Manufacturing and Process Engineer

Description

 This position will work closely with Engineering, Production, Quality, Maintenance, Toolroom, and Operations personnel to develop reliable manufacturing processes, improve productivity, resolve production issues, and support new and existing programs.

The ideal candidate will have practical experience in a machining environment and a strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, equipment, process documentation, and continuous improvement. This position requires an engineer who is comfortable working directly on the production floor and collaborating with machine operators, setup personnel, department leaders, customers, and suppliers.

Requirements

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Manufacturing Process Development

• Develop, document, and improve manufacturing processes for new and existing products.
• Determine the most effective manufacturing sequence, equipment, tooling, fixtures, workholding, gaging, and inspection requirements.
• Review engineering drawings, customer specifications, tolerances, materials, and special characteristics.
• Develop process flow diagrams, manufacturing instructions, setup documentation, tooling layouts, and process parameters.
• Participate in manufacturing feasibility reviews for new and revised products.
• Support the launch of new products, equipment, tooling, and manufacturing processes.
• Conduct production trials and confirm that proposed processes are capable of meeting quality, cost, and production requirements.
• Identify manufacturing risks and recommend appropriate process controls.

Production and Operations Support

• Provide daily technical support to Production, Setup, Maintenance, Quality, and Toolroom personnel.
• Troubleshoot machining, tooling, equipment, quality, dimensional, and productivity issues.
• Investigate recurring production problems and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Support production personnel during machine setups, process adjustments, and new  job launches.
• Evaluate tooling performance, tool life, cycle time, machine utilization, and process capability.
• Assist with resolving issues involving cutting tools, workholding, fixtures, material handling, coolant, chip control, and part flow.
• Provide technical support for CNC turning, CNC milling, screw machining, Hydromat, grinding, sawing, laser processing, secondary operations, and related manufacturing equipment.
• Support production recovery activities when equipment or processes are not achieving expected output.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity, efficiency, uptime, and manufacturing cost.
• Lead      or participate in continuous improvement projects involving cycle-time education, scrap reduction, labor reduction, tooling improvement, and process standardization.
• Analyze production data, downtime, scrap, rework, tooling usage, and process performance.
• Recommend improvements to equipment, tooling, automation, layouts, and material flow.
• Support implementation of mistake-proofing and error-prevention methods.
• Assist with the development of standardized work and documented best practices.
• Work with department leaders to establish and maintain sustainable process improvements.

Tooling, Equipment, and Capital Projects

• Develop specifications for tooling, fixtures, workholding, gages, and production equipment.
• Work with internal Toolroom personnel and outside suppliers to design, source, test, and approve tooling and equipment.
• Assist with equipment evaluations, machine capability reviews, and capital equipment projects.
• Prepare technical comparisons and recommendations for equipment upgrades and replacement equipment.
• Support equipment installation, runoff, validation, and production release.
• Coordinate tooling modifications and repairs when needed to support production.
• Maintain accurate tooling, fixture, and process documentation.

Quality and Process Control

• Support the development and maintenance of process flows, PFMEAs, Control Plans, work instructions, setup instructions, and inspection requirements.
• Work with Quality personnel to establish appropriate process controls and gaging methods.
• Support capability studies, measurement system reviews, PPAP activities, corrective actions, and customer-specific requirements.
• Investigate internal and external quality concerns related to manufacturing processes.
• Assist with root-cause analysis and corrective-action implementation.
• Ensure process changes are properly reviewed, documented, approved, and communicated.
• Support compliance with IATF 16949, customer requirements, and company quality procedures.

Cost and Productivity Analysis

• Develop and validate manufacturing cycle times, production rates, tooling requirements, labor requirements, and process assumptions.
• Evaluate actual production results against estimated or expected performance.
• Support cost-reduction activities for existing programs.
• Assist with process-cost evaluations for new equipment, tooling, automation, and manufacturing methods.
• Provide technical manufacturing information to support customer quotations and feasibility reviews when requested.
• Identify areas where manufacturing costs can be reduced without negatively affecting quality or delivery.

Cross-Functional Responsibilities

• Work closely with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Toolroom, Purchasing, Sales, and company leadership.
• Communicate project status, production risks, technical concerns, and recommended actions.
• Coordinate activities with outside tooling, equipment, material, and processing suppliers.
• Participate in customer and supplier meetings when technical manufacturing support is required.
• Provide training and technical guidance to machine operators, setup personnel, department leaders, and other employees.
• Support company goals related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related technical field is preferred.
• An associate degree combined with significant manufacturing and machining experience may be considered.
• Three to seven years of manufacturing or process engineering experience is preferred.
• Experience in a precision machining, automotive, or high-volume production environment is strongly preferred.
• Experience in supporting manufacturing operations directly on the production floor is required.

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Strong understanding of machining and metal-removal processes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, specifications, and customer requirements.
• Working knowledge of CNC machining, cutting tools, workholding, fixtures, gaging, and process development.
• Understanding of machine capability, process capability, tolerance stack-up, and measurement methods.
• Experience with root-cause analysis, corrective action, and continuous improvement.
• Ability to develop clear manufacturing instructions and technical documentation.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and project-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively to production issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with hourly employees, skilled trades, department leaders, management, customers, and suppliers.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and related business software.
• Experience with CAD software is preferred.
• Familiarity with ERP or manufacturing information systems is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Automotive manufacturing experience.
• Experience in an IATF 16949-certified manufacturing environment.
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, and process-flow documentation.
• Experience with CNC turning, CNC milling, multi-spindle screw machines, Hydromat machines, grinding, sawing, or laser processing.
• Experience with tooling design, fixture design, machine runoff, and equipment installation.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, standardized work, mistake-proofing, and continuous improvement methods.
• Experience with statistical process control and process-capability analysis.
• Experience working with outside equipment and tooling suppliers.

Performance Expectations

The Manufacturing and Process Engineer will be expected to:

• Respond promptly to production and manufacturing issues.
• Develop processes that are safe, capable, repeatable, efficient, and properly documented.
• Complete assigned projects within established timelines.
• Reduce recurring process problems, scrap, downtime, and unnecessary manufacturing cost.
• Maintain effective communication with Operations, Quality, Toolroom, Maintenance, and leadership.
• Demonstrate ownership of assigned projects and follow through until actions are completed.
• Spend sufficient time on the production floor to understand and resolve manufacturing issues.
• Support a culture of accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and respect.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

• This position requires regular time in both an office and manufacturing environment.
• Must be able to walk and stand for extended periods while supporting production activities.
• Must be able to safely access manufacturing equipment and production areas.
• May occasionally be required to lift or move tooling, parts, or equipment weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Must be able to wear required personal protective equipment.
• Exposure to noise, oils, coolants, metal chips, moving machinery, and other conditions normally associated with a machining environment should be expected.
• Occasional overtime, weekend support, or schedule adjustments may be required based on production and project needs.

Authority and Accountability

The Manufacturing and Process Engineer is authorized to:

• Recommend changes to manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, equipment, and documentation.
• Stop or escalate a process when safety, quality, equipment, or customer risk is identified.
• Coordinate production trials and process-improvement activities with the appropriate department leaders.
• Request technical support, quotations, and information from approved suppliers.
• Recommend corrective actions, capital improvements, and process-control changes.

The Manufacturing and Process Engineer is accountable for ensuring that assigned manufacturing processes and engineering projects are properly developed, documented, implemented, and supported.