Manufacturing Process Optimization Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

A day in this role

You’ll start your morning on the production floor, scanning performance dashboards and SPC charts to spot trends before they become issues. A quick huddle with maintenance aligns on a plan to reduce unplanned downtime, followed by a walk-through of a line where you’ll tweak station balance and refine a layout using Lean principles. Midday, you’ll document updates—clear work instructions, current process flows, and labor standards—then jump into an APQP gate review with quality and suppliers to confirm PPAP readiness for an upcoming ramp. In the afternoon, you’ll facilitate an 8D on a recurring defect, close out an engineering change with updated drawings and routings, and coordinate a weekend equipment upgrade. You’ll wrap by recording improvement actions and risks for the next production readiness review—all while keeping safety, quality, and efficiency front and center.

• Designing, refining, and stabilizing processes for both new introductions and legacy products
• Authoring and maintaining process documentation: work instructions, process maps, and labor standards
• Supporting new product introduction (NPI) and production ramp-ups through APQP and PPAP activities
• Improving production layouts and material flow using Lean methods
• Resolving manufacturing problems with structured methods (8D, root cause analysis)
• Driving engineering change execution and ensuring documentation is current
• Assisting with equipment installs, upgrades, and line modifications
• Partnering with maintenance on reliability improvements and downtime reduction
• Coordinating with suppliers to validate equipment and confirm manufacturing readiness
• Contributing to capital projects and facility enhancement initiatives
• Applying AIAG Core Tools in day-to-day engineering and launch work
• Monitoring performance metrics and leading continuous improvement
• Participating in cross-functional launch teams and readiness reviews
• Traveling to supplier and customer sites for launches and troubleshooting as needed
• Championing safety, quality, and throughput in every activity

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a closely related technical discipline
• Hands-on experience in manufacturing, production, or process engineering
• Knowledge of assembly or industrial manufacturing environments
• Proficiency with AutoCAD and related engineering software
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Comfort collaborating across functions in a fast-paced setting

• 3–5 years in a manufacturing engineering capacity
• Background in automotive or other high-volume production
• Exposure to robotics, automation, or industrial equipment
• Experience coordinating or planning maintenance activities
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma
• Direct involvement with new product launches

Equivalent hands-on manufacturing experience may substitute for formal education in certain cases.

• Bachelor's Degree
• Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Process FMEA (PFMEA)
• Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)
• 120/208/240/480 Voltage Systems
• Production Optimization
• Production Planning & Scheduling
• Access Control Systems
• Automotive Manufacturing Systems
• PPAP process experience