Engineer

Actalent; Liberty (NC); On-site; USD 69,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Actalent is hiring a Manufacturing Equipment Engineer for a fully onsite role at a new battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, NC. You will support automated equipment and production lines, ensure equipment readiness, and drive continuous improvement across manufacturing systems.

Responsibilities include trials, startup support, documentation of breakdowns, and collaboration with engineering, maintenance, and production teams to meet KPIs and targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent experience in manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, production equipment, and line operations.
• Experience troubleshooting equipment issues and implementing countermeasures.
• Ability to perform machine trials and support stable line startup.
• Disciplined documentation of breakdowns and corrective actions.
• Proven problem-solving and analytics skills with a focus on results.
• Collaborates effectively with engineers, production, maintenance, and other teams.
• Continuous improvement mindset focused on availability, yield and KPI targets.
• Read and interpret electrical documentation; basic understanding of controls.
• Experience with PLCs, robotics, vision systems, or motion control is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Work with engineers and technicians to achieve project milestones.
• Perform daily machine trials and confirm equipment readiness before line start.
• Support daily production to maintain availability, yield and line performance.
• Document major breakdowns, root causes, and corrective actions.
• Lead structured problem-solving to eliminate recurring issues.
• Collaborate with production, maintenance and support groups to resolve issues.
• Mentor and guide other teams with technical problem solving.
• Drive activities aligned with KPIs, targets, and continuous improvement goals.
• Troubleshoot, optimize and improve automated equipment to reduce downtime.
• Support equipment installation, modification, debugging, launch and stabilization.
• Coordinate cross-functional communications to align priorities and actions.
• Balance support across multiple lines and projects with ownership.

Skills

Manufacturing systems

Troubleshooting

Equipment maintenance

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Electrical controls

CAD reading

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Title: Manufacturing Equipment Engineer

Job Description

This role focuses on supporting automated manufacturing equipment and production lines in a highly collaborative environment. You will ensure equipment readiness, maintain stable operations, and drive continuous improvement across manufacturing systems. The position combines hands-on troubleshooting, structured problem solving, and cross-functional coordination to achieve production targets and key performance indicators.

Responsibilities

• Work in a collaborative team environment with engineers, construction management, technicians, vendors, general contractors, and other support groups to achieve project milestones.
• Perform daily machine trials and confirmation activities prior to line operations to verify equipment readiness and support stable startup.
• Support daily production activities to maintain operational availability, yield, and overall line performance.
• Document major breakdowns, abnormal conditions, root causes, and implemented countermeasures in a disciplined and consistent manner.
• Lead and support structured problem-solving activities to eliminate recurring issues and improve process reliability.
• Partner with production, maintenance, and other support groups to strengthen performance and resolve technical issues in a timely manner.
• Support the development of other teams by providing technical guidance, mentoring, and hands-on problem-solving support.
• Drive activities aligned with project KPIs, production targets, and continuous improvement objectives.
• Troubleshoot, optimize, and improve automated equipment to reduce downtime and enhance line efficiency.
• Support equipment installation, modification, debugging, launch, and stabilization activities.
• Perform and support manufacturing trials to confirm equipment safety, quality, operational availability, and overall efficiency, especially for new or modified lines.
• Coordinate and communicate effectively with cross-functional teams to align priorities, share findings, and drive corrective actions.
• Balance support across multiple lines, projects, and technical priorities as needed, demonstrating flexibility and ownership.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering or a similar technical field, or 5 years of equivalent experience.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, production equipment, and line operations.
• Experience troubleshooting equipment issues, identifying root causes, and implementing effective countermeasures.
• Ability to perform machine trials, confirm equipment readiness, and support stable line startup.
• Disciplined approach to documenting breakdowns, abnormalities, and corrective actions.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a focus on sustainable results.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with engineers, production teams, maintenance, and other support groups.
• Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on operational availability, yield, and KPI achievement.
• Strong communication and coordination skills to align cross-functional teams and drive action.
• Initiative and ownership to support both daily operations and longer-term improvement activities.
• Flexibility to support multiple production lines, projects, and technical priorities.
• Mechanical engineering and mechanical design experience.
• Experience with CAD tools, including AutoCAD, for reading and modifying engineering drawings.
• Knowledge of capital expenditure (CAPEX) processes related to manufacturing equipment.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes and manufacturing engineering principles.
• Experience in project management within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing equipment functionality and operation.
• Good understanding of electrical controls and control systems, including the ability to read and interpret electrical documentation.
• Experience in process engineering and continuous improvement initiatives.
• General engineering experience in a production or industrial environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in the launch of battery production lines.
• Experience with cleanliness protocols, including clean room environments, for battery manufacturing.
• Experience supporting battery manufacturing trials to confirm equipment safety, quality, operational availability, and overall efficiency.
• Hands-on technical capability in PLC programming.
• Experience with vision inspection systems, including X-ray inspection technologies.
• Experience working with robotics and robotic automation systems.
• Experience with HMI (Human-Machine Interface) systems and motion control technologies.
• Exposure to other related automation technologies used in high-volume manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to learn quickly and adapt to new equipment, processes, and technologies.
• Interest in long-term, stable project work with opportunities for ongoing learning and development.

Work Environment

This role is fully onsite at a new battery manufacturing plant located in Liberty, working directly within a high-tech production environment. You will work closely with cross-functional engineering, production, maintenance, construction, and vendor teams to support new equipment installations, line launches, and ongoing operations. The facility focuses on advanced automated equipment, including PLC-controlled systems, robotics, vision inspection (including X-ray), motion control, and other modern automation technologies. Cleanliness protocols, including clean room practices in certain areas, are an important part of the work environment for battery manufacturing. The position offers a stable, long-term contract structure with projects planned over multiple years, providing consistent work and significant opportunities to learn and grow. Schedules offer flexibility to support work/life balance, and travel may be required for some activities, with rotation of weeks arranged when needed. The organization emphasizes consultant support and stability, with a strong track record of retaining contractors even in challenging economic conditions. Paid time off, paid holidays, and overtime compensation for hours worked over 40 per week are part of the overall offering, and travel arrangements for contractors are coordinated and supported.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Liberty, NC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 – $70.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan — Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Liberty,NC.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 9, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.