Manufacturing Engineer

Manufacturing Engineer | 6-Month Contract-to-Hire | Newport, TN

Hourly Pay Range: $33.65 - $50.48. Individual rates are based on education, geographic location, and alignment to the market data.

Description for Manufacturing Engineer:

• Seeking a Manufacturing Engineer for a 6-month contract-to-hire opportunity supporting significant manufacturing growth, new equipment launches, automation initiatives, and production expansion.
• The Manufacturing Engineer will play a hands-on role in the installation, startup, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization of manufacturing equipment and processes. This individual will work closely with production, maintenance, quality, materials, equipment suppliers, and customers to bring new manufacturing capacity online while supporting day-to-day plant operations and resolving production challenges.
• This is a highly execution-focused role requiring significant time on the manufacturing floor. The ideal candidate enjoys troubleshooting equipment and processes, working through manufacturing problems directly with operators and technicians, and taking ownership of projects without requiring extensive direction
• The manufacturing environment includes metal fabrication, resistance welding, robotic welding cells, automated production equipment, tooling and fixtures, and legacy machinery. This role provides broad exposure to equipment launches, tooling, automation, process development, production troubleshooting, and continuous improvement, with the opportunity to take significant ownership of manufacturing projects from installation through stable production.

Responsibilities for Manufacturing Engineer:

• Support installation, integration, startup, and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment and production lines
• Work directly with equipment suppliers during equipment installation, troubleshooting, startup, and process optimization activities
• Support production startups, manufacturing test runs, process validation, and equipment debugging during launch activities
• Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment, processes, tooling, fixtures, and production issues to identify root causes and implement practical corrective actions
• Work closely with production operators, maintenance, quality, materials, and plant leadership to resolve manufacturing issues and support daily operations
• Support implementation, modification, and continuous improvement of manufacturing tooling and fixtures
• Support new product and process launch activities, including PPAP and manufacturing readiness efforts
• Read and interpret engineering drawings, manufacturing prints, layouts, specifications, and GD&T requirements
• Support implementation and optimization of resistance welding, robotic welding, automation, and other manufacturing processes
• Participate in capital equipment planning, implementation, and startup activities
• Evaluate manufacturing processes and recommend improvements related to productivity, quality, throughput, safety, ergonomics, and cost
• Support new-part startup activities and determine how new products and processes can best utilize existing manufacturing equipment and capabilities
• Provide rapid engineering support during equipment breakdowns, process disruptions, and other production-critical issues
• Assist with facility and production readiness for incoming manufacturing equipment
• Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation including standard work instructions, process documentation, engineering procedures, and related technical documentation
• Support engineering change activities and implementation of manufacturing process changes
• Provide technical support to customers and participate in customer-facing engineering discussions when required
• Participate in Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and waste-reduction initiatives
• Train and support production personnel on new equipment, processes, tooling, and manufacturing methods as needed
• Support ongoing production after launch to help stabilize new manufacturing processes and drive continued performance improvements
• Provide hands-on engineering support during equipment launches and production ramp activities, including additional hours when required to meet customer and production commitments
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements for Manufacturing Engineer:

Must Haves

• Degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a closely related engineering discipline; relevant manufacturing experience may be considered in combination with other technical education
• Manufacturing environment experience
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and blueprints
• Working knowledge of GD&T
• Strong hands-on troubleshooting and problem-solving ability
• Strong mechanical aptitude
• Comfortable spending significant time working directly on the manufacturing floor
• Ability to work effectively with production, maintenance, quality, materials, suppliers, and other engineering personnel
• Ability to independently identify manufacturing problems and develop practical solutions
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability
• Self-starter with a high level of initiative, curiosity, and sense of urgency
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and wear multiple hats within a growing manufacturing environment
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Ability to work additional hours during equipment launches and production ramp activities when required

Nice to Have

• Welding or metal fabrication experience
• Resistance welding experience
• Robotic welding or industrial automation experience
• Capital equipment installation, startup, or commissioning experience
• New Product Introduction (NPI) or manufacturing launch experience
• Tooling or fixture design, implementation, or modification experience
• PPAP experience
• ISO quality system experience
• Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement experience
• Customer-facing engineering experience
• Capital project or CapEx planning experience
• Experience working directly with equipment suppliers during installation and startup
• Experience developing standard work instructions, process documentation, routings, BOMs, or engineering change documentation
• CAD experience with SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Creo, or similar engineering software
• Experience in contract manufacturing, HVAC manufacturing, metal fabrication, industrial equipment manufacturing, wire forming, or sheet metal manufacturing
• Mandarin or Chinese language skills

Benefits for Manufacturing Engineer:

• Health insurance eligibility on 1st day of employment (Medical, Dental)
• 401k after 6 months of employment
• Accrued Paid Time Off