Manufacturing Engineer

American Wood Fibers (AWF) is a leading manufacturer of consumer and industrial wood-based products serving pet, agricultural, home-heating, and industrial markets. With 350+ employees across 11 locations and over $100M in annual revenue. We are seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to support our continuous-process operations. This is a fully onsite position and requires regular in-person attendance. Remote or hybrid work arrangements are not available. Candidates MUST currently reside within a commutable distance of Circleville, OH; Laurinburg, NC; or Marion, VA.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

Design, maintain, and optimize automated control systems to improve equipment reliability, throughput, product consistency, energy efficiency, and dust-hazard mitigation.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO :

Automation & Controls

• Design, program, and maintain PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems for shavings lines, pellet mills, wood flour systems, conveyors, dryers, and packaging equipment.
• Develop closed-loop control strategies for moisture, feed rates, airflow, temperatures, and pellet mill load.
• Support PLC platforms including Rockwell, Siemens, and Schneider Electric.
• Develop operator-friendly HMI screens with clear alarms and diagnostics.

Troubleshooting & Optimization

• Troubleshoot automation, electrical, and instrumentation issues in dusty, continuous manufacturing environments.
• Support commissioning, startup, and optimization of new or modified production lines.
• Collaborate with Operations and Maintenance to reduce downtime and improve reliability.
• Support production data collection and reporting for continuous improvement.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA 70/79, and NFPA 652/654 combustible dust standards.

• Implement and maintain safety-rated control systems, including E-stops and interlocks.
• Support dust collection, fire detection, and explosion protection improvements.

Projects & Documentation

• Participate in capital projects including equipment upgrades, dryer retrofits, and new line installations.
• Maintain accurate electrical schematics, PLC programs, and automation documentation.
• Train operators and maintenance personnel on automated systems.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Controls, or Automation Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years of automation or controls engineering experience, preferably in wood products, pellet manufacturing, or bulk solids processing.
• Hands-on experience with PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, and industrial control systems.
• Strong troubleshooting skills in continuous-process environments.

Preferred

• Experience with pellet mills, hammermills, grinders, dryers, and pneumatic conveying.
• Knowledge of moisture measurement technologies (NIR, microwave, RF).
• Familiarity with dust collection, fire detection, and explosion protection systems.
• Capital project and commissioning experience.

BENEFITS

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

WORK SETTING

• Industrial manufacturing environment with exposure to dust, noise, and heavy equipment.
• Occasional off-shift or weekend support during startups or outages.
• 50% travel possible
  

For consideration

Due to the nature of our business, American Wood Fibers requires a tobacco and smoke-free environment. We offer a competitive package to include health, dental, vision and life insurance, plus profit bonus, paid time off and matching 401(k). For more company information, please visit our web site . AWF is an EEO employer.

Corporate Office

9740 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 500

Columbia, MD 21046

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Fax

Other Locations

Jessup, MD / Schofield, WI / Pella, IA / Lebanon, KY / Marysville, CA / Marshall, TX / Circleville, OH / Marion, VA / Jamestown, CA / Laurinburg, NC