Manufacturing Engineer - Cost Specialist

Employer description

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineer with a strong automotive background who is ready to bring their expertise into a new industry. This role is ideal for an engineer who understands high‑volume production, cost‑driven decision‑making, and disciplined process control — and is looking to apply those strengths in a fresh environment with new challenges and technologies.

If you excel at building the cost of manufacturing a component from the ground up, optimizing processes, and driving measurable improvements, you’ll thrive here.

Role Overview

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will take ownership of production processes, cost structures, and continuous improvement initiatives for a key product area. You’ll apply your automotive experience — including workflow optimization, cost modeling, and quality‑focused engineering — to help us strengthen efficiency, reduce waste, and improve overall manufacturing performance.

This role is perfect for someone who wants to broaden their industry experience while still leveraging the technical and financial skills developed in automotive manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

Costing & Financial Insight

Build complete manufacturing cost models for components, including labor, materials, equipment, tooling, overhead, and process flow.

Analyze cost drivers and identify opportunities for reduction through process changes, tooling improvements, workflow adjustments, or sourcing strategies.

Support leadership with clear, data‑based cost insights to guide investment decisions and operational priorities.

Partner with cross‑functional teams to validate cost assumptions and ensure alignment with production realities.

Process Improvement & Optimization

Evaluate current manufacturing processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, throughput, and consistency.

Apply automotive‑grade problem‑solving and continuous improvement methods to reduce waste and strengthen process reliability.

Lead improvement projects focused on safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Support the development of standard work, process documentation, and training materials.

Production Support & Daily Operations

Provide hands‑on engineering support to resolve production issues and maintain stable operations.

Collaborate with operations, quality, maintenance, and supply chain to ensure smooth workflow and timely issue resolution.

Monitor key performance indicators and help teams understand daily progress toward goals.

Tooling, Equipment & New Technology

Support tooling and equipment improvements that enhance quality, reduce cost, or simplify production.

Participate in equipment evaluations, vendor discussions, and implementation of new technologies.

Assist with capital project justification through cost modeling and operational impact analysis.

Cross‑Industry Adaptation

Translate automotive best practices into new manufacturing environments.

Bring fresh perspective to process discipline, cost control, and high‑volume production methodologies.

Help build stronger systems, documentation, and workflows by applying proven automotive approaches.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience, preferably in automotive or other high‑volume productionStrong understanding of manufacturing cost structures and component cost modelingExperience with process improvement, workflow optimization, and structured problem‑solvingAbility to interpret engineering drawings and understand manufacturing requirementsStrong communication, analytical, and organizational skillsEmployees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.This position entails access to export-controlled items and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant’s ability to lawfully obtain access to such items.Preferred Qualifications

Experience transitioning between industries or supporting diverse product linesBackground in tooling, fixtures, or equipment improvementFamiliarity with lean manufacturing or Six Sigma methodologiesStrong financial literacy and comfort presenting cost‑based recommendations