Manufacturing Engineer

Key Responsibilities

1. Stakeholder Collaboration & Product Development

• Serve as the primary technical liaison between customers, suppliers, and internal engineering teams.
• Support and influence product development for seat assembly, overhead systems, door assembly, and welding processes (MIG, TIG, resistance).
• Participate in design reviews and recommend design, material, and process alternatives to improve manufacturability, quality, and cost.

2. Process Innovation & Implementation

• Design, develop, and optimize manufacturing processes for metal forming, welding, assembly, and urethane production, including tooling, equipment, and process controls.
• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) to control process variability and ensure consistent production of salable parts.
• Support development from prototype builds through launch and full production.
• Pilot new manufacturing technologies, including automation and robotics, and perform ROI analyses to support plant goals.

3. Manufacturing Studies & Cost Optimization

• Conduct manufacturing feasibility studies to assess cost drivers, quality risks, and inventory impact.
• Determine the most efficient combination of materials, processes, and equipment to achieve cost and quality targets.
• Recommend process, material, tooling, or equipment changes to improve productivity, quality, and profitability.
• Prepare economic justifications for new equipment or process improvements and evaluate new technologies.

4. Tooling & Equipment Strategy

• Lead or support tooling and equipment selection, approval, validation, and implementation.
• Coordinate with vendors regarding timelines, technical requirements, installation, and troubleshooting.
• Ensure equipment capability meets production volume, quality, and safety requirements.

5. Continuous Improvement & Lean Manufacturing

• Champion Lean Manufacturing initiatives, including line balancing, OEE improvement, quick changeover, weld cell utilization, and labor efficiency (jobs/hour).
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective actions for process deviations while maintaining design and quality standards.
• Collaborate closely with Quality and Industrial Engineering teams to continuously improve manufacturing performance.

6. Cross‑Functional Leadership & Communication

• Develop and deliver training for new or updated manufacturing processes.
• Maintain clear communication with stakeholders through operating instructions, regular updates, and project status reporting.
• Act as a subject-matter expert for process troubleshooting, change management, and technology integration.

7. Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS)

• Support environmental protection, personal safety, pollution prevention, and continuous improvement of the Environmental Management System.
• Provide leadership during launches to ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and TCEQ standards.
• Proactively monitor the workplace for environmental, health, and safety hazards and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
• Participate in accident, near‑miss, and incident investigations and ensure timely completion of all incident reports.
• Exercise stop‑work authority to prevent unsafe acts or conditions when necessary.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field required.

Experience

• 1-2 years of experience in a manufacturing or assembly environment, preferably automotive.
• Experience in line balancing and fast‑paced manufacturing operations.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, machine capabilities, and raw material characteristics.
• Experience coordinating with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and Industrial Engineering teams.

Technical Skills

• Familiarity with GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing) principles.
• Exposure to PLCs (Siemens, Mitsubishi, Allen‑Bradley preferred) is a plus.
• Lean Manufacturing training or certification preferred.
• Familiarity with the Toyota Production System (TPS) strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.