Senior Process Engineer

Senior Process Engineer

Department: Manufacturing

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Liberty, SC

Reporting To: Process Engineering Manager

Position Overview

Knowles, Cornell Dubilier is seeking a Senior Process Engineer to lead the development, optimization, and control of high reliability capacitor manufacturing processes. This role is responsible for driving measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and innovation through advanced engineering methods, strong floor presence, and cross-functional collaboration. The Senior Process Engineer serves as a technical leader and problem solver, supporting production stability while advancing process capability and scalability across the site.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead process design, validation, and optimization to improve yield, throughput, and manufacturing capability.
• Translate customer requirements at the RFQ stage into efficient routings, BOMs, and technical assembly instructions.
• Provide expert, hands-on technical support on the production floor to resolve bottlenecks and quality issues.
• Design and implement specialized tooling, jigs, and fixtures for unique or low‑volume assemblies.
• Apply Lean principles (5S, Kaizen, VSM) to improve material flow, reduce waste, and increase OEE.
• Lead capital equipment initiatives from specification through procurement, installation, and commissioning.
• Develop, refine, and control capacitor manufacturing processes such as winding, impregnation, assembly, and testing.
• Conduct root-cause analysis and implement effective CAPA to eliminate recurring issues.
• Identify and drive opportunities to reduce process variation and stabilize production performance.
• Utilize DOE, SPC, and data-driven methods to optimize process capability and output quality.
• Mentor and coach junior process engineers, supporting their technical and professional growth.
• Serve as a primary technical resource supporting daily production troubleshooting and process stabilization.
• Collaborate closely with maintenance, quality, and production teams to ensure safe, reliable, and consistent operations.
• Lead equipment validation, capability studies, and qualification activities for new or updated processes.
• Maintain accurate process documentation and support continuous improvement, NPI projects, and technology evaluations.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in process engineering within a manufacturing environment (experience in capacitors, electronics, or materials processing strongly preferred).
• Proven ability to lead complex technical projects with measurable results.
• Strong familiarity with SPC, DOE, PFMEA, Lean tools, and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Experience mentoring engineers or technical staff.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in engineering or related discipline.
• Direct experience with dielectric materials, metalized film capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, or similar components.
• Knowledge of automated manufacturing systems, PLCs, sensors, and data acquisition systems.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Opportunities for professional development and growth
• A dynamic and collaborative work environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement.
• Flexible PTO
• Paid holidays
• Prescription Drug Plans
• Retirement Savings Plan (401k):
• Basic Life Insurance
• Onsite Physician
• Employee Referral Program

Join our team and play a pivotal role in transforming our manufacturing processes to achieve greater efficiency and excellence.

We are committed to providing a competitive and fair total compensation package for all employees.

One element in our total compensation package is base pay. The starting base pay for this role is $95,000 to $120,000 per year.

Individual compensation decisions are based on a number of factors, including but not limited to previous experience and skills acquired prior to joining us, cost of living in the assigned work location, assigned schedule, and salaries of similarly situated peers at the company. It is to be expected that candidates will come to us with different sets of skills and experiences and therefore will be paid at different points in the stated range. We recognize that the person(s) we select for hire may be less experienced or more experienced than the role as posted; if this is the case, any updates to available salary ranges will be communicated with candidates during the recruitment process.

Knowles’ Cornell Dubilier brand is a leading designer and manufacturer of custom high-energy discharge capacitors used in a wide range of medical, military, and commercial pulsed energy applications.

Equal Opportunity Statement: We prohibit pay discrimination and discrimination of any kind based on race, color, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or other legally protected status.

ITAR Statement: Please note that this position may require access to technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons (citizens, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylee status) or have the necessary authorization to access controlled technical data. Compliance with ITAR and EAR regulations is a condition of employment.

Notice to Staffing Agencies, Search Firms and Recruitment Agencies: The recruitment process at Knowles is managed through the Human Resources department. Knowles does not accept resumes submitted from 3rd party agencies outside of our system. To submit resumes, 3rd party agencies will need to be a pre-approved vendor with a valid contract in place, be actively engaged by Knowles to recruit for a specific position and have agency log in credentials to submit candidates to our career's portal. Please do not submit resumes via e-mail, through our external website or directly to our employees. Any resumes submitted in this way become the property of Knowles and will not be eligible for any placement fee.