Material Technician

Department: Manufacturing / Production
Reports To: Production Supervisor
Classification: Hourly, Non-Exempt
Work Schedule: Assigned shift; overtime, weekends, and holidays may be required

The Material Technician is responsible for safely receiving, identifying, preparing, blending, staging, moving, and supplying plastic materials throughout the production process. This position ensures that extrusion lines receive the correct material, additives, colorants, and regrind according to production orders and approved formulations.

The Material Technician plays a critical role in preventing contamination, maintaining material traceability, supporting continuous production, and ensuring accurate inventory and production records.

Review production schedules, work orders, formulas, and material requirements.

Verify the correct resin, regrind, additives, colorants, and other materials before releasing them to production.

Inspect incoming materials for contamination, moisture, damage, incorrect labeling, or other quality concerns.

Prepare, weigh, blend, and stage materials according to approved formulas and production instructions.

Supply extrusion lines, grinders, blenders, hoppers, silos, and other production equipment with the correct materials.

Monitor material levels to prevent production interruptions or unnecessary downtime.

Operate approved material-handling equipment, including forklifts, pallet jacks, scales, blenders, grinders, vacuum systems, and material-transfer systems.

Maintain accurate material identification, including product descriptions, lot numbers, weights, labels, locations, and production assignments.

Properly label and segregate raw material, work-in-process material, finished goods, regrind, scrap, hold material, and nonconforming material.

Prevent material mixing and cross-contamination during staging, transfers, blending, cleanouts, and changeovers.

Complete required equipment and material cleanouts between products, colors, or resin types.

Return unused material to the correct designated location with accurate labels and quantities.

Record material usage, scrap, regrind, inventory movements, weights, lot numbers, and production information accurately.

Assist with inventory counts and investigate material discrepancies when requested.

Collect material samples and deliver them to Quality Control or the laboratory when required.

Immediately report material shortages, incorrect materials, contamination, damaged packaging, inventory discrepancies, spills, or quality concerns.

Assist Production, Quality, Warehouse, and Maintenance personnel as needed.

Maintain clean, organized, and safe material storage, blending, staging, and production-support areas.

Complete shift handoffs by communicating material levels, staged orders, shortages, quality concerns, and unfinished assignments.

Perform other duties assigned by management.

Follow all company safety policies, procedures, and work instructions.

Wear required personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, high-visibility clothing, safety shoes, and task-specific protection.

Complete required pre-use inspections before operating forklifts or other powered equipment.

Follow all forklift, pedestrian, aisle, traffic-flow, and speed-limit requirements.

Follow Lockout/Tagout procedures before cleaning, entering, adjusting, or servicing hazardous equipment.

Never remove machine guards or bypass safety devices.

Use approved lifting methods and obtain assistance for materials that cannot be safely handled alone.

Clean up spills promptly using approved procedures and report significant spills immediately.

Keep emergency exits, electrical panels, fire equipment, aisles, and walkways clear.

Immediately report injuries, near misses, unsafe conditions, equipment damage, and environmental concerns.

Participate in required safety meetings, inspections, training, and incident-prevention activities.

Confirm material identity before blending, transferring, staging, or loading it into production equipment.

Follow approved formulas, specifications, and mixing instructions without unauthorized substitutions.

Maintain lot traceability throughout the material-handling and production processes.

Prevent contamination by using clean equipment, containers, tools, and staging areas.

Place questionable or nonconforming material in the designated hold area.

Notify the…