Position Summary
Air distribution Technologies Inc. is seeking a hands-on Engineering Manager to support our RUSKIN HVAC damper manufacturing site in Lexington, KY.
The Manufacturing Engineering Manager provides leadership and technical direction for the facility's Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance teams. This position is responsible for ensuring manufacturing equipment, processes, tooling, and facility systems operate safely, reliably, and efficiently while supporting production, quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
The Manufacturing Engineering Manager will lead engineering activities, equipment reliability initiatives, preventive and predictive maintenance programs, equipment installations, and continuous improvement projects. This role will work closely with Operations, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, and other functional groups to identify manufacturing challenges and implement sustainable engineered solutions.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technical leader with experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment, preferably involving sheet metal fabrication, mechanical and welded assembly, and equipment automation.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership
• Lead, develop, and provide technical direction to the facility's Manufacturing Engineers and maintenance team.
• Establish priorities for team members based on safety, production needs, quality, equipment reliability, cost savings, and business objectives.
• Propose new technologies and methods to improve our products and processes.
• Develop and implement permanent corrective actions for recurring equipment or process failures.
• Review and approve equipment designs, modifications, specifications, and engineering documentation.
• Support new product introductions, process changes, equipment upgrades, and manufacturing capacity requirements.
• Develop engineering standards and ensure appropriate documentation of equipment and process modifications.
• Mentor engineering employees and develop technical capabilities within the team.
Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement
• Identify and execute opportunities to improve productivity, equipment reliability, safety, quality, material flow, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead or support continuous improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Analyze production and equipment performance data to identify improvement opportunities.
• Partner with Operations to address manufacturing bottlenecks and improve production capacity.
• Support efforts to reduce scrap, rework, downtime, and manufacturing costs.
• Promote solutions that address root causes rather than relying on temporary repairs or workarounds.
Capital Projects & Equipment Installation
• Develop and manage capital improvement projects from initial concept through implementation.
• Provide business cases, cost estimates, project timelines, equipment specifications, and capital expenditure requests.
• Coordinate equipment purchases, installations, relocations, upgrades, and commissioning.
• Manage vendors, contractors, equipment manufacturers, and other external technical resources.
• Ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, and within approved budgets.
• Verify that new or modified equipment meets operational, safety, quality, and maintenance requirements before release to Production.
• Ensure appropriate training, documentation, spare parts, and preventive maintenance requirements are established for new equipment.
Safety & Compliance
• Ensure engineering and maintenance activities are performed in accordance with company safety requirements and applicable regulatory standards.
• Partner with EHS to identify and eliminate equipment and facility safety hazards.
• Participate in job safety risk assessments related to new equipment, equipment modifications, and manufacturing processes.
• Ensure contractors and vendors comply with facility safety expectations while performing work onsite.
People Leadership
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop Mechanical Engineering and Maintenance employees.
• Establish clear expectations, goals, and performance measures for direct reports.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Develop technical skills and cross-training plans to improve organizational capability.
• Establish appropriate staffing and coverage based on production and maintenance requirements.
• Hold employees accountable for safety, quality, performance, attendance, and workplace expectations.
Qualifications
Required
• Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Five or more years of engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience involving engineers, maintenance employees, technicians, or other technical personnel.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing equipment, mechanical systems, troubleshooting equipment, and reliability principles.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver capital projects on time and under budget.
• Demonstrated ability to perform root cause analysis and sustain corrective actions.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, equipment specifications, schematics, and technical documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to effectively collaborate with both hourly manufacturing employees and senior leadership.
Preferred
• Direct experience in sheet metal manufacturing: cutting, stamping, forming, welding, machining, and mechanical assembly.
• Experience with UL and AMCA certifications.
• Demonstrated success applying Lean manufacturing principles and CI methodologies.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or similar continuous improvement certification.
• Competency with AutoCAD, Inventor, or similar design software.
• Competency with CMMS systems and preventive/predictive maintenance programs.
Core Competencies
• Technical Leadership
• Equipment Reliability
• Root Cause Problem Solving
• Continuous Improvement
• Project Management
• People Leadership
• Accountability
• Decision Making
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Manufacturing Focus
• Safety Leadership
• Cost & Business Awareness
Physical / Work Environment Requirements
• Ability to work regularly in a manufacturing environment around production machinery and equipment.
• Ability to walk manufacturing areas and access equipment for troubleshooting and project support.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment.
• May occasionally be required to work outside normal business hours to support equipment failures, installations, shutdowns, or other critical production needs.
• Must be able to respond appropriately to urgent maintenance or operational issues.
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