Fiber Optic Manufacturing Engineering Lead

Molex; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Molex is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor in Naperville, IL to lead development and transformation of fiber optic manufacturing processes from prototype to scalable production. You will build a high-performing team, drive safe, repeatable and documented methods, and ensure readiness across prototype, pilot, and production transfers.

You will collaborate with Product Engineering and Quality to optimize designs, controls, and process capability, while championing Lean and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Optical Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, industrialization, or related discipline within a production environment.
• People-leadership experience within an engineering, manufacturing, or technical organization.
• Hands-on experience supporting manufacturing operations, production personnel, equipment, tooling, fixtures, and process troubleshooting.
• Experience developing manufacturing processes, documentation, controls, layouts, cells, or production methods.
• Strong root cause analysis, corrective action, risk assessment, data analysis, and structured problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of materials, tolerances, and technical requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, allocate resources, lead technical teams, and drive accountability in a fast-paced, high-mix environment.
• Effective communication and influencing skills across manufacturing, technical, supplier, customer, and leadership groups.

Responsibilities

• Provide Manufacturing Engineering leadership for facility planning and transition activities, including layouts, equipment relocation, process requalification, production readiness, and continuity.
• Build and lead the Manufacturing Engineering team with priorities, ownership, routines, and resource plans aligned with plant needs.
• Prioritize engineering resources based on commitments, risk, capacity, and business needs while driving ownership and follow-through.
• Lead development, validation, implementation, optimization, and sustainment of safe, controlled, repeatable, scalable manufacturing processes for fiber optic products.
• Lead manufacturing readiness for prototype, pilot, pre-production, NPI, product transfer, launch, and stabilization.
• Develop scale-up and capacity plans covering process flow, cycle time, labor, equipment, fixtures, space, material flow, controls, and training.
• Lead the development and implementation of manufacturing cells, layouts, production methods, equipment, fixtures, tooling, automation, standard work, and material-flow improvements.
• Partner with Product Engineering to evaluate designs for manufacturability, scalability, process capability, and risk.
• Partner with Quality to establish process controls, inspection methods, acceptance criteria, PFMEAs, measurement-system requirements, and corrective-action practices.
• Ensure product and process characteristics affecting optical performance, reliability, manufacturability, and quality are understood and controlled.
• Use data and shop-floor observations to identify variation, capacity constraints, recurring problems, and improvement opportunities.
• Apply Lean, structured problem solving, visual management, standard work, and daily accountability to improve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.
• Establish standards for documentation, process validation, training, records, and change control.
• Develop organizational capability through recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, cross training, and succession planning.
• Communicate risks, decisions, constraints, and actions across levels; serve as escalation point for complex issues.
• Champion Principle Based Management within Manufacturing Engineering.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing engineering

Process engineering

Industrialization

Root cause analysis

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Troubleshooting

Drawing interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, or Optical Engineering

Job description

Molex is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor in Naperville, IL to lead development and transformation of fiber optic manufacturing processes from prototype to scalable production. You will build a high-performing team, drive safe, repeatable and documented methods, and ensure readiness across prototype, pilot, and production transfers.

You will collaborate with Product Engineering and Quality to optimize designs, controls, and process capability, while championing Lean and