Senior Engineer, Manufacturing Process- Plastics

About the role

Badger Meter - Where Every Drop Counts and So Do You At Badger Meter, we're more than a leading global water technology company - we're innovators with a mission: to preserve and protect the world's most precious resource. For over 120 years, our trusted solutions have enabled our customers to optimize the delivery and use of water, maximize revenue and reduce waste. Every employee at Badger Meter is an important part of our success. Here, your work doesn't just move a business forward - it shapes a more sustainable future. We are committed to building a workplace where we celebrate differences, empower voices, and encourage fresh ideas that drive innovation. When you join us, you'll find: Purpose-driven work that makes a real difference in communities around the globe. Career growth and development opportunities designed to help you achieve your potential. A supportive, inclusive culture where collaboration and creativity thrive. Be part of something bigger. At Badger Meter, your contributions will ripple far beyond the workplace - creating lasting change for people and the planet. What You Will Contribute: The Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer serves as a technical leader, subject matter expert, and project manager for plastic injection molding and related manufacturing processes. This role owns complex process development, mold and equipment qualification, and manufacturing optimization initiatives while leading cross‑functional teams and mentoring engineers and technicians. The Senior Engineer applies advanced engineering principles to improve capability, cost, quality, and delivery across manufacturing operations. ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES: Technical Leadership & Process Ownership Serve as technical authority for plastic injection molding processes, materials, tooling, and equipment. Lead complex mold qualifications, tool tryouts, and production readiness activities for new and existing products. Define, validate, and optimize robust manufacturing processes, including establishing process windows, control plans, and best practices. Develop and standardize molding qualification methodologies across multiple machines and platforms. Interpret dimensional inspection and CMM measurement data to assess conformance to engineering drawings and GD&T requirements, and recommend tooling and process adjustments to achieve design intent. Fulfill Process Technician responsibilities in emergency situations or critical staffing shortages, providing hands-on process support and troubleshooting to mitigate risk and maintain safe, continuous manufacturing operations. Advanced Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement Lead complex root cause investigations related to quality, yield, scrap, and efficiency issues. Design and execute process capability analyses. Identify systemic manufacturing risks and proactively implement process improvements. Drive continuous improvement initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in cost, quality, delivery, and safety. Lead dimensional root cause investigations by evaluating measurement data, identifying variation sources, and driving corrective actions with tooling, process, or supplier partners. Project & Change Leadership Lead cross-functional teams to implement engineering changes, new tooling, and process improvements. Initiate, evaluate, and implement Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) with a focus on manufacturability and long-term capability. Apply project management tools to manage scope, schedules, budgets, and technical risk for manufacturing projects. Serve as Project Manager for complex, cross‑functional, or capital manufacturing projects. Lead manufacturing cost estimation and technical input for customer quotes, RFQs, and business cases based on customer requirements, process capability, tooling, and capital considerations. Communicate project status, risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans to engineering, operations, and leadership stakeholders. Capital, Tooling & Supplier Engagement Develop technical and financial justifications for capital equipment, new molds, and manufacturing technologies. Partner with Purchasing on make‑versus‑buy analyses, supplier selection, and tooling procurement. Support supplier development and technical reviews related to molded components and tooling. Standards, Documentation & Knowledge Transfer Develop and maintain manufacturing standards, work instructions, and process documentation. Record and analyze test procedures and results, providing data-driven recommendations. Train, mentor, and technically develop Manufacturing Engineers and Molding Technicians. Establish and maintain training programs for plastics processing and molding best practices. Quality, Safety & Compliance Ensure manufacturing processes meet established safety, quality, regulatory, and business requirements. Apply appropriate quality tools and techniques to ensure consistent product performance. Ensure compliance with Badger Meter safety policies across