Compounding Engineer

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance people’s lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.

• Lead the development, testing, and implementation of new material compounds to support productivity, quality, and business objectives.
• Develop standard work and scalable processes for evaluating and implementing compounding changes across production platforms.
• Use design of experiments and other analytical methods to assess formulation changes and their impact on manufacturing performance.
• Partner with operations, R&D, and leadership to solve production issues, improve processes, and support new product development.
• Coordinate laboratory work, pilot trials, and production trials to improve product performance, reduce scrap, and optimize cost efficiency.
• Analyze data using statistical tools and communicate findings clearly to technical and operational stakeholders.
• Collaborate with suppliers to stay current on new raw materials, equipment, and industry developments.
• Support formulation cost analysis, capital planning, and process improvement initiatives related to existing and new products.

• Bachelor’s degree from an ABET-accredited university in Mechanical, Chemical, Materials, or Plastics Engineering.
• 3 to 5 years of hands‑on plastics compounding experience, ideally in rigid or foamed PVC extrusion or a similar chemical or physical manufacturing environment.

• Experience with PVC extrusion processes and polymer formulation development.
• Knowledge of Six Sigma methodologies and tools such as DOE, DMAIC, FMEA, Fishbone, and 5‑Why analysis.
• Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

• Strong collaborative problem‑solving skills in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to make data‑driven decisions to support compounding and extrusion plant operations.
• Strong organization, project management, and task prioritization skills.
• Ability to define problems, execute trials, analyze data, draw sound conclusions, and build consensus across technical and operational teams.
• Knowledge of polymer chemistry, manufacturing processes, testing, and material analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to build collaborative working relationships with diverse teams and stakeholders.

While performing the duties of this role, the employee is regularly required to sit and frequently required to stand, walk, use hands, reach, and communicate. The role may occasionally require stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. May require air or auto travel up to 10% of the time to support sites across North America.

This role is based in a moderate-noise office environment with periodic travel to manufacturing facilities. Facility environments may include elevated noise levels, exposure to weather elements, proximity to moving equipment, and climbing ladders. Appropriate personal protective equipment, including hearing protection, steel-toe shoes, safety glasses, and hard hats, may be required while working in a facility.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.