Extrusion/Production Engineer and Manager Ready to take ownership of the extrusion floor and grow into a key leadership role? TACO Metals is looking for a hands-on Extrusion/Production Engineer and Manager to join our Plastics Manufacturing team in Sparta, TN. This is a high-impact growth opportunity for someone who knows extrusion, enjoys solving problems at the machine level, and is ready to develop into a larger leadership role. You will work closely with our current Plastics Extrusion Engineer and Plastics Production Manager while building the technical, operational, and leadership skills needed to help carry the department into the future. This is not a desk-only engineering role. We need someone comfortable on the floor, who understands extrusion processes, can troubleshoot issues in real time, and can earn the trust of operators, maintenance, quality, engineering, and production leadership. What Makes This Opportunity Different This role gives the right person the chance to make a visible impact while preparing for long-term advancement. You will be involved in extrusion process improvement, new product launches, tooling and die improvements, production support, operator training, scheduling, continuous improvement, scrap reduction, cost control, and department leadership development. You will help improve how the department runs today — while preparing to help lead where it goes next.
What You'll Be Doing:- Troubleshoot, develop, and optimize plastic extrusion processes to improve quality, efficiency, throughput, and uptime.
- Evaluate and improve tooling, dies, downstream equipment, line setup, and process parameters.
- Support new product development, prototype trials, and production launches.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions related to quality, process performance, and equipment reliability.
- Support daily production operations across shifts to meet production targets and customer delivery needs.
- Help reduce scrap, improve line performance, and strengthen manufacturing standards.
- Train, coach, and support extrusion operators and production team members.
- Partner with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain to solve problems and drive results.
- Participate in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, safety, cost-control, and capital planning initiatives.
- Develop knowledge in production scheduling, workforce management, budgeting, and departmental leadership.
- Who Will Be Successful in This RoleThe right candidate is technically strong, practical, hands-on, and motivated to lead.
- You may be a great fit if you:
- Have strong plastic extrusion or polymer processing experience.
- Understand extrusion lines, tooling, dies, resins, additives, downstream equipment, and process optimization.
- Have CAD experience in designing tools and dies.
- Enjoy being on the production floor and solving real manufacturing problems.
- Can communicate clearly with operators, technicians, engineers, supervisors, and managers.
- Are organized, analytical, and able to follow issues through to resolution.
- Have a continuous improvement mindset and look for better ways to run the process.
- Have leadership experience — or the drive and potential to grow into leadership.
- Want a role where your work directly impacts safety, quality, delivery, cost, and team development.
Preferred Background:
Bachelor's degree in Plastics/Extrusion Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field preferred.
Equivalent hands-on extrusion experience will be considered.3–7 years of experience in plastic extrusion, polymer processing, or related manufacturing.
Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, ERP systems, production documentation, scheduling, or employee supervision is a plus.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
Why Join TACO Metals?
At TACO Metals, our manufacturing teams take pride in building quality products, solving problems, and supporting one another. This role is a great opportunity for someone who wants to do more than maintain the process — we want someone who can help improve it, strengthen the team, and grow with the company. This is a role for someone who wants to be challenged, trusted, developed, and given the opportunity to make a real difference within the organization. Ready to build what's next? If you are a hands-on extrusion professional who is ready to grow your technical and leadership impact, we want to hear from you. Apply today and help shape the future of Plastics Manufacturing at TACO Metals. TACO Metals is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
