Process Engineer

Mohawk Industries · Dalton

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At Mohawk Industries, we’re committed to more – more customer solutions, more process improvements, more sustainable manufacturing and more opportunities for our team.

As a Fortune 500, global flooring leader with some of the best-known brands in the industry, Mohawk is a great place to start or develop your career with an emphasis on more of what’s important to you. Whether you want to lead more, innovate more, learn more or create more, you can find your more with Mohawk.

Process Development & Innovation Engineer

Job Objective

The Process Development & Innovation Engineer is responsible for developing, optimizing, and implementing advanced manufacturing processes that improve product performance, quality, and cost competitiveness. This role serves as the technical expert for profiling and milling technologies used in flooring manufacturing, including beveling, edge treatments, locking systems, and surface feature development.

The position combines hands-on testing and process validation with creative problem solving to develop innovative manufacturing solutions, improve operational efficiency, and support new product development initiatives. The engineer will work closely with product development, manufacturing, maintenance, tooling suppliers, and leadership teams to bring new concepts from idea to commercial production.

Duties and Responsibilities

Manufacturing Process Development

• Serve as the technical expert for milling and profiling operations used in flooring manufacturing.
• Develop and optimize machining, beveling, profiling, and finishing processes to improve product quality, manufacturability, and visual appearance.
• Evaluate and implement new manufacturing technologies, tooling concepts, and equipment improvements.
• Identify process capability gaps and develop solutions to increase line performance and reduce quality variability.
• Lead industrial trials and plant-scale validation of new process concepts.

Product Development & Innovation

• Partner with Product Development teams to convert ideas into commercially viable manufacturing processes.
• Develop innovative features, visual enhancements, and differentiated manufacturing techniques that improve product value.
• Evaluate manufacturability of new products during the development phase and recommend process requirements.
• Design and execute laboratory and plant trials to validate new product concepts.
• Research emerging flooring technologies, materials, and manufacturing methods that can create competitive advantages.

Tooling & Milling Expertise

• Specify, evaluate, and optimize cutting tools, profiles, machining parameters, and tooling strategies.
• Work directly with machine and tooling suppliers to improve profile quality, productivity, and tool life.
• Develop standards and best practices for milling operations.
• Troubleshoot complex manufacturing issues involving profile accuracy, edge quality, dimensional stability, and product fit.
• Support implementation of new tooling systems and process upgrades.

Cost Reduction & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and lead cost reduction projects focused on materials, labor, tooling, scrap reduction, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Analyze production and quality data to identify opportunities for optimization.
• Develop business cases and technical recommendations for capital investments and process improvements.
• Drive waste reduction initiatives through Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement principles.
• Improve equipment utilization, throughput, and product yields.

Testing & Validation

• Design, conduct, and evaluate laboratory and plant-based testing programs.
• Perform hands-on evaluation of new process concepts, tooling designs, and product constructions.
• Collect and analyze technical data to determine process capability and product performance.
• Develop testing methodologies to support innovation and process development efforts.
• Create technical reports and recommendations based on testing results.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Product Development, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and external suppliers.
• Provide technical guidance and training related to process and milling technologies.
• Support manufacturing sites during process startup, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement activities.
• Present technical findings and recommendations to management and project teams.

Required Experience & Education

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related technical field.
• 3-7 years of manufacturing, process engineering, product development, or industrial process experience.
• Experience working with machining, milling, tooling, profiling, wood-based products, composites, SPC, laminate, LVT, or related manufacturing technologies preferred.
• Experience conducting industrial trials and process development projects strongly preferred.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma certification preferred.

Competencies

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of machining, milling, profiling, tooling, and manufacturing process optimization.
• Ability to analyze production data and translate findings into practical manufacturing improvements.
• Knowledge of process development, product development, and industrial experimentation.
• Strong troubleshooting capabilities in manufacturing environments.
• Experience with continuous improvement methodologies and root cause analysis.

Innovation & Creativity

• Demonstrated ability to generate and develop new manufacturing concepts.
• Strong creative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to transform conceptual ideas into scalable manufacturing solutions.
• Comfortable working in areas with limited precedent where experimentation and innovation are required.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Strong communication and project leadership skills.
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Effective collaborator across R&D, Operations, Quality, and Supplier organizations.
• Able to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail.

Other Pertinent Information

• Up to 25-40% travel may be required to manufacturing facilities, suppliers, and equipment partners.
• Hands-on work in laboratories, pilot environments, and production facilities is expected.
• Regular interaction with manufacturing equipment and operating production lines.
• Must be comfortable working on a manufacturing floor while conducting trials and troubleshooting activities.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and work in non-climate-controlled industrial environments.
• Flexible schedule may be required to support production trials and equipment startups.

Mohawk Industries is a leading global flooring manufacturer that creates products to enhance residential and commercial spaces around the world. Mohawk’s vertically integrated manufacturing and distribution processes provide competitive advantages in the production of carpet, rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone and vinyl flooring. Our industry-leading innovation has yielded products and technologies that differentiate our brands in the marketplace and satisfy all remodeling and new construction requirements. Our brands are among the most recognized in the industry and include American Olean, Daltile, Durkan, IVC, Karastan, Marazzi, Mohawk, Mohawk Home, Pergo, and Quick-Step. During the past decade, Mohawk has transformed its business from an American carpet manufacturer into the world’s largest flooring company with operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe, India, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.

Mohawk Industries, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability/veteran committed to an inclusive workplace and a proud Drugs Don’t Work participant.

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