Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Columbus Mckinnon - Hartland, WI

Full-time - Mid Level

Hartland, WI

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing

About the position

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Columbus McKinnon is a pivotal role focused on enhancing plant efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. This position is responsible for evaluating current manufacturing processes and implementing improvements through both plant-wide initiatives and specific cell projects. The engineer will work closely with teams to optimize product flow, ensure process reliability, address quality issues, and enhance labor and machine efficiency. A significant aspect of this role involves the application of Lean principles to achieve operational objectives while maintaining safety and compliance standards throughout the plant. In addition to overseeing improvement projects, the Senior Manufacturing Engineer will coordinate activities related to plant layout, equipment purchases, and procedural updates. This includes the development of build-to-order (BTO) processes and new manufacturing methodologies. The engineer will also be responsible for planning and leading productivity improvements, reducing setup times, and minimizing scrap rates. Documentation of process improvements is essential, requiring the maintenance of manufacturing routings and standard work instruction sheets. The role demands a proactive approach to innovation, necessitating research into industry trends and new technologies to drive advancements in manufacturing practices. The engineer will also participate in layered audits and train production operators in cellular principles to enhance performance and reduce waste. Ultimately, the Senior Manufacturing Engineer is accountable for meeting or exceeding business targets and will perform additional duties as assigned to support the overall goals of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate & direct plant-wide improvement projects including plant/cell layout and equipment purchases.
• Facilitate team-based continuous improvement activities such as kaizen and problem solving.
• Plan, lead, and support the implementation of productivity improvements, setup reductions, and scrap reductions.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing routings and standard work instruction sheets.
• Document process improvements through revisions of routings, bill-of-materials, and OMS sheets.
• Develop capital expenditure proposals, including return-on-investment analysis and alternative options proposals.
• Coordinate delivery and installation of equipment within the cells.
• Purchase expensed shop supplies, tooling, small assets, and gauge equipment.
• Drive innovation through research of industry trends and new technology.
• Participate in layered audits.
• Train production operators in the use of cellular principles to ensure timely performance and waste reduction.
• Accountable for meeting or exceeding business targets.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in industrial/manufacturing engineering or equivalent discipline is preferred.
• 5+ years of related experience, preferably in a cellular manufacturing environment.
• Machining expertise (CNC, lathe, fabrication).
• Trained in use of LEAN principles.
• Familiarity with basic accounting principles, such as Capital Equipment Justification and Make/Buy decisions.
• Facilitator training is desirable.
• Blueprint reading skills and previous use of measuring equipment required.
• Awareness of OSHA and ISO-9000 standards.

Nice-to-haves

• Facilitator training is desirable.