Job purposeBridges the gap between sales, engineering, and production to evaluate new business proposals, estimate manufacturing costs, and lead products successfully from initial quote through full shop-floor launch. Develops and improves manufacturing processed by studying product and manufacturing methods, and driving post-launch review.
Duties and responsibilities- Cost Estimating & Quoting: Review incoming Requests for Quotations (RFQs), analyze customer 2D/3D CAD data, verify cost models, and determine manufacturing feasibility and pricing (consolidating inputs: materials, tooling, labor, capacity, pilots/trials).
- Project Management: Plan, schedule, and drive complex, multi-phase initiatives using stage-gate / phase-gate processes. Utilize critical-path management, milestone tracking, resource allocation, and tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Asana, or equivalent. Escalates for resolution, as needed, to assure project timing is achieved.
- New Product Introduction (NPI): Lead products from concept or design freeze through pilot builds, validation, manufacturing readiness, and launch. Familiarity with Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Bill of Materials (BOM) management, Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), and pilot-to-volume transitions.
- Process & Tooling Development: Collaborate with tooling and manufacturing engineers to select equipment, design fixtures/gauges, and establish efficient production routers and work instructions.
- Quality & Compliance: Drive quality planning tools including Process FMEA (PFMEA), control plans, and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) submissions.
- Cross-Functional Communication: Serve as the primary technical liaison between customers, finance, quality, and shop-floor personnel from quoting, during launch trials, project closeout with handoff to production, and post launch review. Collaborate with Supply Chain to support supplier selection, supplier readiness, and manufacturability of purchased components.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications- Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Experience: Minimum of 5+ years' Manufacturing Engineer experience quoting and facilitating new product introduction and launch in a regulated (AS9100) manufacturing environment.
- Technical Knowledge: Strong project management mastery to plan/schedule/drive complex, multiphase initiatives using stage-gate/phase-gate processes. Knowledge of manufacturing processes (such as die casting, machining, electrical component/motor assembly), GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), BOM, and ERP systems.
- Quality Methodologies: Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, and Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement principles.
- Software Proficiency: Experience with CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks) and project scheduling tools.
- Risk Management/Problem-Solving: Proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks across technical, schedule, cost, quality, and supply dimension. Ability to escalate with recommended solutions and drive resolution in ambiguous or fast-moving situations.
- Cross-functional Influence Without Authority: Skill at coordinating and aligning diverse stakeholders (Sales, R&D/Engineering, Procurement, Operations, Quality, Finance, Marketing, Regulatory) in matrixed organizations.
- High Organizational Discipline and Attention to Detail - Capacity to manage multiple concurrent priorities, maintain accurate documentation (quotes, plans, gate reviews), and keep teams aligned on timelines and deliverables.
- Exceptional Communication and Stakeholder Management - Clear, concise verbal and written communication; ability to produce executive-ready status updates, risk summaries, and presentations tailored to different audiences.
- Results Orientation and Continuous-improvement Mindset - Focus on delivering on time, on budget, and to quality/commercial targets, combined with a drive to refine processes, reduce cycle time, and capture lessons learned post-launch.
- Prefer:
- Analytical and data-driven decision-making (Excel, BI tools, cost modeling)
- Adaptability and comfort operating in fast-paced, high-growth, or regulated environments.
- Technical fluency sufficient to engage meaningfully with engineering and manufacturing teams (background in engineering, operations, supply chain, or related field is common).
- Relevant certifications (PMP, Lean/Six Sigma) or experience with ERP/PLM systems as pluses.
Working conditions- May be exposed to industrial oils, coolants, solvents, lubricants, adhesive and other chemicals. NOTE: All safety precautions will be used.
- Plant wide climate control and air conditioning, excluding die cast and maintenance areas.
- Could work in areas with excessive noise at time. Ear protection available.
- Safety shoes and safety eye protection at a minimum is required in the production plant.
Physical requirements- Could require intermittent and long periods of sitting and/or standing.
- Required to do repetitive work.
- Periodic lifting of materials not to exceed 50 pounds.
- Includes frequent walking, bending, kneeling, stopping, crawling, and crouching.
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