Product Industrialization Manager — Automotive Machined Components

Ready to turn brilliant designs into production-proof parts?

If guiding products from R&D through manufacturing is your sweet spot, this role in Camarillo, CA puts you at the center of the action. Since 1967, our ~60-person team has supplied precision components to a leading automotive brand, operating three buildings with about 35 CNC machines. You’ll report directly to the Owner, lead a compact engineering team, and serve as the technical bridge among customers, suppliers, Production, Quality, and Inspection.

Your First 90 Days: The Mandate

• Assess active programs (5–15 in flight). Lock down schedules, risks, and deliverables.
• Establish crisp engineering standards—DFM checklists, GD&T expectations, and revision control rigor.
• Strengthen the customer engineering cadence (weekly) and translate feedback into prioritized engineering work.
• Accelerate launch-readiness—tooling packages, CMM fixture strategies, validation plans, and documentation aligned to ISO.

What You’ll Own

• End-to-end NPI and change introduction—from concept through production launch.
• Mentorship and development of engineers and interns; build a high-trust, high-standards culture.
• SolidWorks-driven design of components/assemblies with production-grade documentation.
• DFM decisions that compress cost and time without compromising quality.
• Cross-functional execution with Production, Quality, Inspection, and Manufacturing.
• Tooling and fixture design—including CMM fixtures—to ensure repeatable manufacturing and inspection.
• Drawing reviews with robust GD&T that make downstream work predictable.
• Supplier collaboration to resolve technical hurdles and maintain momentum.
• Validation support and continuous improvement initiatives across engineering processes.
• On-the-floor support: troubleshooting, engineering change orders, and smooth handoffs.

Schedule

• 40–50 hours per week starting around 7 AM
• Every other Friday off

Must-Haves

• Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering (or related).
• 5+ years of advanced SolidWorks experience.
• Mechanical design and new product development background.
• History of managing projects through to production.
• Leadership experience guiding and growing engineers.
• DFM expertise for machined parts.
• GD&T fluency; disciplined drawing control and revisions.
• Confidence with precision measurement tools (calipers, micrometers, gauges).
• Strong communicator, organizer, and project driver.
• Capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Great-to-Haves

• Automotive or aerospace experience.
• ISO quality systems familiarity.
• ERP background—Epicor preferred.
• Authoring methods, routers, and setup instructions for the floor.
• Designing tooling and CMM fixtures.
• Exposure to product validation and manufacturing support.

How You Lead

• Hands-on collaborator who communicates clearly across teams and with customers.
• Analytical problem-solver who mentors early-career engineers.
• Customer-focused, improvement-minded, and able to balance technical depth with people/project leadership.

Core Strengths

• Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
• Mechanical Design & Engineering
• Engineering Degree