Production Technician Plastics

Operations

Hands-on, shift-based leadership position in a plastics injection-moulding environment combining strong technical plastics-processing expertise with full shift accountability for output, quality, safety, and people management.

Job Purpose

Leading and managing the full production shift in a preform and closure manufacturing plant, ensuring the safe, efficient, and high-quality output of PET preforms and plastic closures. Delivers consistent achievement of production targets, minimal downtime, world-class quality standards, and cost control while fostering a culture of safety, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Key Accountabilities and Outputs

• Production Scheduling: Plan, organise, and execute the entire shift’s production schedule to meet or exceed daily/weekly targets for preform and closure output (volume, efficiency, OEE).
• Manage lines and machinery: Set up, optimise, and monitor injection-moulding machines, robots, dryers, chillers, conveyors, and ancillary equipment; perform or supervise machine changes, colour/material changes, and start-ups.
• Troubleshooting: Rapidly diagnose and resolve mechanical, process, and quality issues (short shots, flash, dimensional deviations, sink marks, stringing, etc.) to minimise downtime.
• Quality Control: Conduct in-process quality checks (weight, wall thickness, thread integrity, leak testing, colour, etc.) and ensure full compliance with customer specifications and ISO/FSSC 22000 standards.
• Lead the shift team: Assign tasks, train operators and junior technicians, conduct performance feedback, and handle discipline in line with company policies.
• Continuous improvement: Drive continuous improvement initiatives (lean manufacturing, root-cause analysis, waste reduction, cycle-time optimisation).
• Key Performance Indicators: rack and report shift KPIs (production output, scrap/reject rates, downtime reasons, energy usage, material yield) via ERP or shift handover reports.
• Collaboration: Coordinate closely with maintenance, quality, logistics, and stores teams for spares, raw-material supply (PET resin, masterbatch, closures resin), and planned maintenance.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with all statutory and company requirements (OHS Act, environmental permits, food-safety regulations).

Adherence to the Quality, Food Safety, Health, Safety & Environmental Standards

• Adherence to Standards: Ensure strict adherence to Quality, Food, Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards.
• Enforcement: Enforce all food safety and health regulations, policies, and requirements at all times to guarantee a secure work environment.
• Personal Hygiene: Maintain exceptional personal hygiene as per the organization’s code of conduct.
• Contamination Control: Raise awareness about potential physical product contamination and implement control measures to prevent it.
• Health and Safety Measures: Take reasonable precautions to prevent health and safety hazards. Follow the prescribed incident reporting procedure in case of accidents.
• Knowledge and Compliance: Stay updated with relevant business information, policies, processes, and procedures. Enforce compliance with legislative and statutory requirements, as well as GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices).
• Training: Attend and enforce the implementation of learnings from training sessions related to Quality, Food Safety, and Health and Safety.
• Housekeeping: Maintain high levels of cleanliness and orderliness within the work environment.

• Shift work: Work on rotating shifts to cover production needs, including overtime as required for operational demands.

Qualifications and Experience

• National Diploma or BTech in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Plastics Technology, or equivalent (NQF Level 6+).
• OR Red Seal Trade Certificate (Artisan) as Fitter, Millwright, or Plastics Processing Technician (highly advantageous).
• Minimum 5 years in plastics injection moulding, with at least 2 years in a supervisory/shift-leader capacity.
• Proven experience on high cavitation preform or closure moulding lines (Husky, Netstal, or equivalent) is strongly preferred.
• Exposure to PET preform production and/or closure manufacturing for the beverage industry is a distinct advantage
• Working knowledge of ERP systems (SAP or similar), MS Office, and basic troubleshooting.
• Valid driver’s licence and own transport (for shift changes).

Key Qualities & Behavioural Competencies

• Independent working: Ability to work independently on rotating shifts and make sound decisions in a high-volume environment.
• Attention to Detail: Attention to detail, quality focus, and cost awareness.
• Analytical Thinking: Strong technical problem-solving and fault-finding skills under pressure.
• Proactive problem-solving mindset: Applies root-cause analysis to resolve defects, inspired by continuous improvement practices. Ability to investigate issues and implement solutions under pressure. Results-driven with a continuous-improvement mindset (lean/5S/TPM).
• Teamwork and Communication: Collaborates with production teams and communicates findings clearly to drive corrective actions, fostering a quality-focused culture. Proven leadership and people-management ability – able to motivate and develop a diverse shift team. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (shift handovers, reporting to management).
• Integrity and Accountability: Upholds ethical standards in testing and reporting, taking ownership of quality outcomes.
• Adaptability: Thrives in a dynamic manufacturing setting, handling shift work and responding to real-time production challenges. Adaptable, resilient, and willing to learn new technologies.
• Safety: Commitment to safety and quality, demonstrating integrity in upholding standards without compromise.