Job SummaryNortek is seeking an experienced
Senior Process Flow Engineer to lead the development, optimization, and standardization of manufacturing processes for advanced
data center cooling solutions, including liquid cooling systems, cooling distribution units (CDUs), rear-door heat exchangers, pumps, heat exchangers, manifolds, and integrated thermal management products.
This role is responsible for designing end-to-end manufacturing process flows, improving throughput and quality, reducing costs, and supporting new product introductions (NPI). The Senior Process Flow Engineer will collaborate closely with Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Operations, and Continuous Improvement teams to ensure scalable, safe, and efficient production processes that support rapid business growth in the data center infrastructure market.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineering leader with expertise in manufacturing systems, lean principles, process optimization, and industrialization of complex mechanical and electromechanical products.
Job ResponsibilitiesProcess Design & Optimization- Develop, document, and maintain manufacturing process flows for data center cooling products and assemblies.
- Design efficient production layouts, material flows, workstation configurations, and assembly sequences.
- Analyze manufacturing bottlenecks and implement process improvements to increase throughput, quality, and equipment utilization.
- Create and maintain process maps, value stream maps, routing structures, and manufacturing standards.
- Establish labor standards and manufacturing cycle times through time studies and process analysis.
- Lead capacity planning and line balancing initiatives to support production growth.
New Product Introduction (NPI)- Partner with Product Development and Design Engineering teams to ensure manufacturability during product development.
- Lead manufacturing readiness activities for new products and process changes.
- Develop manufacturing work instructions, process specifications, PFMEAs, control plans, and validation plans.
- Support prototype, pilot, and production launch activities.
- Identify and implement automation opportunities during product industrialization.
Continuous Improvement- Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and operational excellence initiatives.
- Utilize data-driven methodologies to reduce waste, improve quality, and optimize production costs.
- Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and corrective action activities for manufacturing issues.
- Develop KPIs and dashboards to monitor process performance and identify improvement opportunities.
Manufacturing & Operations Support- Collaborate with production teams to resolve process-related issues and improve operational performance.
- Evaluate manufacturing equipment, tooling, fixtures, and capital investments.
- Support production scalability initiatives across multiple manufacturing sites when applicable.
- Ensure processes comply with safety, quality, and environmental requirements.
Cross-Functional Leadership- Serve as a technical leader for manufacturing process development projects.
- Mentor Process Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers, and Continuous Improvement personnel.
- Coordinate with Supply Chain, Quality, and Operations teams to support production objectives.
- Present project status, recommendations, and performance results to leadership.
Job Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related technical discipline.
- 8+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, industrial engineering, or operations engineering.
- 3+ years of experience leading complex process improvement or manufacturing development projects.
- Strong experience developing manufacturing process flows and value stream maps.
- Experience supporting NPIs and product industrialization.
- Proficiency with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Strong understanding of production systems, assembly operations, fabrication processes, and materials flow.
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
- Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in data center cooling, HVAC, thermal management, refrigeration, fluid systems, industrial equipment, or electromechanical manufacturing.
- Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or Lean Certification.
- Experience with:
- Liquid cooling systems
- Heat exchangers
- Pumps and fluid handling equipment
- Sheet metal fabrication
- Welding and brazing processes
- Mechanical assembly operations
- Test and validation systems
- Experience with AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent CAD platforms.
- Knowledge of Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, and factory automation technologies.
- PMP certification is a plus.
Technical Competencies- Manufacturing Process Design
- Process Flow Development
- Facility Layout & Capacity Planning
- Value Stream Mapping
- Lean Manufacturing
- Six Sigma Methodologies
- PFMEA & Control Plans
- Statistical Process Control (SPC)
- Root Cause Analysis
- Automation & Industrialization
- Data Analytics & KPI Development
- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
- ERP/MRP Systems
Why Join Us?Join a rapidly growing organization driving the future of high-performance data center infrastructure. As a Senior Process Flow Engineer, you will have the opportunity to shape manufacturing strategies for cutting-edge cooling technologies that enable AI, cloud computing, and next-generation digital infrastructure around the world.
