| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Engineering |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Production Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 3 to 6 years in process or production engineering |
Process Engineer job description template
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Job title: Process Engineer
Department: Engineering
Reports to: Production Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Process Engineer designs and improves the way a plant makes its product. They define the process steps, set parameters and standard work, and cut waste, cycle time and cost while holding quality. The role works close to production and quality. A good Process Engineer raises output and yield without extra capital, fixes recurring defects at the root, and makes the process stable enough to run the same way on every shift.
Key responsibilities
- Define process steps, parameters and standard work for each product or line.
- Study cycle times, bottlenecks and downtime and improve line output.
- Drive root cause fixes for recurring quality defects and scrap.
- Prepare process flow diagrams, process sheets and control plans.
- Run trials for process changes, new products or new equipment.
- Improve yield, energy and material use through process projects.
- Support new line setup, layout planning and equipment selection.
- Train operators to run the correct process at the right parameters.
- Track process KPIs and report improvements to production and quality.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or diploma in engineering
- Lean or Six Sigma training is an advantage
- Experience in a production environment
- 3 to 6 years in process or production engineering
KRAs and KPIs for a Process Engineer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Output | Line output per shift improved against the baseline |
| Yield and scrap | Scrap or rejection reduced to below the target level |
| Cycle time | Cycle time cut on the priority line each quarter |
| Standard work | Every major operation covered by a current process sheet |
| Trials | Process trials completed and closed on schedule |
| Stability | Process capability held above the agreed index |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: MS Excel, Minitab, Time study tools, ERP production module, CAD for layouts.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Process Engineer, Production Manager, Continuous Improvement Lead
Interview questions for a Process Engineer
- How do you find and remove a bottleneck on a line?
- Walk me through a defect you solved to root cause.
- How do you set standard work for an operation?
- How do you run a process trial without hurting production?
- Which lean tools do you use most and why?
- How do you measure whether a process is stable and capable?
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What does a Process Engineer do?
A Process Engineer designs and improves how a plant makes its product. They set process steps, parameters and standard work, study cycle times and bottlenecks, fix recurring defects at root cause and run trials for changes. Their job is higher output and yield with stable quality on every shift.
What is the difference between a Process Engineer and a Production Engineer?
A Process Engineer designs and improves the process: parameters, standard work and defect reduction. A Production Engineer runs daily production: meeting the plan, managing operators and keeping the line going. The process engineer makes the method better; the production engineer executes it shift to shift.
What qualifications does a Process Engineer need?
A degree or diploma in mechanical, production, chemical or industrial engineering, with production floor experience. Lean or Six Sigma training helps. Employers value data driven problem solving, cycle time and defect analysis, and the ability to make a process run the same way every shift.