Manager, Process Engineering

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Mississippi.

📋 Description

• Design and enhance the material flow from log intake through primary breakdown, secondary processing, drying, surfacing, and staging of finished goods

• Create and sustain mill layouts for sawmills, planer mills, panel plants, or engineered wood facilities

• Identify equipment requirements for primary and secondary breakdown and establish optimal sequencing

• Assess and specify systems for scanning, optimization, automation, sorting, stacking, and strapping

• Lead line balancing initiatives and conduct bottleneck analyses throughout mill operations

• Perform time studies and production flow analyses to set standards for work, crew sizing, and shift capacity targets

• Collaborate with maintenance, production, and dry kiln teams on equipment installations, mill reconfigurations, and capacity expansion projects

• Utilize lean principles to pinpoint waste and enhance lumber handling, sorting, stacking, trim optimization, and grade flow

• Oversee capital project development, vendor selection, installation, and commissioning

• Maintain mill flow diagrams, equipment layout drawings, and standard operating procedures

• Manage and mentor a team of process and industrial engineers

• Align engineering objectives with production management and senior leadership

• Adapt to evolving priorities and support team and operational requirements

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Process Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field

• Over 8 years of experience in process or industrial engineering within the wood products manufacturing sector

• Proficient knowledge of primary and secondary wood breakdown processes, log merchandising, sawing patterns, kerf, recovery optimization, surfacing, and grading

• Practical experience with mill layout design and material flow planning, including configurations for green-end and dry-end, lumber handling systems, and sort/stacker integration

• Expertise in layout tools such as AutoCAD

• Familiarity with scanning and optimization systems, as well as optimizer settings that impact recovery and grade yield

• Experience in evaluating and implementing mill automation solutions, including PLC-controlled sort lines, automated stackers, kiln tracking systems, and MES/production reporting platforms

• Proficient in time study methodologies, OEE analysis, and capacity modeling for high-volume, continuous-flow wood processing

• Knowledgeable about kiln drying operations, drying schedules, kiln capacity, and management of green inventory

• Understanding of lumber grading regulations and product mix and grade objectives

• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities

• Capacity to collaborate across mill operations, construction and installation teams, maintenance, forestry/procurement, and sales teams

• Willingness to travel at least 50%

🏝️ Benefits

• 100% employer-covered health insurance for employees and their dependents (medical, dental, and vision)

• Completely employer-funded life insurance and disability coverage

• Paid time off and company holidays

• Flexible, unlimited time off

• An opportunity to contribute to building something significant in a vital and evolving industry

• Competitive salary

• Comprehensive benefits package