Production Engineering Manager

General Summary

The Production Engineering Manager leads Production Engineering, Maintenance, Tool & Die, and Facilities functions for HVAC manufacturing operations. This role is responsible for optimizing manufacturing processes, automation, equipment reliability, tooling, facility infrastructure, and continuous improvement initiatives to achieve quality, safety, delivery, and financial objectives.

The position provides leadership to engineering, maintenance, and technical teams supporting high-volume automotive manufacturing. Responsibilities include manufacturing process capability, equipment uptime, maintenance effectiveness, tooling readiness, capital planning, and successful product launches. The role partners closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Program Management, and Design Engineering to support current production and future growth.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Organization

• Lead, coach, develop, and evaluate Production Engineering personnel.
• Establish departmental goals, KPIs, and development plans.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement.
• Support succession planning, workforce development, and technical training.
• Provide strategic leadership for Engineering, Maintenance, Tool & Die, and Facilities functions.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on efficiency, uptime, and cost reduction.

Manufacturing Engineering

• Direct engineering activities supporting HVAC manufacturing operations.
• Manage and improve:
• Injection molding processes
• Automated and manual assembly systems
• Leak and functional testing equipment
• Vision inspection systems
• Robotics and automation systems
• Develop, validate, and optimize manufacturing processes.
• Improve cycle time, scrap reduction, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, and reliability.

Program Launch & Industrialization

• Lead manufacturing readiness activities for new product launches and engineering changes.
• Support APQP deliverables, including PFMEA, Process Flow Diagrams, Control Plans, Capacity Studies, Run-at-Rate activities, and production validation.
• Manage launch timing, equipment procurement, tooling readiness, process validation, and production ramp-up.
• Coordinate launch activities with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.

Operational Excellence

• Conduct root cause analysis and corrective actions for quality, production, and equipment issues.
• Monitor KPIs including:
• OEE
• First Pass Yield
• Throughput
• Downtime
• Equipment Uptime
• MTBF / MTTR
• Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, TPM, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Implement Industry 4.0 and best manufacturing practices.
• Drive plant-wide cost reduction projects.

Capital & Budget Management

• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets.
• Prepare capital expenditure requests and business justifications.
• Lead equipment sourcing, installation, commissioning, and automation projects.
• Support program quotations and capacity planning.
• Ensure projects are completed safely, on time, and within budget.
• Develop long-term investment strategies for automation, modernization, and expansion.

Quality, Compliance & Safety

• Support compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 14001, and customer requirements.
• Ensure process quality, traceability, and manufacturing controls.
• Support internal and customer audits.
• Lead risk assessments and promote safe manufacturing systems.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Maintenance, and Engineering teams.
• Ensure equipment readiness, production capacity, and workforce capability meet customer demand.
• Coordinate shutdowns, facility improvements, and major equipment installations.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing or production engineering experience in automotive manufacturing.
• 5-8 years of engineering leadership experience.
• Experience leading Production Engineering and Maintenance organizations.
• Proven success managing capital projects, equipment reliability programs, tooling operations, and manufacturing launches.
• Experience in high-volume automated manufacturing environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Tier 1 automotive supplier experience.
• HVAC, thermal systems, plastics, or assembly manufacturing experience.
• OEM product launch experience.
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
• PMP certification.
• TPM certification or demonstrated TPM leadership.

Key Technical Skills

• Injection Molding
• Automated Assembly & Robotics
• Process Validation
• Equipment Reliability
• Predictive & Preventive Maintenance
• Tooling Management
• Facility Management
• SPC & Process Capability Analysis
• GD&T Interpretation
• Hydraulic, Pneumatic & Electrical Systems

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• IATF 16949
• APQP
• PPAP
• PFMEA
• Control Plans
• MSA
• SPC
• 8D Problem Solving
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma
• Kaizen
• Value Stream Mapping
• TPM
• OEE Improvement

Systems & Software

• Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• ERP/MRP Systems
• Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
• Project Management and Data Analysis Tools