Manufacturing Engineering Manager

About the role

We are seeking a senior‑level Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead the scaling of production for a high‑volume automotive or aerospace manufacturer. The role combines hands‑on engineering expertise with people leadership to drive lean transformation and cost‑effective growth.

Key responsibilities

• Design, implement and sustain lean manufacturing systems, including Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping and visual management.
• Apply statistical tools such as Shainin Red X, Design of Experiments (DOE) and 8D to resolve chronic quality and scrap issues.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to production teams and junior engineers, ensuring KPI and Tier accountability.
• Lead capital equipment (CapEx) projects from justification through installation, validation, on‑time and on‑budget.
• Partner with R&D and Quality to embed Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and smooth prototype‑to‑production transitions.
• Analyze manufacturing costs, labor variances and scrap data to identify cost‑reduction opportunities aligned with financial targets.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Electrical or Controls Engineering.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in high‑volume manufacturing, preferably automotive (IATF 16949) or aerospace (AS9100).
• 10+ years total experience in manufacturing or industrial engineering.
• Proven expertise in Six Sigma or Shainin methodologies, DOE, SPC and lean tools (5S, Kanban, SMED, Poka‑Yoke).
• Ability to make data‑driven decisions in fast‑paced, “fire‑drill” environments.
• Preferred: experience with standard costing, P&L impact analysis, ROI calculations, Six Sigma Black Belt or Shainin Journeyman/Master, ERP (SAP/Oracle) and Minitab.

Required skills

• Lean manufacturing tools (5S, Kanban, SMED, Poka‑Yoke)
• Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, visual management
• Shainin Red X, Design of Experiments (DOE), 8D, Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Six Sigma methodology
• ERP systems (SAP, Oracle)
• Minitab or comparable statistical software
• Cost analysis, standard costing, ROI evaluation
• Capital equipment project management