Manufacturing​/Process Engineer

Manufacturing/Process Engineer

Location:

Decorah, Iowa

Salary: $75-95K plus bonus

Job Summary of the Manufacturing/Process Engineer:
The Manufacturing/Process Engineer will assist with the company’s objectives and future vision through the design, enhancement, and advancement of production processes. This position emphasizes consistency in processes, ongoing enhancement, and backing for capital projects while collaborating with Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to secure productive, secure, and repeatable manufacturing processes.

· Assist in supervising day-to-day manufacturing operations by overseeing process performance and addressing process problems.

· Formulate, record, and sustain work instructions, process flows, routings, and standard work procedures.

· Analyze production data (scrap, rework, cycle time, downtime) to pinpoint opportunities for process enhancement.

· Execute process modifications to boost safety, quality, efficiency, and throughput.

· Provide support for new product or process introductions by aiding in process setup, trials, and documentation processes.

· Initiate and actively participate in continuous improvement endeavors by utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, and similar methodologies.

· Oversee root cause analysis efforts and introduce corrective and preventive actions to tackle process problems.

· Proactively pinpoint and eliminate waste, reduce scrap, minimize labor inefficiencies, and cut down material costs.

· Lead kaizen events and consistently track improvement metrics and accomplishments.

· Maintain process enhancements by updating documentation and conducting operator training sessions.

· Direct capital project initiatives by supervising all stages, including equipment selection, justification, installation, and initialization, to boost operational capabilities and back business objectives.

· Construct and support capital requests by preparing ROI analyses and technical specifications that align with organizational aims and cost decrease strategies.

· Coordinate cross-functional teamwork with vendors, Maintenance, and Operations teams to assure seamless equipment installation and successful commissioning.

· Back process validation, capability studies, and acceptance testing for new or altered equipment to guarantee adherence to quality, safety, and performance standards.

· Maintain and update documentation, standard work, and process instructions to reflect changes following capital project implementation, ensuring sustained improvements and knowledge transfer.

· Proactively sustain manufacturing processes by ensuring compatibility with internal quality systems and customer demands, promoting ongoing improvement and operational excellence.

· Be proactive in aiding with non-conformance investigations and executing corrective actions to sustain high standards of product quality and conformity.

· Integrate safety, ergonomics, and risk mitigation strategies into process design and enhancement efforts, cultivating a secure and efficient work atmosphere.

· Support internal audits and documentation reviews, contributing to sustained compliance and process dependability.

· Promote a culture of quality, safety, and ongoing improvement throughout the shop floor to consistently attain business objectives.

· Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Manufacturing, Industrial, Mechanical, or related field) required

· 4–7 years of hands-on manufacturing or process engineering experience in a production environment

· Demonstrated ability to autonomously analyze, enhance, and maintain manufacturing processes

· Experience in lean manufacturing.

· Experience with capital projects.

· Strong working knowledge of process capability, cycle time analysis, scrap reduction, and efficiency metrics

· Proven experience developing and maintaining detailed work instructions, standard work, and process documentation

· Experience supporting capital equipment installation, commissioning, and process validation activities

· Must enjoy being hands-on working with production teams

· Advanced problem-solving skills with practical application of root cause analysis methodologies

· Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing data

· Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain

· Ability to travel up to 15% to support the needs of the business.