Advanced Manufacturing Engineer; NPD - Jerome Ave

Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

Location:

Chattanooga, TN (On-Site)

At Astec, we believe in building long-lasting relationships with our employees, customers, and communities. With a team of more than 4,000, we invest in skill training and provide opportunities for career development.

The NPD/VAVE Engineer serves as a corporate-level engineering resource responsible for driving manufacturability, cost optimization, and standardization across all Astec divisions.

• New Product Development (NPD) / New Product Introduction (NPI) support
• Manufacturing engineering representation in product development teams
• Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFM/A) reviews during all design gate phases
• Coordinate with Industrial Engineering (IE) and Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (AME) to develop manufacturing routings, labor standards, and process documentation for NPIs
• Support pilot and prototype builds to validate design, process capability, and readiness for mass production
• Identify and communicate manufacturability issues early in the design to minimize late-stage changes
• Ensure product launches meet AME’s cost, quality, and delivery objectives
• Value Analysis and Value Engineering (VAVE) cost reduction projects across product lines focusing on material, process, and design efficiency
• Collaborate with procurement, design, and Operations to implement alternative materials, part consolidations, and design simplifications
• Develop and maintain VAVE project funnel and savings dashboard in alignment with corporate targets
• Conduct competitive benchmarking, product teardowns, and process cost studies to support ideation
• Validate and track cost savings through data-driven methods (standard labor time, BOM impact, etc.)
• Support the deployment and continuous improvement of corporate AME standards, including PFEP, Line – Side Stock (LSS) systems, MBOM accuracy, process routings, PFMEA templates, and work instruction formats
• Work with site Manufacturing Engineering to ensure consistent adoption of best practices in fabrication, welding, assembly, and paint
• Partner with AME Systems, IE, and Paint Engineering teams to ensure new product/process alignment with automation and equipment capability
• Leverage data and digital tools such as Oracle Fusion, Sigma Nest, Power BI, and Excel models to analyze cost, process, and efficiency data
• Participate in Industry 4.0 initiatives to bring digital visibility to manufacturing and product performance metrics
• Drive data-driven decision-making for capacity, labor optimization, and cost competitiveness
• Act as a liaison between Corporate AME, Site Manufacturing, Design Engineering, Procurement, and Operations teams
• Facilitate and lead NPD/VAVE review meetings and workshops to ensure project status, risks, and savings realization
• Provide regular updates to AME leadership on key deliverables, metrics, and Strategic Business Plan alignment progress
• Deliver documented DFM/A reviews and closure reports per product design phase
• Publish approved routings and time studies before pilot builds
• Achieve annual validated cost savings through VAVE initiatives
• Standardize AME process documents across all divisions
• Maintain weekly dashboards and KPI updates for AME leadership

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (required)
• Master’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering (preferred)
• 5‑10 years of relevant experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Product Development, or VAVE roles (required)
• Understanding of fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, and paint processes (required)
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Solid Works (required)
• Knowledge of Oracle ERP (preferred)
• Strong foundation in Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA, Process Flow, and cost analysis (required)
• Excellent communication and project management skills for cross-functional integration (required)

• Continuous devotion to meeting the needs of our customers
• Honesty and integrity in all aspects of business
• Respect for all individuals
• Preserving entrepreneurial spirit and innovation
• Safety,…