Process Engineer

As the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, H.B. Fuller’s (NYSE: FUL) innovative, functional coatings, adhesives and sealants enhance the quality, safety and performance of products people use every day. Founded in 1887, with 2024 revenue of $3.6 billion, our mission to Connect What Matters is brought to life by more than 7,500 global team members who collaborate with customers across more than 30 market segments in over 140 countries to develop highly specified solutions that enable customers to bring world-changing innovations to their end markets. Learn more at www.hbfuller.com.

The Process Engineer will play a critical role in supporting H.B. Fuller's Aerospace Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Charlotte, NC. This facility serves as the company's primary manufacturing and packaging site for aerospace polysulfide sealants, supporting commercial, defense, and space industry customers worldwide.

Reporting to the Plant Manager and partnering closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS, Engineering, and technical teams, the Process Engineer will lead initiatives to improve safety, quality, productivity, reliability, and cost performance across bulk manufacturing and packaging operations. This role will be responsible for identifying and implementing process improvements, supporting capital projects, optimizing manufacturing systems, and ensuring sustainable operational excellence in a highly regulated aerospace environment.

The first 6 months of this role will require 30-50% travel to Irvine, CA, Wilmington, CA, and Ball Ground, GA for onboarding purposes.

Key Responsibilities

Process Optimization & Manufacturing Support

• Provide technical leadership for bulk manufacturing, material handling, packaging, and supporting production processes.

• Analyze manufacturing performance and identify opportunities to improve throughput, yield, cycle time, quality, and overall equipment effectiveness.

• Lead troubleshooting efforts for process deviations, equipment performance issues, and production constraints.

• Develop and implement sustainable solutions that improve process capability and manufacturing reliability.

• Support production scheduling and capacity planning through process analysis and bottleneck identification.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives to eliminate waste, reduce variation, and improve operational performance.

• Establish and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.

• Utilize statistical analysis, SPC methodologies, and data-driven decision making to drive continuous improvement efforts.

• Facilitate root cause investigations and corrective action implementation for process failures.

Process Safety & Compliance

• Serve as a key technical resource for Process Safety Management (PSM) activities.

• Participate in Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), Management of Change (MOC), Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR), and other PSM programs.

• Ensure manufacturing processes comply with OSHA, EPA, ISO, customer, and corporate requirements.

• Support development and maintenance of standard operating procedures, work instructions, and technical documentation.

Capital Projects & Facility Growth

• Support design, justification, and implementation of capital improvement projects.

• Develop engineering solutions to increase manufacturing capacity and improve operational efficiency.

• Participate in equipment selection, commissioning, validation, and startup activities.

• Partner with Engineering and Operations teams on future expansion initiatives within the Center of Excellence.

Quality & Technical Leadership

• Collaborate with Quality and Technical organizations to improve process robustness and product consistency.

• Support scale-up, validation, and commercialization of new and existing products.

• Lead technical investigations involving manufacturing performance, process capability, and customer concerns.

• Provide training and technical guidance to operations personnel on process changes and best practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, EHS, and R&D teams to achieve site objectives.

• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

• Serve as a technical resource for customers, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and internal stakeholders as needed.

 

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related engineering discipline.

• 3+ years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.

• Experience supporting process improvement, manufacturing optimization, or production operations.

• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data analysis tools.

 

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of process engineering experience in chemical, adhesives, sealants, polymers, specialty materials, or related industries.

• Experience in OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) environments.

• Working knowledge of PHA, MOC, PSSR, and risk assessment methodologies.

• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

• Experience with process controls, automation systems, PLCs, DCS, and manufacturing data systems.

• Statistical Process Control (SPC) and process capability analysis experience.

• Experience supporting capital projects and equipment installations.

• Knowledge of aerospace, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, or specialty chemical manufacturing processes.

• Experience using SAP or other enterprise manufacturing systems.
  
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Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, and geographic location.

The salary for this role is $90,000 - $110,000.

In addition to your salary, H.B. Fuller offers employees a competitive total rewards package including comprehensive benefits, incentive and recognitions programs, health & wellness benefits, 401K contributions, paid time off and paid holidays. Eligibility may vary.

H.B. Fuller is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proud to have created a collaborative culture where employees around the world are seen, heard, and respected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or marital status or status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected classification.

H.B. Fuller does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with H.B. Fuller, a written service agreement must be executed by Human Resources prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed service agreement, H.B. Fuller shall not be obligated for payment of any fee or compensation.