Operations - Manufacturing Engineer

Position

Position: Manufacturing Engineer

Reports To: Director of Operations

Department: Manufacturing

Location: Manufacturing Floor / Office

GROTE ELECTRONICS is a leading manufacturer of vehicle lighting and safety systems. We are committed to delivering exceptional quality and value to our customers—both internal and external. We value teamwork, clear communication of quality objectives, and hands‑on engagement in improving our processes. Success is driven by individuals who actively apply Kaizen thinking, lead improvement efforts, and help advance operational excellence across the organization.

The Manufacturing Engineer plays a critical hands‑on role in supporting shop floor operations, leading continuous improvement efforts, and managing manufacturing‑related projects from concept through implementation. This position requires strong project management skills, technical expertise, and the ability to lead and participate in Kaizen teams. Success in this role requires consistent, hands‑on engagement on the production floor and active collaboration with manufacturing teams.

• Serve as a visible, hands‑on engineering presence on the manufacturing floor, supporting daily operations and troubleshooting production issues.
• Assist manufacturing teams in improving productivity, quality, safety, and throughput.
• Develop, install, program, maintain, calibrate, and troubleshoot manufacturing automation and control systems.
• Oversee and mentor maintenance personnel in troubleshooting, repair, and optimization of automation equipment.
• Lead and actively participate in Kaizen events and continuous improvement project teams.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing principles to ensure all assembly processes operate efficiently and with minimal waste.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and develop cost‑benefit analyses to support leadership decision‑making.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) activities for production, equipment, engineering, and maintenance issues, ensuring sustainable corrective actions.

• Manage manufacturing‑related projects using structured project management methodologies, including scope definition, timelines, resource coordination, and risk management.
• Lead cross‑functional project teams for automation, equipment installation, process changes, and NPI activities.
• Participate in NPI project meetings, development of statements of work (SOWs), process FMEAs, and process flow documentation.
• Coordinate and manage automation and controls vendors to ensure on‑time, on‑budget project delivery.

• Research, recommend, and implement new equipment, automation solutions, and manufacturing programs.
• Support fixture and workstation design, setup, sampling, validation, and creation of work instructions.
• Conduct time studies and evaluate material handling processes, recommending improvements to efficiency and ergonomics.
• Establish and maintain work standards used for product costing, capacity planning, and productivity measurement.

• Provide manufacturing estimates (tooling, assembly, and test equipment) to support customer quotations and business development activities.

• Diploma or Degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Electrical, Mechanical, or related field).
• Proven experience in project management
  , including leading cross‑functional teams and managing multiple priorities.
• Strong hands‑on problem‑solving, root cause analysis, and critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated experience leading or participating in Kaizen events and Lean initiatives
  .
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and…