Industrial Engineering Manager: Lean & CI Leader

American Axle & Mfg., Inc.; Mebane (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Dauch Corporation is seeking an experienced Industrial Engineering Manager for our Alamance Manufacturing Facility in Mebane, NC. You will lead a team of industrial engineers and CI professionals, establish department goals, and drive productivity, safety, and quality initiatives across the plant.

The role requires a bachelor’s in engineering, 7+ years in automotive manufacturing, and strong Lean/PM capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Manufacturing or Mechanical Engineering or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of manufacturing experience in automotive or Tier 1 supplier environment, with team management experience.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, Power BI, and manufacturing reporting tools.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities.

Responsibilities

• Leads and develops a team of Industrial Engineers and continuous improvement professionals.
• Establishes departmental goals aligned with plant and corporate objectives.
• Manages workload prioritization and resource allocation across projects and programs.
• Provides coaching, mentoring, and performance management for engineering staff.
• Develops and maintains labor standards, production rates, and staffing models.
• Conducts time studies, work measurement analyses, and line balancing activities.
• Identifies and implements opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency, and throughput.
• Supports manufacturing launches and production ramp-up activities.
• Drives ergonomic assessments and workstation optimization initiatives.
• Drives Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives including value stream mapping, Kaizen events, 5S programs, standard work, visual management, and waste elimination.
• Facilitates continuous improvement projects focused on safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Monitors and reports key operational performance indicators.
• Develops capacity models to support business growth and customer demand.
• Analyzes labor utilization and recommends staffing adjustments.
• Supports annual budgeting, capital planning, and workforce planning activities.
• Conducts bottleneck analyses and propose corrective actions.
• Supports new product launches and engineering changes.
• Develops labor and equipment requirements for new programs.
• Participates in APQP activities and launch readiness reviews.
• Collaborates with customers and cross-functional teams to ensure successful program execution.
• Develops performance dashboards and plant metrics.
• Prepares reports and presentations for leadership review.
• Utilizes engineering and ERP systems to monitor operational performance.
• Ensures compliance with OSHA, environmental, and company safety requirements.
• Promotes a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Supports compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 14001, and customer-specific requirements.
• All other duties as assigned.

Skills

Team leadership

Lean manufacturing

Analytical thinking

Project management

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Manufacturing/Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Microsoft Office Suite

ERP/MES systems

Job description

Dauch Corporation is seeking an experienced Industrial Engineering Manager for our Alamance Manufacturing Facility in Mebane, NC. You will lead a team of industrial engineers and CI professionals, establish department goals, and drive productivity, safety, and quality initiatives across the plant.

The role requires a bachelor’s in engineering, 7+ years in automotive manufacturing, and strong Lean/PM capabilities.