Roll-to-Roll Process Engineer

Roll-to-Roll Process Engineer

Madison, Wisconsin | Manufacturing Engineering | Reports to VP of Integrated Supply Chain

Position Summary

Imbed Biosciences is seeking a hands-on Roll-to-Roll Process Engineer to lead the development, scale-up, optimization, and sustainment of continuous web-based manufacturing processes for advanced medical-device products. This role will own key aspects of coating, drying, web handling, tension control, winding and unwinding, slitting, laminating, and converting as Imbed transitions processes from pilot-scale development to robust commercial production.

The ideal candidate has direct experience working with roll-to-roll equipment and can translate product requirements into stable operating windows, capable processes, effective controls, and clear manufacturing standards. Medical-device experience is beneficial but not required; deep roll-to-roll process expertise is the priority.

This is an on-site role in Madison, Wisconsin, and requires regular hands-on work with manufacturing equipment and production teams.

Key Responsibilities

Roll-to-Roll Process Development and Scale-Up

• Lead the transition of continuous roll-to-roll processes from pilot-scale development to full-scale commercial production.
• Develop and optimize coating, drying or curing, web handling, tension control, web guiding, alignment, winding, unwinding, laminating, slitting, and converting operations.
• Define critical process parameters, operating windows, process limits, recipes, setup standards, and control plans.
• Evaluate scale-up effects involving web width, line speed, residence time, drying capacity, tension zones, coating delivery, substrate behavior, and winding conditions.
• Support new-product introduction, technology transfer, manufacturing readiness, production ramp-up, and capacity expansion.

Coating and Web Process Control

• Establish controls for coating weight and thickness, cross-web and machine-direction uniformity, line speed, web tension, alignment, registration, drying conditions, nip pressure, and dimensional consistency.
• Troubleshoot coating and web defects such as non-uniformity, streaks, edge defects, wrinkles, curl, bagginess, tracking issues, web breaks, telescoping, blocking, delamination, and material variation.
• Analyze interactions among substrate properties, coating formulation or rheology, equipment settings, environmental conditions, and finished-product performance.
• Develop monitoring methods that detect process drift and prevent product-quality issues.
• Apply sensors, automated inspection, machine vision, process-control software, data acquisition, and closed-loop controls where appropriate.

Process Optimization and Technical Problem Solving

• Design and execute engineering trials, Design of Experiments, process-characterization studies, and process-capability analyses.
• Use structured methods including SPC, DOE, FMEA, 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto analysis, and root-cause analysis.
• Analyze manufacturing data to identify sources of variation, defects, downtime, scrap, yield loss, and capacity constraints.
• Improve first-pass yield, throughput, process capability, equipment reliability, material utilization, and manufacturing cost.
• Lead corrective actions for roll-to-roll process issues and verify the effectiveness of implemented solutions.

Equipment, Documentation, and Validation

• Support equipment specification, vendor selection, design reviews, installation, commissioning, and acceptance testing for roll-to-roll and converting equipment.
• Partner with equipment suppliers and internal teams to improve line performance, controls, safety, maintainability, and inspection capability.
• Develop process specifications, engineering protocols, technical reports, work instructions, setup procedures, and standardized manufacturing methods.
• Support equipment qualification and process validation, including Factory Acceptance Testing, Site Acceptance Testing, IQ/OQ/PQ, and process qualification.
• Support change control, deviations, nonconformances, CAPAs, Process FMEA, and manufacturing investigations in accordance with applicable quality-system requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Three or more years of direct, hands-on experience developing, scaling, operating, optimizing, or troubleshooting continuous roll-to-roll or web-processing equipment.
• Demonstrated experience with several of the following: coating, drying or curing, web handling, tension control, web guiding, winding and unwinding, laminating, slitting, printing, or converting.
• Demonstrated ability to establish process parameters and operating windows and to solve web-handling or coating defects using data and structured experimentation.
• Working knowledge of DOE, SPC, process-capability analysis, FMEA, and root-cause analysis.
• Experience collaborating directly with production teams, technicians, equipment suppliers, and cross-functional engineering groups.
• Ability to work on site in Madison, Wisconsin.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with precision coating methods such as slot-die, knife-over-roll, gravure, reverse-roll, comma, or related continuous coating technologies.
• Experience with load cells, dancer systems, drives, PLCs, web guides, machine vision, automated inspection, sensors, or manufacturing data-acquisition systems.
• Experience scaling a process to wider webs, higher speeds, longer runs, or increased commercial capacity.
• Experience with equipment commissioning, validation, and IQ/OQ/PQ.
• Experience in medical devices, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, diagnostics, specialty materials, flexible packaging, films and coatings, adhesives, printing, nonwovens, paper, batteries, or another regulated or precision-manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with GMP, ISO 13485, and FDA Quality System requirements.

What Success Looks Like

• Roll-to-roll processes transition from pilot scale to stable, repeatable commercial production.
• Critical parameters, operating windows, controls, and troubleshooting methods are clearly established and documented.
• Coating and web defects decrease while yield, capability, throughput, and equipment reliability improve.
• Production teams have practical standards, data, and process controls that sustain performance over time.

About Imbed Biosciences Inc.

Imbed Biosciences is a privately held medical-device company developing advanced therapies for burns, chronic ulcers, and surgical wounds. The company has products on the market and in development based on its patented Microlyte Matrix technology to combat local pain and infection in complex wounds. Imbed is backed by private investors and federal agencies and is building a world-class organization of talented employees and renowned advisors.

Imbed offers competitive compensation and employee benefits. To learn more about career opportunities, visit careers.imbedbio.com.