Manufacturing Project Engineer

Job Title: Manufacturing Process Engineer / Manufacturing Project Engineer

Job Description

The Manufacturing Project Engineer will support the corporate manufacturing engineering function by planning, coordinating, and executing new plant and capital equipment projects for a new manufacturing facility. This role focuses on developing and maintaining project documentation, coordinating technical deliverables, supporting equipment procurement, managing project schedules and budgets, and tracking project execution from concept through installation and commissioning. The position combines strong project management capabilities with hands-on experience in manufacturing facility projects involving large capital equipment installations, such as conveyors, cranes, robotic systems, assembly equipment, tooling, and material handling systems.

Responsibilities

• Support the planning and execution of new plant and facility expansion projects for a semitruck manufacturing environment.
• Develop and maintain detailed project schedules using Microsoft Project, ensuring all activities, dependencies, and milestones are clearly defined.
• Track project milestones, deliverables, action items, risks, and open issues, and proactively drive closure and mitigation plans.
• Coordinate activities between engineering teams, suppliers, plant personnel, and contractors to align technical requirements and project timelines.
• Prepare clear and concise project status reports and communicate progress, risks, and issues to project stakeholders.
• Facilitate regular project meetings, document meeting minutes, and assign and track action items to completion.
• Create, organize, and maintain technical documentation, presentations, reports, and project records throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop detailed installation scopes of work and equipment specifications for manufacturing and facility equipment.
• Support the development of standard work, project procedures, and implementation plans for new equipment and processes.
• Ensure all project documentation, including RFQs, specifications, layouts, and procedures, is organized, current, and accessible.
• Create and update manufacturing and factory layouts using AutoCAD, including equipment, workstations, and material flow.
• Support facility, equipment, and material flow layout development to optimize production processes and ergonomics.
• Incorporate engineering changes, installation requirements, and process improvements into project drawings and layouts.
• Coordinate layout reviews with internal stakeholders and suppliers to validate design, flow, and installation feasibility.
• Develop Requests for Quotation (RFQs) for manufacturing and facility equipment, including detailed technical requirements and scopes of work.
• Coordinate supplier bid reviews and technical evaluations, comparing proposals against specifications, cost, and schedule.
• Assist with scope definition, supplier communication, and quotation comparisons to support vendor selection.
• Support capital appropriation and procurement processes for large capital equipment and installation services.
• Develop and maintain project budgets and cost tracking tools to monitor capital expenditures and operating impacts.
• Monitor project expenditures against approved budgets, identify variances, and recommend corrective actions.
• Identify cost risks and opportunities for mitigation and support capital expenditure forecasting and reporting.
• Help design and set up equipment, workstations, and assembly processes inside the factory to support production launch.
• Provide project management for individual equipment, installation, and manufacturing-related projects, ensuring scope, schedule, and budget adherence.
• Support commissioning, equipment acceptance, and production launch activities by coordinating stakeholders and documenting results.
• Collaborate with engineering and operations teams to ensure manufacturing engineering processes and industrial safety requirements are considered in project plans.
• Engage with vendors and contractors to coordinate equipment installation, integration, and start-up support.
• Apply basic-to-strong project controls practices, including schedule, budget, milestone, and action-item tracking for factory layout and process implementation initiatives.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, Industrial Technology, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of project coordination, project engineering, or project management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced setting.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project for creating and maintaining detailed project schedules.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel for cost tracking, budget management, and data analysis.
• Proficiency with Microsoft PowerPoint for preparing project presentations and status updates.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Teams for collaboration, meetings, and communication.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for creating and updating manufacturing and facility layouts.
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills, including the ability to write RFQs, equipment specifications, scopes of work, processes, and procedures.
• Demonstrated experience developing project schedules, equipment specifications, RFQs, and budget tracking tools.
• Hands-on experience with large capital equipment installation projects in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in RFQ and specification development for manufacturing and facility equipment.
• Strong organization, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with engineers, plant personnel, suppliers, and leadership.
• Experience with manufacturing engineering, equipment installation, floor layout, capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects, and production processes.
• Experience with project management of equipment, installation, and manufacturing-related projects, including schedule, budget, and milestone tracking.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supporting greenfield or brownfield manufacturing facility projects.
• Experience with installation of large capital equipment, including conveyors, overhead cranes, robotic cells, assembly equipment, tooling, automation, and material-handling systems.
• Experience supporting equipment procurement and contractor management for manufacturing projects.
• Understanding of manufacturing engineering processes and industrial safety requirements.
• Familiarity with commissioning, equipment acceptance, and production launch activities in a manufacturing environment.
• PMP certification or equivalent project management training is preferred.
• Experience with factory layout, process implementation, automation, and robotics projects.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through in managing project documentation and deliverables.
• Ability to work in a self-directed manner with minimal supervision while maintaining accountability for results.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced project environment with evolving priorities and timelines.
• Ability to bridge technical engineering requirements with practical project execution and implementation needs.
• Effective communication skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and leadership.
• Interest in contributing to the launch and growth of a new plant building semi-trucks in a multifaceted engineering and project role.

Work Environment

This role is based fully onsite in an office setting. The position involves close collaboration with corporate manufacturing engineering, plant operations, suppliers, and contractors, and includes frequent interaction with the manufacturing floor to support equipment installation, layouts, and production processes. You will work extensively with digital tools such as Microsoft Project, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and AutoCAD, and will engage with vendors and installation teams during planning, installation, and commissioning phases. The work environment is dynamic and project-driven, offering the opportunity to help design and set up equipment, workstations, and assembly processes for a new, multifaceted manufacturing operation.

Being onsite, we are seeking PDX-area talent first and foremost. If you are relocating to PDX by mid-November, please notate on your resume.

#LI-MH3

This is a Contract position based out of Portland, OR.

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract position based out of Portland, OR.

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 21, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in Portland,OR.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.