Senior Specialist Manufacturing Engineering - Rubber Processing & Equipment

Senior Specialist Manufacturing Engineering - Rubber Processing & Equipment

Continental

Szeged, Hungary

Your tasks

• Develop, optimize, and industrialize manufacturing processes and equipment for rubber‑based products, with a dedicated focus on automation‑driven hose and belt manufacturing.
• Drive process and equipment development for core rubber technologies including mixing, extrusion, calendaring, assembly, confection, curing, and finishing.
• Lead or support equipment development for fluid handling systems (hoses) or conveying solutions (belts), depending on individual area of specialization.
• Translate product, process, quality, and regulatory requirements into robust machine, tooling, and automation concepts.
• Define and review equipment specifications and support supplier selection, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), ramp‑up, and handover to operations.
• Contribute to the design and integration of automation and/or electrical automation systems, including PLCs, drives, sensors, HMI, and safety functions, according to technical focus.
• Act as a technical problem solver for complex process, equipment, and ramp‑up issues across mechanical, process, and automation disciplines.
• Evaluate and justify capital investments (CAPEX) by preparing ROI analyses, savings calculations, and business‑case justifications for equipment and process solutions.
• Improve manufacturing cost performance through structured technical initiatives addressing machine‑related costs, labor‑related costs, and operational efficiency.
• Support global plant launches, technology transfer, standardization, and drive innovation in manufacturing technologies and processes to enhance competitiveness.

Your profile

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, or a comparable discipline.
• Long-term experience in manufacturing engineering, process, and/or equipment development, preferably within rubber or elastomer processing.
• Proven expertise in one or more rubber manufacturing domains, such as: Mixing and compounding, Fluid handling systems (hoses), Conveying solutions (belts).
• Solid understanding of industrial machinery, tooling, and production equipment used in rubber processing.
• Experience in developing, reviewing, and approving machine and line specifications for equipment procurement.
• Proven capability in CAPEX evaluation, including ROI calculations, savings assessments, and economic justification of machine investments.
• Experience with automation and electrical automation systems, with depth depending on individual specialization.
• Ability to work across disciplines, effectively combining mechanical, process, and automation perspectives.
• Strong analytical and structured problem‑solving skills in complex manufacturing and industrialization environments.
• High level of ownership, technical leadership, and ability to operate independently at senior level.
• Fluent in English (spoken and written).
• Willingness to travel to production facilities worldwide (40-50%).