Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Description:

Position Summary

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager provides technical and strategic leadership for all engineering activities supporting sheet metal fabrication and manufacturing operations. This position is responsible for manufacturing engineering, process development, capital equipment projects, automation initiatives, product launch support, and continuous improvement efforts.

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager leads a team of engineering professionals and collaborates closely with Operations, Production, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Sales to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and profitability. This role is accountable for developing scalable manufacturing processes, supporting a high-mix contract manufacturing environment, and driving operational excellence throughout the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, develop, and manage manufacturing and process engineering personnel.
• Establish departmental goals and priorities aligned with company objectives.
• Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct performance evaluations, coaching, and employee development planning.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning activities for engineering staff.

Manufacturing Engineering & Process Improvement

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve manufacturing processes for sheet metal fabrication operations.
• Establish and maintain manufacturing routings, process documentation, work instructions, and engineering standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, efficiency, throughput, and capacity utilization.
• Lead process optimization initiatives utilizing Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Conduct time studies, process analysis, and workflow evaluations to support productivity improvements.
• Support facility layout, material flow, and operational efficiency projects.

New Product Introduction & Customer Support

• Partner with customers, sales, and operations teams to support new product introductions and engineering changes.
• Review customer drawings and specifications to ensure manufacturability and efficient production methods.
• Provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) feedback and recommendations.
• Support prototype development and production launch activities.
• Assist with cost estimating, quoting, and manufacturing feasibility reviews.

Capital Equipment & Automation

• Manage capital equipment projects from concept through implementation.
• Develop business cases and return-on-investment analyses for equipment investments.
• Evaluate and recommend fabrication equipment, automation technologies, and manufacturing systems.
• Coordinate installation, startup, validation, and operator training for new equipment.
• Lead automation initiatives involving robotics, material handling systems, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Quality & Compliance

• Collaborate with Quality to reduce defects, scrap, and rework.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective action activities.
• Ensure engineering processes comply with customer requirements and company quality management systems.
• Support ISO 9001 and other applicable quality system requirements.
• Drive consistency through process control and standardization.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Position Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Engineering preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in Engineering or related discipline preferred.
• 3+ years of leadership or management experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple projects.
• Data-driven decision making and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities and deadlines.
• Displays confident decision-making ability.
• Understanding of manufacturing methods and procedures.
• Knowledge of sheet metal fabrication background is a plus.
• Comfort with Mastercam, SolidWorks, Radan, Etc. or similar software is a plus.
• Knowledge of materials and their chemical and physical properties is a plus.
• Basic understanding of ISO 9001 workflow requirements and the ability to follow such procedures - is a plus