Lead Manufacturing Engineer

JOB SUMMARY
Designs, fabricates, modifies, evaluates and documents molded assemblies, components, and systems to produce or improve company products and facilitate manufacturing operations. Develops data and makes preliminary sketches, layouts and notes required to present design proposals. Researches basic design factors such as ease of manufacture and availability of materials and equipment. Works with other organizations impacted by design development.
May perform work in a specific sub-specialty such as Automation, Mechanical Engineering, Mold Design, or Tooling. Please see addendum for specific sub-specialty requirements. This description is designed to capture the general elements of Engineering work.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Leads design and development of complex plastic molded sub-assemblies, components, and packaging.
2. Leads development and implementation of changes to product design and/or the manufacturing process to achieve efficiency, quality, and/or cost improvements.
3. Develops requirement specifications, system concepts, CAD generated machine layouts, detail drawings, BOM’s and budgets. Makes layouts of complex assemblies and details of parts of devices, mechanisms and structures.
4. Leads customer product design engineering for economic production and serves as technical interface with customers as designated.
5. Assesses proper material, tooling, automation and equipment selection.
6. Works with manufacturing to troubleshoot problems, upgrades, retrofits, set-ups, methods development, and the development of process parameters.
7. May lead product development meetings and make recommendations to product design changes to enhance manufacturing and assembly.
8. Conduct proof of concept experiments and design other testing requirements as needed.
9. Develop SOP’s, operations and maintenance manuals.
10. Research new technology or development tools to remain informed of current technology.
11. Thorough understanding of Lean Six Sigma tools, projects and processes and ability to incorporate these into assigned engineering projects.
12. Lead role in small or large project, as assigned. Reviews completed projects for accuracy, clarity and completeness.
13. Ensures projects are compliant with all local, regional, and national regulatory requirements, codes and controls.
14. Supports all company safety and quality programs initiatives.
15. May perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

1. Automation: Technical responsibility for design and development of automation requirement specification and systems concepts and installs automation and transfer automation programs to production in a smooth and timely manner.
2. CAD/CAE: Technical responsibility for design and production of 2D and 3D representations of plastic injection molded assemblies, components, packaging and products.
3. Mechanical: Technical responsibility for a variety of engineering work in planning and design of products, tools, engines, machines and other mechanically functioning equipment and mechanical industrial processes; oversees production, installation, operation, maintenance and repair of such equipment.
4. Materials: Technical responsibility for the manipulation of the molecular structure of substances used to create new material for use in products, specifically working with plastics or composites that meet certain mechanical, chemical and electrical requirements. Responsible for determining test and performance requirements. Develops test methodologies and procedures and tests materials as required.
5. Mold Design: Technical responsibility for the design and development of molds used to produce plastic assemblies, components and packaging involving environmental, mechanical and thermal limitations. May design and build prototypes. May conduct mold qualifications and validations on new molds using various experiments. Involves robust knowledge of scientific molding methodologies.
6. Packaging: Technical responsibility for the design and development of packing materials, shipping containers, etc., for attractive and safe shipping of products under varying conditions of climate and environment, and differing modes of transportation, using lubricants, protective material, and other methods as required.
7. Tooling: Technical responsibility for designing a broad range of tools, including cutting and forming tools; designs jigs, dies, and fixtures for production or experimental use; resolves design problems related to material characteristics, dimensional tolerances, service requirements, manufacturing procedures and processes and costs. Applies standard mathematical formulas and standard tool engineering data to develop tool configuration and selects standard items for incorporation into tool design. Draws preliminary sketches and prepares layout and detail drawings. Modifies tool designs according to test or production service data to improve tool life or performance.

1. Understands processes and has a basic understanding of various manufacturing techniques.
2. Strong knowledge of engineering theories, design principles and practices, and design evaluation techniques.
3. Proficiency in use of personal computers, Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word and PowerPoint) and e-mail skills required.