Senior Manufacturing Engineer
2 days ago
Minneapolis
Senior Manufacturing Engineer Location: Wallingford, CT Type: Direct Hire Salary: $115,800–$135K based on experience Schedule: Full-Time, Onsite Benefits: Comprehensive Benefits Package Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineer to support and improve manufacturing operations across filling, kitting, packaging, and shipping. This is a highly visible, hands-on engineering position focused on manufacturing optimization, automation, Lean Six Sigma, process improvement, and capital equipment projects. The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will work directly with production teams and cross-functional leadership to identify inefficiencies, eliminate waste, increase throughput, and improve overall manufacturing performance. This position will also play a key role in developing and implementing an automation strategy, including robotics, vision systems, PLCs, collaborative robots (COBOTs), and digital manufacturing technologies. Responsibilities • Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor, working directly with production employees and leadership to identify process challenges and improvement opportunities, • Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, workload imbalances, unnecessary movement, rework, waiting, and inefficient handoffs, • Investigate manufacturing inefficiencies and develop solutions to improve productivity, quality, throughput, and labor efficiency, • Conduct time studies, standard labor analysis, line balancing, workload analysis, capacity analysis, process mapping, and material-flow assessments, • Develop and execute manufacturing automation strategies aligned with business objectives, • Lead automation projects through planning, design, equipment selection, build, implementation, and deployment, • Implement advanced automation technologies including robotics, vision systems, PLCs, and collaborative robots (COBOTs), • Lead manufacturing process optimization utilizing Lean Six Sigma, continuous improvement, data analytics, and digital manufacturing tools, • Drive measurable improvements in on-time delivery, cycle time, yield, throughput, and labor efficiency, • Own capital automation projects from concept through commissioning, • Develop business cases and equipment specifications for capital projects, • Manage vendor selection and coordinate equipment FAT/SAT, • Support and lead equipment validation activities including IQ/OQ/PQ, • Partner with Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and R&D teams to industrialize new products and scale manufacturing processes, • Establish and standardize engineering best practices, automation standards, validation protocols, and documentation, • Support digital transformation initiatives involving MES, manufacturing data systems, and smart-factory technologies, • Troubleshoot manufacturing equipment, automation systems, and processes as needed Required Qualifications • 5+ years of manufacturing engineering and/or automation engineering experience, • Strong manufacturing process-improvement background, • Experience implementing automation within a manufacturing environment, • Strong mechanical and electrical aptitude, • Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies, • Experience with manufacturing process analysis, time studies, line balancing, capacity analysis, and workflow optimization, • Experience managing manufacturing or automation projects from concept through implementation, • Ability to troubleshoot manufacturing equipment and automated systems, • Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills, • Ability to work effectively across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and other departments, • Strong hands-on approach with the ability to spend significant time directly within manufacturing operations Preferred Qualifications • Experience with robotics, PLCs, vision systems, and COBOTs, • Capital equipment project management experience, • Experience with FAT, SAT, IQ, OQ, and PQ, • Experience with manufacturing automation architecture and equipment integration, • Knowledge of MES and digital manufacturing systems, • Experience with smart-factory or Industry 4.0 initiatives, • Experience with Minitab, JMP, Smartsheet, and Microsoft Office, • Experience working within a medical device, life sciences, pharmaceutical, laboratory, or regulated manufacturing environment Education & Experience Candidates should meet one of the following combinations of education and relevant experience: • Master's degree with 2–5 years of relevant experience, • Bachelor's degree with 5–8 years of relevant experience, • Associate degree with 10+ years of relevant experience Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Automation, or a related technical discipline is preferred. Working Conditions • Full-time, onsite position during standard business hours, • Work performed within manufacturing, production, and laboratory environments, • Potential exposure to chemicals, reagents, and standard laboratory equipment, • Occasional schedule flexibility may be required based on production or project needs Compensation & Benefits Salary Range: $115K-$135K, based on experience This direct-hire opportunity offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include: • Medical, dental, and vision insurance, • 401(k), • Paid time off and paid holidays, • Life and disability insurance, • Employee development and training opportunities, • Tuition assistance and additional employee benefits About Us Founded in 2010, Top Prospect Group specializes in connecting high-quality candidates with top-tier clients. In 2023, we joined HW Staffing Solutions, expanding our national footprint across manufacturing, engineering, logistics, and technology. Interested Candidates – Apply Today