Mechanical Engineer -NC

Title:
Mechanical Engineer

Location:
Fayetteville, NC

Who we are:

Voted one of the Nation's Best and Brightest Companies to Work for, Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, and resin production. With top‑of‑the‑line research and production facilities and a vast network of supplies from around the world, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products. Kuraray America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Ltd.

Based in Tokyo, Japan. Kuraray has operations in 31 countries and employs more than 11,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Why Kuraray:

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. Our team members are dedicated to expanding our business with committed professionals who share essential values such as integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability.

As a part of Kuraray America, Inc., our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins, and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world‑leading innovator in the industries we service. Yet, despite our size, our people are more than just a number. As a new team member, you can expect to earn responsibility quickly.

Our commitment to our people is visible in our comprehensive benefits package. As a Kuraray team member, you will have the opportunity to enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, incentive opportunities, and an excellent work environment.

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer to join our team at the Fayetteville, NC manufacturing facility – Kuraray's U.S. site in both the Troisifol and Sentry Glas facilities. This role is responsible for ensuring the mechanical reliability and performance of plants equipment, with a strong focus on continuous running machinery, continuous improvement, and project execution.

This is a hands‑on engineering role, ideal for someone with a strong foundation in mechanical systems, IATF, ISO
9001 and continuous running equipment, along with experience in regulated chemical manufacturing environments.

• Serve as a subject matter expert on continuous running equipment (e.g., pumps, hydraulics, extruders), performing troubleshooting, failure analysis, and performance optimization.
• Lead and support reliability improvement projects focused on mechanical integrity, safety, and plant performance.
• Conduct system sizing, material selection, and equipment specification reviews in alignment with plant needs and industry standards.
• Prepare and update detailed P&IDs and mechanical drawings to support equipment upgrades and design modifications.
• Partner with maintenance personnel during equipment overhauls, turnarounds, and outages; provide field engineering support as needed.
• Oversee or represent the company during offsite equipment repair and inspections.

• Contribute to or lead capital projects, including developing scopes, front‑end design packages, and reviewing vendor documentation for mechanical systems.
• Ensure proper installation and commissioning of new or upgraded mechanical equipment.
• Collaborate across disciplines (engineering, maintenance, operations, procurement) to ensure long‑term reliability and maintainability of systems.

• Analyze failure trends and equipment performance data to recommend improvements.
• Maintain accurate records of repairs, inspections, and reliability metrics through SAP PM or equivalent CMMS tools.
• Support test procedure development and validation of equipment installations and upgrades.

• Participate in Process Safety Management (PSM) activities, including Management of Change (MOC), Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs), and procedure reviews.
• Ensure engineering solutions align with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Stay current with relevant industry codes (e.g., API, ASME) and incorporate them into engineering practices.

• Recommend and implement technical advancements to enhance mechanical system performance and reliability.
• Support operator and…