Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Position Summary Reporting to the Plant Manager, the Senior Manufacturing Engineer will coordinate and support all manufacturing engineering functions related to new and existing products. This includes analyzing the manufacturability of parts, determining requirements for tooling and equipment, and defining optimized processes that span from initial development through full-scale production. The engineer will work collaboratively with cross-functional teams—including Quality, Operations, Design Engineering, and Planning—to ensure efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality manufacturing solutions.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Sets the standard for working safely and following all safety policies, leading by example.
• Serve as a key member of the Manufacturing Operations leadership team and collaborate closely with Quality and Engineering departments to deliver high-performance production outcomes.
• Design and coordinate the fabrication of tooling and fixtures to support the manufacturing operations.
• Develop, evaluate, and improve manufacturing methods with a focus on safety, quality, throughput, and cost-efficiency.
• Analyze space utilization, material flow, and equipment layout to maximize shop floor efficiency and reduce waste.
• Partners with vendors to determine product specifications and manage purchase requisitions for equipment, materials, and parts for new projects.
• Coordinate with design, planning, and tooling teams to ensure manufacturable designs and seamless production integration.
• Works closely with leadership and other staff regarding manufacturing capabilities, production schedules, and other considerations to facilitate production processes.
• Apply statistical methods to estimate future manufacturing needs and identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives across the operation to drive continuous improvement and process standardization.
• Manage and execute special projects focused on productivity gains, cost reduction, and new technology implementation.

Required Skills

• Possess good written/oral communications skills, as well as the ability to present his/her views in a clear and compelling manner. Positive can-do orientation. Able to deal effectively with broad range of personalities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
• Demonstrated project/team management capabilities that can meet aggressive deadlines.
• Skilled in conflict resolution, cross-functional leadership, and project management.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and a high sense of urgency when engaging with customers, cross-functional teams, and all organizational levels, while remaining confident and effective in navigating ambiguity and complex challenges.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing cost control, quality assurance, and schedule adherence within aerospace environments
• Technical knowledge of machines, tools, and precision manufacturing equipment including CNC multi axis machines and specialty fastener systems.
• Demonstrates a solid understanding of lean manufacturing principles and actively applies practices such as 6S, Visual Controls, Standard Work, and work center metrics to support continuous improvement and operational clarity.

Required Experience

• 5-7 years of progressively broadening manufacturing experience.
• Extensive experience in metal machining (e.g., Header, Grinding, Roll Former, CNC milling & turning, etc.).
• Experience in aerospace/fastener/metals manufacturing industries, with strong knowledge of all fastener materials preferred.
• Deep understanding of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles and tools, including root cause analysis, demand flow, process design, bills of material, and Value Stream Mapping.
• Proficiency in process improvement methodologies; Lean/Six Sigma

Level Of Education

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Operations, or similar.