Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Capital Projects & Process Improvement

Senior Manufacturing Engineer – Capital Projects & Process Improvement

Reports to:

Director of Manufacturing and Engineering

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will lead high-impact manufacturing improvement and capital equipment projects from concept through implementation. This role is responsible for identifying opportunities, developing technical solutions, building accurate ROI justification, coordinating vendors and internal resources, and successfully integrating new technology into existing manufacturing operations. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on problem solver, self‑starter, and cross‑functional collaborator who can drive projects through completion with minimal direction.

• Lead capital equipment and manufacturing improvement projects from initial concept, justification, vendor selection, installation, commissioning, training, and handoff to operations.
• Evaluate new technologies and determine how they can be integrated with existing machinery, controls, workflows, and production systems.
• Analyze production data, labor content, downtime, scrap, throughput, material usage, and cost drivers to identify improvement opportunities.
• Develop accurate ROI models, cost‑benefit analyses, payback calculations, and project business cases for equipment investments and process improvements.
• Manage project scope, timeline, budget, risks, vendors, and internal resources to ensure successful execution from start to finish.
• Design or modify mechanical components, fixtures, tooling, layouts, equipment interfaces, and related drawings to support manufacturing needs.
• Assess new part requests and change orders for manufacturability, cost, safety, quality, and production impact.
• Improve manufacturing efficiency, safety, reliability, and capacity by analyzing and planning workflow, space requirements, equipment, and process layout.
• Research, develop, and implement solutions for long‑term reliability with current machinery in the factory.
• Research, develop, and implement new processes, equipment, products, and manufacturing technologies.
• Coordinate with vendors, maintenance, operations, safety, quality, finance, leadership, and other internal resources to execute projects successfully.
• Prepare process and project reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information, trends, risks, and results.
• Ensure manufacturing processes, equipment, and products comply with safety standards and legal regulations.
• Develop a complete understanding of the UNEX product line and use that knowledge to support continuous improvement and future product solutions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of related manufacturing engineering experience in a hands‑on production environment.
• Proven experience managing manufacturing engineering, process improvement, or capital equipment projects from start to finish.
• Experience evaluating, justifying, installing, commissioning, and improving manufacturing equipment.
• Ability to build and present accurate ROI models, cost analyses, and project business cases using production and financial data.
• Strong mechanical design capability using CAD/CAM software such as Solid Works, AutoCAD, simulation software, or similar tools.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office, especially Excel for data analysis and project justification.
• Understanding of robotics, automation, controls, sensors, or system functionality as applied in manufacturing environments.
• Ability to communicate effectively with vendors, operators, maintenance teams, engineers, leadership, and other internal stakeholders.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to independently identify issues, gather data, develop practical solutions, and drive implementation.
• A desire to drive the evolution of product solutions, manufacturing capability, and operational performance.

• Experience with Lean methodology, continuous improvement, or value stream improvement.
• Experience with Six Sigma, statistical analysis, root cause analysis, or structured…