Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Title: Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Location: Gary, IL

Overview:

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Hire Type: Direct Hire

Benefits: Health, dental, vision, 401K

Pay: $120-140K

Bonus/ Incentives/ Stock Options: 10% bonus

Job Summary:

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager (ME-MGR) oversees the manufacturing engineering team, driving the development and enhancement of manufacturing processes and operational efficiency. This role focuses on optimizing existing processes, fostering innovation in new manufacturing methods, and managing the introduction of new products into production. As a key member of the operations team, the ME-MGR collaborates cross-functionally across the organization, manages budgets, and ensures alignment with company goals and objectives.

Job Duties:

• Process Sustainment & Manufacturing Engineering
• Oversee the development and verification of production labor rates/standards, crew sizes, tooling, fixtures, and manufacturing processes/sequences.
• Build and evaluate routers and BOM requirements to ensure seamless flow to manufacturing orders and alignment with customer demand.
• Conduct time studies and continuous process improvement activities, providing feedback on time efficiency, quoted time accuracy, and variances from established labor rates/standards (JCA) post-job completion.
• Provide MRB support by conducting failure analyses for customer issues, as well as internal product rework and scrap.
• Guide the design and implementation of work cells, production flow, assembly lines, and devices/fixtures to maximize output, improve quality, and reduce costs.
• Ensure required tooling and equipment are available for production. If unavailable, incorporate the cost of new tooling and equipment into budget planning.
• Collaborate with operations, NPD, and supply chain teams to analyze in-house and supplier capabilities, identifying capacity gaps and recommending action plans to meet business objectives.
• Process Innovation & New Product Introduction (NPI)
• Develop and manage the annual CAPEX budget, ensuring proper project tracking and regular business updates.
• Work cross-functionally with finance to justify and reconcile CAPEX projects effectively.
• Provide leadership in fostering a culture of continuous improvement and critical thinking (RCCM).
• Drive the adoption and implementation of manufacturing process automation and advanced technologies.
• Introduce plant-specific methods and processes to support the transition of NPD into routine production.
• Manage the NPD handoff process by collaborating with the NPD team, overseeing initial production runs, and validating methods, processes, and labor benchmarks through manufacturing engineering technicians.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing/Industrial Technology, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field is required.
• At least 10 years of experience in a discrete manufacturing environment.
• Expertise in assembly, CNC machining, sawing, testing, heat treating, annealing, metal bending, welding, and fabrication, with knowledge of materials such as HRS, CRS, stainless steel, aluminum, and brass.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing principles, root cause analysis, and critical thinking.
• Familiarity with ISO standards and compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD/DraftSight, SolidWorks, and the ability to read and interpret technical drawings.
• Strong understanding of plant layout and product flow optimization.
• Skilled in applying critical thinking to define problems, gather and analyze data, and draw meaningful conclusions.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite, particularly Excel and MS Project.
• Experience with ERP systems is a plus, with knowledge of MS GP or MS Dynamics 365 being highly beneficial.
• Certifications:
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification is a plus.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.