Manufacturing Engineer

Description

STER Seating is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineer to support and improve production operations across our seating fabrication and assembly environment.

This role is responsible for driving continuous improvement, developing and maintaining Standard Work, conducting time studies, managing capital equipment projects, and ensuring facility and process readiness. The ideal candidate brings hands‑on experience in a lean manufacturing environment and is equally comfortable on the production floor as in front of a spreadsheet or project plan.

This is a high‑visibility, cross‑functional role that partners closely with Production, Quality, Maintenance, and HR/Safety to eliminate waste, improve throughput, and sustain a culture of continuous improvement across all value streams.

• Design, implement, and sustain lean manufacturing principles across all production areas, including 5S, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Kaizen events, SMED, TPM, and Kanban.
• Lead and facilitate Kaizen and rapid improvement events involving cross‑functional teams; track actions to closure and document results.
• Identify and eliminate waste (muda) in material flow, process sequencing, and workstation layouts using structured problem‑solving tools (A3, 5‑Why, fishbone/Ishikawa).
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by coaching and mentoring supervisors, leads, and operators on lean tools and mindset.

• Develop, document, and maintain Standard Work instructions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and work element sheets for all production operations.
• Conduct time and motion studies to establish accurate cycle times, takt time analysis, and line‑balance assessments; use findings to optimize staffing and cell layout.
• Maintain and update Standard Work documentation as processes change, ensuring alignment between documentation and actual shop floor practice.
• Create and maintain capacity and utilization studies to support production planning and resource allocation decisions.

• Identify, justify, and manage capital expenditure projects from concept through commissioning, including business case development, ROI analysis, equipment specification, vendor selection, and installation coordination.
• Develop and submit CAPEX appropriation requests with supporting documentation including cost‑benefit analysis and projected payback periods.
• Manage facility engineering projects including machine layout, material flow optimization, workstation design, and ergonomic improvements.
• Working knowledge of building systems including electrical distribution, plumbing, and HVAC — able to identify issues, coordinate repairs, manage contractors, and support facility improvement projects involving these systems.
• Serve as an internal point of contact for facility maintenance needs, working closely with outside trades and vendors to scope work, obtain quotes, and oversee project completion.
• Coordinate facility infrastructure requirements — including electrical distribution, plumbing systems, compressed air, and HVAC — with internal maintenance and external licensed contractors.
• Ensure all capital installations comply with applicable safety regulations, building codes, and OSHA requirements.

• Provide engineering support for fabrication operations including welding, metal forming, and component sub‑assembly, with a focus on process quality, repeatability, and cost.
• Design and specify tooling, jigs, fixtures, and assembly aids to improve ergonomics, quality, and cycle time.
• Review engineering drawings, BOMs, and product specifications to assess design‑for‑manufacturability (DFM) and provide feedback to Product Engineering.
• Support new product introductions (NPI) and engineering change orders (ECO) by developing production processes, writing work instructions, and validating new methods.
• Troubleshoot chronic production issues; lead root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

• Prepare and maintain engineering documentation including…