Manufacturing Engineer

Position Title: Manufacturing Engineer – Capital Projects, CNC & Automation

Department: Operations / Engineering

Reports To: Operations Manager / Plant Manager

Location: Little Rock, AR

Position Summary

The Manufacturing Engineer – Capital Projects, CNC & Automation is responsible for driving operational excellence through the design, implementation, and optimization of manufacturing processes, CNC machining applications, automation systems, and capital investment projects. This role serves as a technical leader focused on increasing productivity, quality, safety, and capacity through the application of modern manufacturing technologies and continuous improvement methodologies.

The position works cross-functionally with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance to identify opportunities, develop business cases, and execute projects that support long-term growth and competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities

Identify, develop, justify, and execute capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects supporting safety, quality, productivity, capacity, and cost reduction objectives.

Develop project scopes, equipment specifications, facility layouts, and technical requirements.

Prepare capital appropriation requests, including ROI, payback, NPV, and productivity analyses.

Lead projects from concept through commissioning, startup, and final acceptance.

Manage vendor selection, equipment procurement, contractor activities, and installation schedules.

Monitor project budgets, timelines, and deliverables to ensure successful execution.

Support facility modernization, equipment upgrades, and manufacturing technology roadmaps.

CNC Manufacturing & Process Engineering

Develop, optimize, and troubleshoot CNC machining programs and manufacturing processes.

Improve cycle times, machine utilization, setup efficiency, and tooling performance.

Lead fixture design, process validation, and machining standardization efforts.

Evaluate and implement advanced machining technologies and cutting tool solutions.

Establish best practices for CNC programming, setup, and process control.

Support new product introductions and manufacturing process development.

Drive improvements in throughput, quality, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Automation & Advanced Manufacturing

Identify and implement automation solutions that improve safety, quality, productivity, and operational flexibility.

Lead automation projects involving robotics, cobots, machine tending, vision systems, automated material handling, and digital manufacturing technologies.

Collaborate with controls engineers, integrators, and equipment suppliers to design and deploy automated systems.

Develop business cases and project justifications for automation investments.

Support integration of automation systems with existing manufacturing processes and equipment.

Evaluate emerging Industry 4.0 technologies, including machine monitoring, predictive maintenance, IIoT, and real-time production analytics.

Develop and maintain standards for automated equipment and manufacturing technologies.

Lead Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and Six Sigma initiatives.

Analyze production data to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.

Improve OEE, throughput, labor productivity, and process capability.

Support value stream mapping and workflow optimization initiatives.

Reduce waste associated with downtime, setup, material handling, scrap, and rework.

Implement data-driven solutions that improve operational performance.

Technical Leadership

Serve as the plant subject matter expert for CNC machining, manufacturing technology, and automation systems.

Train and mentor operators, technicians, and engineers on manufacturing processes and best practices.

Provide technical leadership during equipment startups and process changes.

Support root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to manufacturing performance.

Partner with maintenance and operations teams to improve equipment reliability and process stability.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related technical field.

Equivalent combinations…