Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Field

Manufacturing and process engineering

Location

Anderson, SC

Work model

Onsite

Level

Manager

Pay

$150k to $180k

What you would own

• You will be responsible for developing and optimizing manufacturing processes, improving equipment and tooling performance, leading capital investment projects, and implementing advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Working closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and senior operational leadership, you will play a critical role in improving manufacturing efficiency, reducing operating costs, supporting new product launches, and strengthening the organization's long-term technical and operational capabilities.
• Responsibilities Provide leadership and direction across Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, Tooling, Automation, and Continuous Improvement activities.
• Lead the development, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes, equipment, tooling, and production technologies across the facility.
• Drive manufacturing process improvements focused on productivity, cycle-time reduction, scrap reduction, quality, equipment utilization, and overall manufacturing efficiency.
• Provide technical expertise and engineering leadership within plastic manufacturing environments, particularly blow-molding and injection-molding operations.
• Lead and support the introduction of new products, manufacturing processes, tooling, and equipment, ensuring successful implementation and transition into full-scale production.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement opportunities for manufacturing automation, robotics, advanced process controls, and other technologies to improve operational performance.
• Develop and execute capital investment projects, including equipment specification, supplier selection, procurement, installation, commissioning, and production validation.
• Collaborate with Production and Maintenance teams to improve equipment reliability, tooling performance, machine availability, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other structured continuous improvement initiatives throughout the manufacturing operation.
• Establish, monitor, and report on key engineering and manufacturing performance indicators, including cycle times, scrap rates, process capability, productivity, equipment efficiency, and manufacturing costs.
• Lead root-cause analysis and structured problem-solving activities to resolve recurring manufacturing, equipment, tooling, and process-related issues.
• Partner with Quality Engineering to develop robust manufacturing processes, support process validation, and ensure compliance with applicable automotive and manufacturing quality standards.
• Support the development and implementation of manufacturing documentation, standard operating procedures, process control plans, PFMEAs, and engineering change-management processes.
• Manage engineering budgets, capital expenditure planning, project timelines, and technical resources while ensuring effective cost control and return on investment.
• Work cross-functionally with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Materials Management, Environmental Health and Safety, and external equipment suppliers, tooling manufacturers, and technical service providers.
• Ensure engineering activities and manufacturing processes comply with applicable safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements, including OSHA, EPA, ISO, and IATF standards.
• Lead, coach, and develop manufacturing engineering personnel, fostering a culture of technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop and execute manufacturing engineering strategies aligned with the organization's broader operational objectives, capital investment plans, and long-term growth strategy.

What they are looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or a related technical discipline is preferred.
• Seven or more years of progressive manufacturing engineering experience, including previous engineering leadership or management responsibilities.
• Strong experience within plastics manufacturing, preferably involving blow-molding, injection-molding, and/or automotive plastic component manufacturing.
• Previous engineering leadership experience within an automotive manufacturing environment is highly desirable.
• Proven experience managing manufacturing engineering teams, technical projects, process improvements, and manufacturing technology implementation.
• Strong technical knowledge of manufacturing processes, plastics processing equipment, tooling systems, automation, and industrial manufacturing technologies.
• Demonstrated experience improving manufacturing efficiency, reducing cycle times, minimizing scrap, optimizing process capability, and increasing equipment utilization.
• Experience leading capital investment projects, including equipment specification, procurement, installation, commissioning, and process validation.
• Demonstrated experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other structured continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong knowledge of automotive and manufacturing quality-management systems, including IATF 16949 and ISO 9001.
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, process control plans, and structured engineering change-management processes.
• Understanding of environmental and occupational health and safety standards, including ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and applicable OSHA and EPA requirements.
• Experience working collaboratively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Tooling, and other operational functions to resolve technical challenges and improve manufacturing performance.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including experience managing engineering budgets, capital expenditure, project costs, and manufacturing cost-reduction initiatives.
• Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, team-development, and project-management capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, lead cross-functional technical teams, and deliver measurable engineering and operational improvements within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Everything above is the hiring company’s own words, with the company name taken out. The name, the team, and the interview steps come with the first conversation.