Manufacturing Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Basic Summary of Position

The Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for developing, costing, proving out, standardizing, and continuously improving CNC machining, computer-aided design (CAD), and inspection processes to support safe, efficient, and repeatable production. This role encompasses responsibility for the full scope of manufacturing engineering activities—from estimating and complex machine setup through CAD modeling, inspection validation, and full production release—providing hands-on technical leadership on the shop floor.

While the position requires working knowledge and participation across all defined responsibilities, it is recognized that individual engineers may possess deeper expertise in certain functional areas. The engineer is expected to leverage their strengths while collaborating with cross-functional teams and other engineers to ensure complete coverage, consistency, and successful execution of manufacturing, design-for-manufacturability, and metrology practices across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

CNC Programming & Process Development

• Develop, maintain, and standardize CNC/CAM programs, post processors, templates, toolpaths, and probing routines.
• Define machining strategies, operations, and process flows to ensure manufacturability, quality, and efficiency.
• Build and control global tooling libraries, preferred tool lists, and standard machine setups across equipment and plants.

Job Setup, Prove-Out & Production Readiness

• Create complete job setup packages, including setup sheets, tool lists, fixture designs, operator overviews, and in-process inspection plans.
• Define work holding methods, probing routines, complex machine setups, and safe job start-up procedures.
• Prove out complex and first-time machine setups, including multi-operation, multi-axis, tight-tolerance, and high-risk jobs.
• Lead initial production runs and ensure processes meet quality, safety, and cycle time targets.
• Train machinists on setup execution, process intent, critical features, and risk mitigation.

Estimating & Costing

• Develop accurate setup times, machining cycle times, labor requirements, inspection time, andtooling costs to support quoting and production planning.
• Review engineering drawings and specifications to assess manufacturability, inspection complexity, and cost drivers.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Sales to support estimating, quoting, and capacity planning.
• Identify and implement cost-reduction opportunities through improved methods, tooling, fixturing, and inspection strategies.

Inspection, CMM & Laser Tracking

• Program, set up, and validate CMM inspection routines for first-article inspection, in-process checks, and final inspection.
• Program and operate laser tracking systems for large-part inspection, alignment, machine verification, and fixture validation.
• Design and support inspection fixturing and datum schemes to ensure repeatable, accurate measurements.
• Partner with Quality Engineering to define critical-to-quality features, measurement methods, and acceptance criteria.
• Support gauge R&R, inspection process validation, and continuous improvement of metrology methods.

Shop Floor Support & Problem Resolution

• Serve as a technical escalation point to resolve machining, setup, tooling, inspection, and quality issues on the shop floor.
• Conduct root cause analysis for scrap, rework, downtime, and measurement discrepancies; implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Run parts and operate CNC and conventional equipment when necessary to support prove-outs, troubleshooting, development work, or production recovery.
• Provide hands-on leadership to ensure stable, safe, and efficient production.

Continuous Improvement & Efficiency

• Analyze production bottlenecks, setup time, spindle utilization, inspection throughput, and inefficiencies; implement improvements.
• Develop tooling, fixturing, probing, and inspection solutions to increase spindle uptime and reduce overall cycle time.
• Lead or support Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives across the organization.

Documentation & Standardization

• Create and maintain technical documentation, work instructions, templates, inspection plans, and standardized manufacturing methods.
• Ensure all machining and inspection processes are clearly documented and consistently executed.

Innovation & Capability Expansion

• Support R&D and manufacturing capability expansion by piloting new materials, machining processes, equipment, inspection technologies, software, and automation.
• Validate and standardize successful pilots for integration into normal production.

Vendor & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with outside vendors to design, build, and procure tooling, fixturing, inspection equipment, and set up materials.
• Communicate effectively with coworkers, management, customers, and suppliers.
• Work independently and collaboratively as part of cross-functional teams.

Hands-On Manufacturing & Safety

• Manufacture and inspect parts using conventional machines, CNC equipment, CMMs, and laser trackers as required.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work environment in accordance with company standards.
• Adhere to Tokai Carbon GS standards of operation and consistently demonstrate company core values.

Success Indicators

The Manufacturing Engineer is considered successful in this role when the following outcomes are consistently achieved:

• Jobs are released with complete, accurate setup and inspection documentation, requiring minimal clarification or rework.
• Complex machine and inspection setups are safely proven out and achieve quality and cycle-time expectations.
• Estimating accuracy supports reliable quoting, planning, and on time execution.
• First-article and initial production runs demonstrate high first-pass yield and stable inspection results.
• Manufacturing and inspection problems are resolved through effective root cause analysis and sustainable corrective actions.
• Process improvements result in measurable reductions in scrap, rework, setup time, or cycle time.
• Standardized methods, templates, and documentation reduce variability and enable repeatable execution.
• Perform ROI analyses to justify investments and improvements, ensuring initiatives deliver measurable productivity and cost benefits
• Machinists, quality personnel, and leadership view engineers as a trusted technical resource.
• Collaboration and knowledge sharing strengthen overall manufacturing capability across the organization.
• Engineering initiatives deliver clear ROI through productivity gains, cost reduction, and enhanced equipment utilization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Strong CNC machining and CAM experience with direct shop-floor involvement.
• Demonstrated experience proving out complex machine and inspection setups.
• Experience with CMM programming and laser tracker setup/operation.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement practices.