Production Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Production Engineer jobs in Tennessee are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in automotive manufacturing, chemical processing, and food and beverage production across seniority levels from entry-level process engineer through senior plant optimization roles. Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis are the three largest hiring metros, anchored by established employers like Nissan North America, Eastman Chemical, and Tyson Foods. The most in-demand specialties include lean manufacturing, process control, and quality systems engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 8+ Production Engineer jobs
INTRODUCTION
TACO Metals is looking for a hands-on Extrusion Engineer & Production Manager to join our Plastics Manufacturing team in Sparta, TN. This is a high-impact growth opportunity for someone who knows extrusion, enjoys solving problems at the machine level, and is ready to develop into a larger leadership role. You will work closely with our current Plastics Extrusion Engineer and Plastics Production Manager while building the technical, operational, and leadership skills needed to help carry the department into the future. This is not a desk-only engineering role. We need someone who is comfortable on the floor, understands extrusion processes, can troubleshoot issues in real time, and can earn the trust of operators, maintenance, quality, engineering, and production leadership.
What Makes This Opportunity Different
This role gives the right person the chance to make a visible impact while preparing for long-term advancement. You will be involved in extrusion process improvement, new product launches, tooling and die improvements, production support, operator training, scheduling, continuous improvement, scrap reduction, cost control, and department leadership development. You will help improve how the department runs today — while preparing to help lead where it goes next.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the Extrusion Engineer & Production Manager, you will:
- Troubleshoot, develop, and optimize plastic extrusion processes to improve quality, efficiency, throughput, and uptime.
- Evaluate and improve tooling, dies, downstream equipment, line setup, and process parameters.
- Support new product development, prototype trials, and production launches.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions related to quality, process performance, and equipment reliability.
- Support daily production operations across shifts to meet production targets and customer delivery needs.
- Help reduce scrap, improve line performance, and strengthen manufacturing standards.
- Train, coach, and support extrusion operators and production team members.
- Partner with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain to solve problems and drive results.
- Participate in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, safety, cost-control, and capital planning initiatives.
- Develop knowledge in production scheduling, workforce management, budgeting, and departmental leadership.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
The right candidate is someone who is technically strong, practical, hands-on, and motivated to lead.
You may be a great fit if you:
- Have strong plastic extrusion or polymer processing experience.
- Understand extrusion lines, tooling, dies, resins, additives, downstream equipment, and process optimization.
- Enjoy being on the production floor and solving real manufacturing problems.
- Can communicate clearly with operators, technicians, engineers, supervisors, and managers.
- Are organized, analytical, and able to follow issues through to resolution.
- Have a continuous improvement mindset and look for better ways to run the process.
- Have leadership experience — or the drive and potential to grow into leadership.
- Want a role where your work directly impacts safety, quality, delivery, cost, and team development.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field preferred.
- Equivalent hands-on extrusion experience will be considered.
- 3–7 years of experience in plastic extrusion, polymer processing, or related manufacturing.
- Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, ERP systems, production documentation, scheduling, or employee supervision is a plus.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
WHY JOIN TACO METALS?
At TACO Metals, our manufacturing teams take pride in building quality products, solving problems, and supporting one another. This role is a great opportunity for someone who wants to do more than maintain the process — we want someone who can help improve it, strengthen the team, and grow with the company. This is a role for someone who wants to be challenged, trusted, developed, and given the opportunity to make a real difference.
READY TO BUILD WHAT’S NEXT?
If you are a hands-on extrusion professional who is ready to grow your technical and leadership impact, we want to hear from you. Apply today and help shape the future of Plastics Manufacturing at TACO Metals.
TACO Metals is an Equal Opportunity Employer
INTRODUCTION
TACO Metals is looking for a hands-on Extrusion Engineer & Production Manager to join our Plastics Manufacturing team in Sparta, TN. This is a high-impact growth opportunity for someone who knows extrusion, enjoys solving problems at the machine level, and is ready to develop into a larger leadership role. You will work closely with our current Plastics Extrusion Engineer and Plastics Production Manager while building the technical, operational, and leadership skills needed to help carry the department into the future. This is not a desk-only engineering role. We need someone who is comfortable on the floor, understands extrusion processes, can troubleshoot issues in real time, and can earn the trust of operators, maintenance, quality, engineering, and production leadership.
What Makes This Opportunity Different
This role gives the right person the chance to make a visible impact while preparing for long-term advancement. You will be involved in extrusion process improvement, new product launches, tooling and die improvements, production support, operator training, scheduling, continuous improvement, scrap reduction, cost control, and department leadership development. You will help improve how the department runs today — while preparing to help lead where it goes next.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As the Extrusion Engineer & Production Manager, you will:
- Troubleshoot, develop, and optimize plastic extrusion processes to improve quality, efficiency, throughput, and uptime.
- Evaluate and improve tooling, dies, downstream equipment, line setup, and process parameters.
- Support new product development, prototype trials, and production launches.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions related to quality, process performance, and equipment reliability.
- Support daily production operations across shifts to meet production targets and customer delivery needs.
- Help reduce scrap, improve line performance, and strengthen manufacturing standards.
- Train, coach, and support extrusion operators and production team members.
- Partner with Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain to solve problems and drive results.
- Participate in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, safety, cost-control, and capital planning initiatives.
- Develop knowledge in production scheduling, workforce management, budgeting, and departmental leadership.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
The right candidate is someone who is technically strong, practical, hands-on, and motivated to lead.
You may be a great fit if you:
- Have strong plastic extrusion or polymer processing experience.
- Understand extrusion lines, tooling, dies, resins, additives, downstream equipment, and process optimization.
- Enjoy being on the production floor and solving real manufacturing problems.
- Can communicate clearly with operators, technicians, engineers, supervisors, and managers.
- Are organized, analytical, and able to follow issues through to resolution.
- Have a continuous improvement mindset and look for better ways to run the process.
- Have leadership experience — or the drive and potential to grow into leadership.
- Want a role where your work directly impacts safety, quality, delivery, cost, and team development.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field preferred.
- Equivalent hands-on extrusion experience will be considered.
- 3–7 years of experience in plastic extrusion, polymer processing, or related manufacturing.
- Experience with Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, ERP systems, production documentation, scheduling, or employee supervision is a plus.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
WHY JOIN TACO METALS?
At TACO Metals, our manufacturing teams take pride in building quality products, solving problems, and supporting one another. This role is a great opportunity for someone who wants to do more than maintain the process — we want someone who can help improve it, strengthen the team, and grow with the company. This is a role for someone who wants to be challenged, trusted, developed, and given the opportunity to make a real difference.
READY TO BUILD WHAT’S NEXT?
If you are a hands-on extrusion professional who is ready to grow your technical and leadership impact, we want to hear from you. Apply today and help shape the future of Plastics Manufacturing at TACO Metals.
TACO Metals is an Equal Opportunity Employer
See All 8 Production Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Production Engineer JobsProduction Engineer Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Production Engineer Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in production engineer jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's degree in industrial, mechanical, or chemical engineering from an accredited program
- Experience with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies such as Six Sigma
- Proficiency in process control systems and production planning software used in manufacturing environments
- Familiarity with quality management standards including ISO 9001 and automotive IATF 16949 certification requirements
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, schematics, and technical specifications accurately
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills to work with maintenance, quality, and supply chain teams
Production Engineer Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a production engineer in Tennessee?
A bachelor's degree in industrial, mechanical, or chemical engineering from an ABET-accredited program is the standard entry point for production engineers in Tennessee. While production engineering itself does not require a state-issued Professional Engineer license to practice in most manufacturing roles, obtaining a PE license through the Tennessee State Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners strengthens long-term career prospects and is required for roles with public-facing design responsibility.
Which companies hire production engineers in Tennessee?
Employers hiring production engineers in Tennessee right now include TACO Metals, NIFCO, and MIRATECH, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Tennessee's deep automotive, chemical, and food processing sectors mean demand is consistent year-round across both large corporations and mid-size contract manufacturers throughout the state.
Which Tennessee cities have the most production engineer jobs?
Sparta, Knoxville, and Clarksville have the most production engineer openings in Tennessee. Nashville drives volume through its broad manufacturing base and corporate headquarters presence, while Knoxville benefits from Eastman Chemical's large operations in nearby Kingsport and the Oak Ridge research corridor, and Memphis serves as a logistics and food processing hub anchored by major distribution and production facilities.
Are there remote production engineer jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, but they're rare. Production engineering is fundamentally a plant-floor discipline, and most roles require on-site presence to oversee equipment, processes, and production teams. About 0% of production engineer openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with remote work most common in process documentation, continuous improvement project management, and engineering support roles that don't require direct equipment interaction.
How can I get hired as a production engineer in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to co-op or new-graduate rotational programs run by large Tennessee manufacturers such as Eastman Chemical, Bridgestone Americas, or Nissan North America, which routinely hire candidates without prior full-time experience. Adjacent roles like manufacturing technician, quality control inspector, or process associate at Tennessee automotive or chemical plants provide a direct lateral path, especially when paired with a Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean certification from a Tennessee community college or technical institute.
Where can I find and apply to production engineer jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to production engineer jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current Tennessee openings. Find roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly through the listings.
See All 8 Production Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Production Engineer Jobs