Finishing Manufacturing Engineer

Department:
Manufacturing Engineering – Back-End Operations

Reports To:

Operations Manager

FLSA Status:
Exempt

The Back-End Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for optimizing all finishing operations within the investment casting value stream, including cut-off, grind, blend, heat treat, NDT, weld repair, machining, and final inspection. This role provides technical leadership to improve process capability, reduce cost, and enhance throughput. A core responsibility is the complete overhaul and modernization of the Material Review (MRO) department, ensuring rapid defect disposition, accurate classification, and closed-loop corrective action.

The engineer will also develop and execute a cost-out pipeline delivering annualized savings ≥3× the salary of the position, driven by scrap reduction, yield improvement, labor efficiency, and process redesign.

• Back-End Process Support & Optimization
• Provide daily technical support to finishing operations, troubleshooting production issues and implementing corrective actions to minimize downtime and rework.
• Lead optimization of cut-off, grind, blend, heat treat, NDT, weld repair, machining, and final inspection processes.
• Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, routings, and process control plans for all finishing operations.
• Identify bottlenecks and implement cycle-time reduction initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and statistical analysis.
• Improve process capability (Cp/Cpk) through data-driven methods and structured experimentation (DOE).
• MRO Department Overhaul (Key Deliverable)

• Redesign MRO workflows to ensure rapid disposition, accurate defect classification, and robust traceability.
• Implement standardized defect taxonomies, digital tracking tools, and automated dashboards for real-time visibility.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations (5-Why, fishbone, 8D) for recurring defects and high-cost scrap drivers.
• Establish closed-loop corrective action processes linking MRO findings to upstream wax, shell, melt, and finishing operations.
• Train MRO personnel on defect recognition, disposition criteria, and escalation protocols.
• Reduce MRO backlog, improve first-pass disposition accuracy, and shorten cycle time for defect review.

• Build and execute a validated cost-out pipeline delivering ≥3× salary in annualized savings.
• Identify and quantify cost-out opportunities across scrap reduction, yield improvement, labor efficiency, tooling optimisation, and process redesign.
• Conduct detailed cost analyses including direct variable cost (DVC), yield performance, and rework labor burden.
• Lead projects targeting:
• Scrap reduction in finishing and MRO.
• Reduction of weld repair and blend/grind rework.
• Optimization of NDT throughput and first-pass yield.
• Tooling redesign for ergonomics, repeatability, and cycle time.
• Automation opportunities in cut-off, grind, and inspection.
• Track savings using validated financial models and report monthly progress to leadership.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Design Engineering to ensure cost-effective manufacturability.
• CAD/CAM & Tooling Support
• Create and modify CAD models, drawings, and tooling designs to support finishing operations.
• Translate design specifications into manufacturing instructions and production plans.
• Support CAM programming and toolpath optimisation for machining operations.
• Collaborate with design engineers to ensure manufacturability and minimise downstream finishing burden.
• Quality Assurance & Defect Elimination
• Support development and implementation of quality control plans, inspection procedures, and SPC methods.
• Participate in quality audits,…