Polymer Processing Engineer

The University of Southern Mississippi is currently accepting applications for the position of Polymer Processing Engineer.

Location Hattiesburg
118 College Drive
Hattiesburg, Mississippi,
United States

Division Mississipi Polymer Science Institute

Position Type Staff

Employment Status Full Time

Grant Funded No

Pay Grade

Posting Close Date October 1, 2026

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The University will not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B).

A customer-focused individual responsible for all aspects of polymer processing projects: material selection, equipment selection, CAD design, processing/testing/reporting based on client needs. Excellent at troubleshooting and root cause analysis, maintaining quality compliance, and working cross-functionally. The successful candidate will be a mid-level polymer engineer/scientist with commercial experience, mechanically inclined, has speed-of-business focus, a deep understanding of polymers, strong communication skills, is statistically competent, and is an independent contributor.

Customer projects primarily focus on creating and improving products, manufacturing efficiency, cycle times, and defect reduction over many market applications.

• Leads and manages technical projects from initiation through completion, including client consultations, project planning, technical problem-solving, stakeholder coordination, product development schedules, and project documentation. Manages relationships with clients, vendors, and cross-functional teams and represents MPI at technical conferences, presentations, exhibitions, and educational and community outreach activities.
• Leads polymer processing and manufacturing operations utilizing injection molding, extrusion, Brabender mixing, thermoforming, 3D printing, composite manufacturing, and related equipment. Sets up, qualifies, operates, troubleshoots, and optimizes manufacturing processes; evaluates production data and process performance; and provides on-site technical support to clients for extrusion, molding, and related processing operations.
• Manages molds, dies, processing machinery, materials, and other manufacturing resources, including design, procurement, calibration, maintenance, modification, upgrades, and repairs. Provides technical input on mold and die designs, mold-flow analyses, finite element analyses, and thermal analyses and ensures equipment and resources remain operational and compliant.
• Develops, validates, documents, and continuously improves polymer formulations and manufacturing processes to achieve desired material properties, product quality, and manufacturability. Applies data acquisition, process capability analysis, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), simulation, and root cause analysis to identify and implement process improvements.
• Conducts product performance, acceptance, mechanical, thermal, and material property testing and evaluates materials and finished products for compliance with customer, industry, quality, and regulatory requirements. Develops and implements quality-control procedures, analyzes testing results, prepares technical and compliance reports, and ensures adherence to environmental, health, and safety requirements.
• Develops and maintains standard operating procedures, work instructions, technical documentation, engineering records, and manufacturing records. Provides employee and customer training on equipment, manufacturing processes, and quality procedures and maintains knowledge of emerging polymer technologies and manufacturing practices.
• Supports sustainable manufacturing and product development initiatives, including the evaluation and development of materials and processes that promote reuse, recyclability, and composability while balancing product performance, manufacturability, and environmental considerations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Mechanical Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field. Three (3) to ten (10) years of experience in a manufacturing environment, including at least five (5) years of direct experience with polymer materials, injection molding, extrusion, 3D printing, composite manufacturing, or related processing equipment. Experience working directly with customers or clients.

• Knowledgeofthermoplastic and thermoset polymers, composites, bioplastics, polymer structure-property relationships, rheology, thermodynamics, compounding,processing, and quality control.
• Knowledge of polymer characterization techniques, standardized testing methods, and related testing equipment.
• Knowledge of Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Total Quality Management, root cause…