Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Overview Title: Senior Manufacturing Engineer – Fabrication & Welding Location: Hazel Crest, IL – Greater Chicago Company: The Lanco Group of Companies Products: Industrial Equipment (IEM) Division – Carry Deck Cranes, RTG Cranes, and Forklifts Focus: Large steel fabrication, advanced welding and facility start-up Reports to: Director of Quality Compensation: Salary, Bonus Eligibility, and Attractive Benefits Relocation: Yes, Available Type: Onsite & Full-time Websites: Websites (2): Notes: Lanco participates in a collaborative, performance-driven culture with a focus on quality and employee engagement. Job Summary As we expand, we are seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to lead the fabrication and welding strategy and implementation at our state-of-the-art brownfield site in Hazel Crest, IL. The role is critical to scaling the production of our massive steel structures, ensuring that our next generation of products meet the highest standards of quality and efficiency. Key Responsibilities Facility Start-Up & Brownfield Integration: Lead the manufacturing launch of a new, state-of-the-art site. Oversee the transformation of the brownfield facility into a production hub for massive structural weldments. Equipment Acquisition & Integration: Identify, specify, and integrate heavy-duty manufacturing equipment, including large-scale plasma and laser cutting systems, press brakes, welding stations (MIG/TIG) manual and robotic, and CNC machining centers. Process Design & Implementation: Develop and optimize production flows for massive steel components. Design workstations and material handling processes. New Product Introduction (NPI): Partner with the engineering team to transition from design to full-scale production, ensuring manufacturability (DFM). Technical Documentation: Create and maintain work instructions, welding procedure specifications (WPS), and manufacturing BOMs to ensure repeatable, high-quality output. Quality & Compliance: Establish robust quality control processes for welding and fabrication to ensure compliance with AWS and ISO standards. Lean & Continuous Improvement: Drive operational excellence using Lean manufacturing principles, focusing on reducing cycle times and eliminating waste. Multi-Site Technical Leadership: Function as the subject matter expert and technical lead for fabrication and welding processes across other sites in Tennessee, Kansas, and Canada. Qualifications 5-10+ years of engineering experience in heavy equipment or automotive sectors, including manufacturing, industrial, mechanical design, process, or tooling. Experience in cranes, construction equipment, or automotive sectors; chemical industry with complex and integrated processes is a plus. 3-5+ years of specialized heavy structural steel fabrication & welding processes within manufacturing engineering. Facility commissioning and capital equipment acquisition experience. Process design and optimization experience. Implementation of Lean & CI with measurable business improvements (metrics, goals, root cause problem solving, visual management, value stream mapping, 6S, kaizen). Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering - Manufacturing, Industrial, or Mechanical. Travel: 10-15% to other manufacturing sites, suppliers, and customers. Technical Skills: ERP systems for routings and BOM management; data analysis (Excel, Power BI); proficiency in 3D CAD and 2D CAD plant layout. Soft Skills: Project management, problem-solving, and communication skills. Physical: Ability to work on the shop floor for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs. Preferred: Experience with leading industry players (e.g., Caterpillar, John Deere, Toyota, Ford, GM, etc.). Compensation & Benefits We foster a collaborative team environment that values innovation and encourages creative solutions to drive positive organizational impact. Our employees contribute to our success and help us stand out from competitors. Final compensation offers may vary based on experience, education, skills, and location. We offer competitive pay, paid time off, and comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and a 401(k) plan. Lanco is an equal opportunity employer. All employment-related decisions are made without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender-related identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, military status, protected disability, citizenship, genetic information or any other category protected by applicable law. #J-18808-Ljbffr