Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Location: South Bend, IN

Employment Type: Full-Time

Position Overview

Avero Talent is partnering with an established manufacturing organization in the South Bend area to identify a Manufacturing Engineering Manager. This is an opportunity for a hands-on engineering leader to play a critical role in improving manufacturing processes, supporting new product introductions, and developing a growing engineering team.

The ideal candidate will bring strong practical experience in manufacturing process development, Lean Manufacturing, and complex assembly operations. This individual will work closely with design engineering, production, quality, and operations teams to develop efficient, scalable manufacturing processes that support both existing products and new product launches.

We are seeking someone who brings energy, initiative, and a continuous improvement mindset. This position requires a leader who is equally comfortable developing engineering talent, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and working directly on the manufacturing floor to solve technical challenges.

Candidates currently serving as Manufacturing Engineering Managers, as well as accomplished Senior or Lead Manufacturing Engineers ready to advance into management, are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Process Development & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the development, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes across complex assembly and fabrication operations.

• Apply Lean Manufacturing principles and practical continuous improvement methodologies to improve productivity, quality, safety, and operational efficiency.

• Conduct and oversee time studies, cycle time analysis, takt time calculations, capacity planning, line balancing, and workflow optimization.

• Develop standardized work instructions, process documentation, production routings, and manufacturing procedures.

• Identify and implement opportunities to reduce scrap, rework, downtime, labor inefficiencies, and manufacturing costs.

• Evaluate existing production methods and develop innovative solutions to improve throughput, consistency, and overall manufacturing performance.

• Establish measurable improvement objectives and track results.

New Product Introduction & Manufacturing Readiness

• Lead manufacturing engineering activities associated with new product introductions, design changes, and production launches.

• Collaborate closely with design engineering to ensure new products are designed for manufacturability, assembly efficiency, and production scalability.

• Provide technical input on product designs, tooling requirements, equipment needs, and manufacturing feasibility.

• Develop manufacturing processes for new and increasingly complex products, ensuring successful transitions from design into production.

• Coordinate tooling, equipment, staffing, process documentation, and training requirements to support production readiness.

• Identify manufacturing risks and implement solutions to address technical or operational challenges during product launches.

Engineering Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Manufacturing Engineers and technical personnel.

• Establish departmental priorities, project timelines, performance expectations, and accountability.

• Provide hands-on technical guidance and support to engineering staff and production teams.

• Support the recruitment, onboarding, and development of additional engineering resources as the department grows.

• Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.

• Balance immediate production support requirements with longer-term engineering initiatives and capital projects.

Tooling, Equipment & Capital Projects

• Review and approve engineering drawings for manufacturing tooling, fixtures, equipment modifications, and production-related components.

• Utilize SolidWorks to evaluate designs and support manufacturing engineering initiatives.

• Identify opportunities for automation, equipment improvements, and process modernization.

• Develop equipment specifications, project scopes, cost estimates, and return-on-investment justifications.

• Lead capital improvement projects from initial concept through implementation, validation, and production release.

• Collaborate with maintenance and operations teams to improve equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and optimize manufacturing capabilities.

• Support manufacturing layout improvements, equipment installations, and production capacity expansion.

Quality, Safety & Operational Support

• Partner with production, quality, maintenance, and other departments to resolve manufacturing challenges.

• Lead structured root-cause analysis and corrective action initiatives.

• Ensure manufacturing processes are repeatable, properly documented, and capable of meeting established quality standards.

• Support quality management systems, process controls, and continuous improvement activities.

• Incorporate safety, ergonomics, and operational risk considerations into manufacturing process and equipment designs.

• Utilize operational data and performance metrics to guide engineering decisions and prioritize improvements.

Required Qualifications

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

• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing engineering experience, including meaningful involvement in process development and improvement.

• Demonstrated leadership experience, whether through formal management responsibilities, engineering supervision, or leading technical teams and projects.

• Strong practical knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.

• Hands-on experience with time studies, cycle time analysis, takt time, capacity planning, process optimization, and standardized work.

• Experience developing and implementing manufacturing processes, particularly in complex assembly, fabrication, or similar industrial environments.

• Strong SolidWorks proficiency, including the ability to review and evaluate tooling and manufacturing-related engineering drawings.

• Experience supporting new product introductions and collaborating with design engineering on manufacturability improvements.

• Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects, solve complex manufacturing problems, and deliver measurable operational improvements.

• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work effectively with engineers, production personnel, and senior leadership in a hands-on manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Manufacturing Engineering Manager, Engineering Supervisor, Lead Manufacturing Engineer, or Senior Manufacturing Engineer with leadership responsibilities.

• Experience in complex mechanical assembly, heavy equipment, industrial systems, or large-scale manufacturing operations.

• Background in welding, fabrication, machining, industrial painting, or related manufacturing processes.

• Experience with industrial automation, controls systems, and automated manufacturing equipment.

• Experience developing manufacturing processes for complex new products transitioning from engineering design into production.

• Experience with capital equipment selection, implementation, and project management.

• Lean Six Sigma certification or other relevant continuous improvement credentials.

• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 or comparable quality management systems.

• Experience with ERP systems, manufacturing documentation, and engineering change management.

• Demonstrated success mentoring and developing less-experienced engineers.

About the Opportunity

This position is well-suited for an engineering professional who enjoys building and improving manufacturing processes rather than simply maintaining established operations. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence how new products are manufactured, develop a talented engineering team, and help shape the future of a growing manufacturing operation.

Avero Talent is an equal opportunity recruiting partner. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to any legally protected characteristic.