Manufacturing Engineer

Position: Manufacturing Engineer, Fixed-Term
Fixed-Term Manufacturing Engineer

Location:

St. Louis, Missouri

Duration: 24 Months (2 Years)
Pay: $80,000 - $85,000 base salary, opportunity for a completion bonus (10% of base salary)

About Us

At Carr Lane Manufacturing, we're proud to be a global leader in tooling components and industrial parts. With over 70 years of innovation, we've built a legacy of quality, dependability, and customer focus. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri we offer a collaborative and inclusive work environment that fosters growth, creativity, and teamwork.

As a family-owned business, we prioritize our employees' well-being, offering robust benefits, professional development opportunities, and a culture where every voice matters. Join us and contribute to our mission of delivering exceptional products and services to customers worldwide.

Position Overview

The Manufacturing Engineer position is a two-year contract position focused on process documentation, implementation, and shop floor improvement at the St. Louis headquarters. This role is well suited for an early career engineer who is willing to invest time on the production floor, learn directly from experienced operators, and apply engineering fundamentals and industry best practices to formalize and improve manufacturing processes.

This position has two primary objectives: developing a comprehensive process documentation for heat treatment and material finishing operations and leading a 5S implementation in the Assembly department. Additional manufacturing engineering projects will be assigned as needs arise. This is a new position.

Key Responsibilities

Heat Treatment and Material Finishing Process Documentation

• Work with operators, supervisors, and the quality team to document current state heat treatment and material finishing processes, including recipes, parameters, cycle times, and quality checkpoints
• Research industry standards and best practices for heat treatment processes relevant to CLM's materials and products (steel alloys, surface treatments, coatings)
• Develop formal work instructions, standard operating procedures, and process parameter sheets suitable for operator use and new-hire training
• Implement documented processes on the shop floor; validate through quality data and operator feedback; revise as needed until processes are stable and adopted
• Establish a system for maintaining and updating process documentation as equipment, materials, and requirements change

5S Implementation in Assembly

• Conduct a baseline assessment of the Assembly department's current workplace organization, identifying opportunities for improvement
• Plan and lead a 5S implementation:
  Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain
• Develop visual management standards, workplace layout improvements, and improved storage and labeling systems
• Create audit checklists and scheduled to sustain the program beyond the contract term
• Train Assembly personnel on 5S principles and build department ownership of the program

Additional Manufacturing Engineering Support

• Contribute to process improvement initiatives, capacity studies, tooling evaluations, and other manufacturing engineering projects as assigned
• Support ERP (Microsoft Dynamics 365) manufacturing module configuration and data validation efforts as needed
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action processes for production quality issues

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline
• Foundational understanding of manufacturing processes, materials science, and quality systems
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and process specifications
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to spend substantial time on the shop floor observing, learning, and implementing

Preferred:

• One to three years manufacturing engineering experience in a machining, heat treatment or metal fabrication environment
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, 5S methodology, or continuous improvement frameworks
• Exposure to heat treatment processes (hardening, tempering, case hardening, nitriding, black oxide, or similar)
• Experience with technical writing or process documentation in a manufacturing setting
• Proficiency with CAD software (Solid Works preferred) and Microsoft Office

Physical Requirements

• Climbing, Balancing, Stooping, Kneeling, Crouching, Reaching, Standing, Walking, Pushing, Pulling, Lifting, Grasping, Feeling, Talking, Hearing, Repetitive Motions
• Close visual acuity
• Subject to noise, hazards, and oils when in production.
• Lift up to 35 lbs

Additional Information

This is a two-year fixed-term contract position. Standard benefits are available for the duration of the contract. Opportunity for a regular, full-time role may be considered based on business need and performance. The position is planned and budgeted as a two-year engagement.

Why Work at Carr Lane Manufacturing?

When you join Carr Lane, you're not just taking a…