Materials Engineer

Opportunity Profile

Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey

Position Title: Materials Engineer

The Opportunity:
This is a unique, high-impact opportunity for an engineer who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and wants to make a measurable difference from day one. The organization is at a pivotal stage of growth—having made significant investments in new machinery and infrastructure, doubled its production footprint, and rapidly scaling toward nine-figure revenue. With that growth has come a clear need: technical leadership on the manufacturing floor.

This role is not about incremental change—it’s about transformation. The incoming Materials Manager will act as a critical driver of operational excellence, bringing structure, process discipline, and data-driven decision-making to an environment that currently relies heavily on improvisation. From reducing scrap rates to implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and optimizing production parameters, this individual will have direct influence on profitability and efficiency.

You will serve as the “fire brigade” of the operation—solving problems in real time, bridging communication between production, maintenance, and customer-facing teams, and ensuring that manufacturing capabilities are being fully leveraged. The role offers exceptional autonomy and flexibility, empowering you to identify opportunities, take initiative, and implement solutions without bureaucracy.

For the right individual, this is a rare chance to step into a greenfield engineering environment where significant improvement opportunities exist across the board. If you are energized by building systems from the ground up, tackling ambiguity, and seeing immediate results from your work, this role offers an unmatched platform for growth and impact.

The Company:
The organization is a rapidly expanding manufacturing business operating in a complex production environment with advanced converting, printing, and laminating equipment. In recent years, the company has made major capital investments across multiple facilities, significantly increasing both capacity and operational scale.

The flagship facility in New Jersey has grown substantially and now supports a large workforce and a wide array of high-value production assets. This growth has created both opportunity and urgency—systems, processes, and technical oversight must now catch up with the pace of expansion.

What sets the company apart is its entrepreneurial, non-corporate culture. Employees are trusted to take ownership of their responsibilities, with minimal bureaucracy and a strong emphasis on accountability. Individuals who perform well are given significant freedom and are not micromanaged, creating an environment where initiative and results are highly valued.

The Boss:
The role reports directly to the Technical Director, who is currently the sole engineering resource supporting the organization. He has been instrumental in navigating the company through its rapid growth and understands both the operational challenges and the opportunity ahead.

He is a hands-on, highly autonomous leader who values independence, problem-solving ability, and personal ownership. He does not micromanage and expects his team members to proactively identify and address challenges without waiting for direction.

He is committed to mentoring and developing the right individual, particularly in learning the company’s equipment and processes. He thrives in an environment where engineers are empowered to make decisions and implement improvements—and is seeking someone who will embrace that same mindset.

The Position:
The Materials Manager will serve as the primary on-site engineering and process optimization resource supporting manufacturing operations. This role combines elements of industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and technical service to drive operational improvements across production processes.

Acting as a liaison between operations, maintenance, and customer-facing teams, this individual will diagnose issues, implement process improvements, and establish standardized procedures to improve efficiency and reduce waste. The role requires a highly hands-on, agile professional who is comfortable working directly on the production floor and influencing materials-related performance.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Analyze and optimize manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and reduce scrap
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) across production lines
• Monitor machine performance and establish optimal operating conditions (temperature, timing, etc.)
• Collaborate with production, maintenance, and customer service teams to resolve technical issues
• Serve as a liaison between internal teams and customers during trials and production runs
• Identify opportunities for process standardization and continuous improvement
• Support training initiatives for production staff on best practices and process consistency
• Troubleshoot equipment and process-related issues on the manufacturing floor
• Travel occasionally to other facilities or customer sites as needed

Qualifications:

• Strong foundation in manufacturing processes and production environments
• Hands-on, proactive problem solver who thrives in unstructured environments
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of projects without constant oversight
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to apply data to decision-making
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with diverse teams
• Flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic, fast-paced setting

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering (preferred), Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• Approximately 1–5 years of relevant manufacturing or production experience
• Experience in converting, packaging, or similar environments is a plus, but not required
• Exposure to process optimization or continuous improvement initiatives is beneficial

Competencies:

• Independent and self-directed work style
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• High adaptability and resilience in ambiguous environments
• Effective communication across technical and non-technical teams
• Results-oriented with a focus on measurable impact
• Willingness to take initiative and drive change

Work Environment:
This is an on-site role based in a large-scale manufacturing facility. The position requires significant time on the production floor, working directly with machinery, operators, and technical teams.

The environment is dynamic and fast-paced, with a strong emphasis on hands-on engagement and real-time problem-solving. While the role offers flexibility in scheduling, it requires a high level of personal accountability and responsiveness to operational needs.

Compensation:
Compensation is competitive and aligned with the scope, impact, and growth potential of the role.