Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Senior Manufacturing Engineer – West Union, SC Itron is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water. As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer on the Manufacturing Engineering team, you will lead the design, development, deployment, and optimization of manufacturing equipment and automated assembly systems to enable the profitable manufacturing of electricity meters, gas meters, network products, and battery‑powered devices. Responsibilities Design, develop, install, qualify, and sustain manufacturing equipment and automated assembly systems for the profitable manufacturing of electricity meters, gas meters, network products, and battery‑powered devices. Lead mechanical design efforts, including concept development, CAD modeling and analysis, DFMEA/PFMEA/MFMEA support, fabrication, assembly, installation, and qualification of manufacturing equipment and tooling. Develop, integrate, and support industrial automation solutions using industrial robots, PLCs, vision systems, safety systems, and material handling equipment. Own the full equipment lifecycle: specifications, supplier engagement, FAT/SAT, installation, commissioning, validation, and handoff to Operations. Improve OEE, FPY and reduce scrap and rework to lower total manufacturing cost through analysis of equipment performance, downtime, cycle time, and failure modes and implementing sustainable corrective actions. Provide on‑site and remote technical support to troubleshoot equipment, automation systems, and mechanical issues, minimizing downtime. Develop and maintain manufacturing documentation including equipment specifications, drawings, schematics, risk assessments, work instructions, SOPs, preventive maintenance schedules, and control plans. Mentor junior manufacturing engineers and technicians on mechanical design, automation best practices, troubleshooting, and structured problem‑solving. Utilize manufacturing data (MS‑SQL, Power BI) to generate reports, identify issues, and drive data‑driven continuous improvement initiatives. Collaborate cross‑functionally with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain to support new product introduction (NPI) and represent Manufacturing Engineering throughout the product lifecycle. Deploy Lean manufacturing principles and tools to drive daily accountability on critical KPIs – Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, and Productivity (SQDIP). Required Skills & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field. 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in high‑volume production environments with hands‑on involvement in equipment design, industrial automation, and system integration. Strong mechanical engineering background including CAD design (PTC Creo, SolidWorks), machine design principles, equipment build/debug, testing, and troubleshooting. Proven experience with industrial automation systems, including robots, PLCs, vision systems, safety systems, and integration of sensors, actuators, and tooling. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex manufacturing problems, identify root causes, and implement solutions that improve OEE, reduce cycle time, and lower manufacturing costs. Strong communication, leadership, and mentorship skills with experience coaching and developing less‑experienced engineers. Preferred Skills & Experience Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement tools, and structured problem‑solving methodologies (e.g., A3, 8‑D). Project management experience. Experience working with external equipment suppliers, system integrators, and cross‑functional teams. Experience with manufacturing data systems, performance dashboards, or analytical tools used to monitor equipment and operational KPIs. Travel 1–10% of the time. Benefits This position includes a competitive benefit package, including financial, social, health and wellbeing programs, paid vacation, 401k matching, employee stock purchase program, and more. Equal Opportunity Employer Itron is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you require an accommodation to apply, please contact a recruiting representative at View phone number on click.appcast.io or email View email address on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr