Manufacturing Engineering Manager (Oak Ridge)

As a member of the Operations organization, the Manufacturing Engineering Manager is responsible for leading the Manufacturing Engineering team and providing strategic and technical direction across manufacturing Engineering. This role oversees product sustainment, continuous improvement initiatives, new product introduction (NPI), manufacturing process development, and automation integration to support current production requirements and future business growth. The Manufacturing Engineering Manager serves as a key interface between Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Operations to ensure efficient, scalable, and high-quality manufacturing processes.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Manufacturing Engineering team, providing technical guidance, mentoring, and performance management.
• Own manufacturing engineering activities supporting production, product sustainment, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement efforts focused on safety, quality, throughput, efficiency, and cost reduction.
• Lead manufacturing readiness activities for New Product Introduction (NPI) programs.
• Develop, implement, and sustain manufacturing processes, tooling, fixtures, and work instructions.
• Identify, evaluate, and deploy automation solutions to improve production capacity, repeatability, and efficiency.
• Partner with Design Engineering to ensure manufacturability and support DFM initiatives.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective action activities for manufacturing, quality, and process issues.
• Establish and monitor manufacturing performance metrics while driving actions to achieve operational objectives.
• Support capital equipment planning, justification, procurement, and implementation activities.
• Ensure compliance with quality systems, safety requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing principles and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in a production environment.
• 5+ years of leadership or management experience leading engineering teams.
• Demonstrated experience supporting manufacturing operations, process development, and product sustainment.
• Strong project management, problem-solving, and root cause analysis skills.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to lead cross-functional teams.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.'
• Due to program requirements, you must be a U.S. Citizen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting aerospace, defense, electronics, robotics, or unmanned systems manufacturing.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) and manufacturing transfer experience.
• Experience with automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or equivalent certification.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing data analytics.
• Experience supporting low-volume, high-mix and scaled production environments.
• Familiarity with AS9100, ISO 9001, or other regulated manufacturing quality systems.

Key Competencies

• Manufacturing Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• New Product Introduction
• Product Sustainment
• Continuous Improvement
• Lean Manufacturing
• Automation Integration
• Process Development
• Root Cause Analysis
• Change Management
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Operational Excellence