage cross-functional teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will lead [number] direct reports (supervisors and leads) and [number] total employees across [number] shifts.

Key Outcomes (first 12 months)

● Reduce scrap rate

● Achieve on-time delivery

● Reduce average changeover time through SMED

● Maintain customer PPM at or below targets to be established

● Maintain IATF 16949:2016 certification with no major nonconformances

Responsibilities

Production & Operations

● Lead daily plant operations to ensure efficient manufacturing and timely delivery.

● Monitor daily production schedules and performance metrics against goals and customer commitments.

● Track and reduce scrap by identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions.

● Develop and maintain KPIs for Production, Quality, Logistics, Tooling, and Maintenance.

● Present production metrics and improvement opportunities to executive management regularly.

● Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives that increase efficiency and reduce waste.

● Apply and champion Lean Manufacturing principles and SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) to reduce changeover times.

Quality Management

● Oversee quality systems to maintain IATF 16949:2016 and ISO 9001:2015 compliance.

● Lead root cause analysis and corrective action for internal and customer quality concerns.

● Promote a culture of quality and accountability throughout the plant.

Tooling & Maintenance

● Ensure proper maintenance and performance of all tooling and equipment.

● Oversee tooling readiness, preventive maintenance schedules, and improvement initiatives.

● Coordinate with external suppliers and internal teams on mold changes, repairs, and upgrades.

Leadership, Safety & Compliance

● Lead, mentor, and develop supervisors and shop-floor staff.

● Drive team engagement, accountability, and professional development.

● Foster a safety-first culture and ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental standards (including ISO 14001:2015).

● Follow and enforce 4OEM Plastics' quality, corporate, and environmental policies, procedures, work instructions, and operational controls, including all applicable legal requirements.

Required Qualifications

● 5+ years in a manufacturing leadership role, preferably in plastics or automotive

● Hands-on experience is a plus

● Working knowledge of IATF 16949 / ISO 9001 quality systems and customer-specific requirements

● Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement, including SMED

● Strong problem-solving, organizational, and team leadership skills

● Effective communicator with both shop-floor teams and executive management

● Bachelor's degree in engineering,/ Associates Degree in manufacturing, or a related field, or equivalent experience

Preferred Qualifications

● Experience with automotive customer requirements

● Experience with [ERP/MES system

● Bilingual (English/Spanish) Plus

Compensation & Benefits

● Experience and fit based.

Equal Opportunity Employer

4OEM Plastics is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person