Senior Manufacturing​/ Process Automation Engineer

Senior Manufacturing / Process – Automation Engineer

Location: Phoenix, Arizona (with travel to Elkhart, Indiana)

Company: Supersede

Reports To: Vice President of Engineering

At Supersede, we’re crafting waves of change with sustainable building materials. As a rapidly growing company focused on innovation, circular manufacturing, and environmental stewardship, we transform recycled plastics into high-performance building products that redefine sustainability in the construction industry.

We are seeking an experienced and driven Senior Manufacturing / Process Engineer to lead manufacturing process development, production scale-up, equipment implementation, and continuous improvement initiatives across our operations. This role offers the opportunity to build world‑class manufacturing systems from the ground up while helping shape the future of sustainable materials.

The Senior Manufacturing / Process Engineer will be responsible for developing, optimizing, and scaling manufacturing processes for recycled plastic compounding, extrusion, and downstream product fabrication. This position will play a critical role in establishing manufacturing standards, improving operational efficiency, supporting new product launches, and driving continuous improvement throughout the organization.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in plastics manufacturing, process engineering, equipment commissioning, and production operations. This individual will work closely with engineering, production, maintenance, quality, and product development teams to improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost performance.

This is a highly visible role requiring both strategic thinking and hands‑on execution in a fast‑paced startup environment.

The position is based in Phoenix, Arizona and requires travel of up to 30% to Supersede’s manufacturing facility in Elkhart, Indiana for equipment commissioning, process development, production support, and operational improvement initiatives.

• Lead development, optimization, and scale-up of recycled plastic compounding, extrusion, and downstream manufacturing processes.
• Establish and document standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and manufacturing standards.
• Define process parameters, operating windows, and production controls to ensure consistent product quality.
• Support development and implementation of new manufacturing technologies and equipment.
• Evaluate and improve material flow, process capability, and overall plant productivity.

• Lead equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning, and startup activities.
• Collaborate with equipment vendors, contractors, and internal stakeholders to ensure successful project execution.
• Develop equipment acceptance criteria, commissioning plans, and performance validation protocols.
• Troubleshoot equipment issues and implement corrective actions to improve reliability and uptime.
• Support facility expansion and future manufacturing capacity planning initiatives.

• Identify and implement process improvements that increase throughput, reduce waste, improve quality, and lower manufacturing costs.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and statistical methodologies to drive operational excellence.
• Conduct root cause analysis and corrective action investigations related to process, quality, and production issues.
• Lead Design of Experiments (DOE) and process capability studies to optimize manufacturing performance.
• Establish and monitor key manufacturing performance indicators (KPIs).

• Provide technical leadership and support to production teams during daily operations.
• Partner with operations, maintenance, and quality teams to resolve production challenges.
• Support workforce training related to equipment operation, process control, troubleshooting, and best practices.
• Participate in production planning and manufacturing readiness activities for new products.
• Ensure manufacturing processes meet safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with…