Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Location: Kewanee, IL Salary: $85K - $105K

Position Overview: We are seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to lead process engineering, continuous improvement, and production scaling efforts for complex manufacturing operations. The role will drive manufacturing efficiency, product quality, and cost reduction by applying Lean, Six Sigma, DFM and fabrication best practices across cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead design for manufacturability (DFM) reviews and collaborate with product design to optimize parts and assemblies for production.
• Develop, document and implement manufacturing processes, work instructions, process flows and standard operating procedures for fabrication and welding operations.
• Plan and execute process improvement and Lean Six Sigma projects to reduce cycle time, scrap and costs while increasing throughput and quality.
• Perform time studies, capacity analysis and line balancing to determine staffing needs and optimize production layouts.
• Design and qualify tooling, fixtures, and assembly stations; support installation and start-up on the factory floor.
• Apply root cause analysis and statistical process control (SPC) to investigate quality issues and implement corrective/preventive actions.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, mentor junior engineers and train production teams on new processes and best practices.
• Partner with quality, supply chain, maintenance and production to ensure robust control plans, first article inspections and supplier process capability.
• Manage project timelines, budgets and cross-functional communication for process upgrades, capital equipment purchases and product launches.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental and regulatory requirements and promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering or related field; Masters preferred.
• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in a high-mix/high-volume environment, preferably with metal fabrication or welded assemblies.
• Practical experience with Lean manufacturing, Kaizen, and Six Sigma methodologies; Green/Black Belt certification preferred.
• Demonstrated skills in design for manufacturability (DFM), process engineering, and tooling/fixture design.
• Hands-on experience with fabrication and welding processes, process qualification and weld procedure development.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using SPC, root cause analysis (5 Whys, Fishbone), and process capability studies.
• Familiarity with CAD, ERP/MRP systems, and data analysis tools (Excel, Minitab or similar).

Benefits:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• PTO
• 4 Day Work Week!

For this position you must be currently authorized to work in the United States. We do not sponsor for this position.