Advanced Manufacturing Engineer

Job Title: Advanced Manufacturing Engineer (NPD/VAVE)

Location: Chattanooga, TN (On-Site) (Complete relocation provided by the client)

Department: Manufacturing Engineering

Employment Type: Full-Time/Direct Hire

The Advanced Manufacturing Engineer (NPD/VAVE) serves as a corporate-level engineering resource responsible for driving manufacturability, cost optimization, and process standardization across all client divisions. This role directly supports New Product Development (NPD) and Value Analysis/Value Engineering (VAVE) initiatives aligned with the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Strategic Business Plan (AME SBP)—focusing on Innovation Enablement, Process Optimization, and Operational Excellence.

The engineer will collaborate cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, and Site Manufacturing Engineering to ensure products are designed and industrialized efficiently, safely, and profitably.

• Serve as the manufacturing engineering representative on product development teams.
• Conduct Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFM/A) reviews at each design phase.
• Coordinate with Industrial Engineering and AME to develop manufacturing routings, labor standards, and process documentation.
• Support pilot and prototype build to validate design and process capability.
• Identify and resolve manufacturability issues early to reduce late-stage design changes.
• Ensure product launches meet cost, quality, and delivery objectives.

• Identify and lead cost reduction projects across product lines focused on material, process, and design efficiency.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Design, and Operations to implement part consolidation and design simplification.
• Maintain a VAVE project funnel and savings dashboard aligned with corporate targets.
• Conduct competitive benchmarking, product teardowns, and process cost studies to support ideation.
• Validate and track cost savings using data‑driven methods (standard labor, BOM impact, etc.).

• Support deployment and continuous improvement of corporate AME standards including:
• PFEP (Plan for Every Part)
• Line‑Side Stock (LSS) systems
• MBOM accuracy and process routings
• PFMEA templates and work instruction formats
• Ensure consistent adoption of best practices in fabrication, welding, assembly, and paint processes.
• Partner with AME Systems, IE, and Paint Engineering teams to align new product/process requirements with automation and equipment capabilities.

• Utilize tools such as Oracle Fusion, Sigma Nest, Power BI, and Excel‑based models for cost and efficiency analysis.
• Support Industry 4.0 initiatives to bring digital visibility to manufacturing metrics.
• Promote data‑driven decision‑making for capacity planning, labor optimization, and cost competitiveness.

• Act as a liaison between Corporate AME, Site ME, Design Engineering, Procurement, and Operations teams.
• Lead NPD/VAVE review meetings and workshops, tracking project progress, risks, and savings realization.
• Provide regular updates to AME leadership on key deliverables, KPIs, and strategic alignment.
• Approve routings and time studies before pilot builds.
• Annual validated VAVE cost savings.
• Standardized AME documentation across divisions.
• Weekly dashboards and KPI updates to leadership.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering.
• 5–10 years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Product Development, or VAVE.
• Strong understanding of fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, and paint processes.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Solid Works.
• Solid foundation in Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA, Process Flow, and Cost Analysis.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and project management skills.

• Master’s degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering.
• Experience with Oracle ERP and data visualization tools.