Assembly Process Engineer

Focus; Fort Smith (AR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Focus is seeking an Assembly Process Engineer to design, optimize, and maintain high-efficiency production and assembly systems on-site. You will ensure assembly equipment, tooling, and workflows operate seamlessly to produce quality parts while minimizing downtime and waste.

You'll lead continuous improvement, troubleshoot line bottlenecks, and drive production efficiency, collaborating with design, quality, and shop floor teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• 3+ years of hands-on assembly process engineering or manufacturing operations.
• Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Process Development & Optimization: design and refine assembly workflows, and apply Lean/Six Sigma to maximize throughput.
• Equipment & Automation Management: specify, select, and integrate tooling and automation; oversee installation and maintenance.
• Quality Assurance & Defect Reduction: monitor quality metrics and implement root-cause analyses to reduce defects.
• Troubleshooting & Operational Support: provide hands-on support on the plant floor to resolve breakdowns and bottlenecks.
• Training & Cross-Functional Mentorship: train operators and collaborate with Design Engineering and Maintenance.
• Documentation & Data Standardization: write SOPs, setup sheets, PFMEA, and drive 5S/Lean standardization.

Skills

Mechanical systems

Machine kinematics

Automated assembly systems

Manufacturing operations

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

CAD

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Assembly Process Engineer

Department: Engineering / Manufacturing

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: On-site (Sallisaw, OK)

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Assembly Process Engineer to design, optimize, and maintain high-efficiency production and assembly systems. In this role, you will ensure that assembly equipment, specialized tooling, and operational workflows operate seamlessly to produce high-quality parts while minimizing downtime, scrap, and waste. Serving as a crucial bridge between product design, quality, and shop floor execution, you will lead continuous improvement initiatives, troubleshoot technical line bottlenecks, and drive overall production efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Process Development & Optimization:

  • Design, evaluate, and refine assembly workflows (including automated washing, pressing, leak testing, and specialized joining operations).

  • Apply Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles to layout production lines and maximize throughput.

  • Establish and document standardized manufacturing processes tailored to varying part geometries, raw materials, and production volumes.

• Equipment & Automation Management:

  • Specify, select, and integrate custom tooling, machinery, and automation systems for manufacturing lines.

  • Oversee equipment installation, line setups, routine maintenance schedules, and calibration routines.

  • Enforce equipment safety standards and ensure proper ergonomic usage of tooling across all lines.

• Quality Assurance & Defect Reduction:

  • Monitor line quality metrics and implement immediate corrective actions for assembly defects or dimensional out-of-spec issues.

  • Partner closely with Quality Assurance teams to maintain strict adherence to engineering specs and customer requirements.

  • Conduct root-cause analyses (e.g., 5-Why, Fishbone) and adjust equipment parameters to eliminate recurring non-conformances.

• Troubleshooting & Operational Support:

  • Provide hands-on technical support directly on the plant floor to resolve machinery, process, and tooling breakdowns.

  • Drive initiatives that maximize overall line uptime and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

• Training & Cross-Functional Mentorship:

  • Train assembly operators and technicians on updated work instructions, new equipment setups, and refined processing methods.

  • Serve as a technical resource and subject matter expert for plant personnel.

  • Collaborate with Design Engineering, Production Control, and Maintenance to ensure seamless design-for-manufacturability (DFM) handoffs.

• Documentation & Data Standardization:

  • Author and maintain comprehensive engineering documentation, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), setup sheets, and Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA).

  • Drive workplace organization and line standardization through 5S and Lean methodologies.

  • Collect and analyze operational metrics (cycle times, machine downtime, scrap rates) to continuous improvement projects.

Qualifications

• Technical Competencies:

  • Robust understanding of mechanical systems, machine kinematics, automated assembly systems, and manufacturing operations.

  • Proficiency in CAD software for basic drafting, fixture modification, and visual layout adjustments.

  • High level of precision, analytical troubleshooting, and process control expertise.

• Problem-Solving & Methodologies:

  • Demonstrated ability to diagnose mechanical and procedural bottlenecks under live production timelines.

  • Practical application of Lean Manufacturing tools (Value Stream Mapping, 5S, Kaizen) and Six Sigma frameworks.

• Communication:

  • Strong interpersonal and technical writing skills with an ability to communicate effectively across shop floor operators, plant leadership, and external vendors.

• Education & Experience:

  • Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.

  • 3+ years of hands-on experience in assembly process engineering or manufacturing operations.

  • Formal certifications (e.g., Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt) or extensive practical manufacturing experience may substitute for a formal degree.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Operates in a hybrid capacity split between a modern manufacturing plant floor and a collaborative engineering office space.

• Requires daily hands-on interactions with production equipment, operators, and cross-functional teams.

• Must be comfortable working in industrial environments subject to noise, ambient temperature shifts, and confined workspaces.

• Ability to manually lift and transport equipment, tooling, or components weighing up to 40 lbs.