Industrialization Leader

Wabtec; Duncan (SC); On-site; USD 69,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Annual bonus (eligible)

Retirement plan

Job summary

Wabtec in the United States is seeking an Industrialization Leader to drive the transition of products from design to mass production. You will lead cross-functional teams to ensure manufacturing readiness, process efficiency, and quality while integrating industrial processes with maintenance of machinery and systems.

The role requires a bachelor's degree in a related field and 3+ years in industrialization or manufacturing engineering.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or related field.
• Minimum of three years in Industrialization, Manufacturing Engineering, NPI, or related manufacturing environment.
• Leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
• Maintenance/equipment reliability experience is a plus.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, CNC machining, tooling, and production systems.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, CI, and process optimization.
• Strong project management skills including planning, budgeting, and KPI management.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to influence cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing-related software systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead industrialization of new products and processes from design release through production launch.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness through validation of processes, tooling, equipment, and supplier preparedness.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes to increase productivity, quality, and reduce costs.
• Coordinate industrialization activities across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Maintenance.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, deliverables, and KPIs for industrialization initiatives.
• Support new equipment installations, process validation, startup plans, and post-launch reviews.
• Develop and oversee maintenance programs for CNC machinery and manufacturing equipment.
• Monitor equipment performance and coordinate troubleshooting to minimize downtime.
• Drive CI initiatives focusing on safety, quality, productivity, and waste reduction.
• Conduct process audits and lead root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with safety and quality standards and allocate resources effectively.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Communication

CAD/CNC understanding

Process optimization

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Industrial Technology

Tools

Microsoft Office

Manufacturing software systems

Job description

Who will you be working with?

You will work closely with Engineering, R&D, Production, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Operations teams to ensure successful product launches and manufacturing readiness. This role serves as a key liaison between cross-functional stakeholders, coordinating industrialization activities, resolving production challenges, and driving continuous improvement initiatives that support safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.

How will you make a difference?

As the Industrialization Leader in the machine shop, you will oversee the transition of products from design to mass production, ensuring manufacturing readiness, process efficiency, and quality while leading cross-functional teams. This role integrates industrial processes with the maintenance of machinery, equipment, and systems to ensure smooth, efficient, and safe operations.

What do we want to know about you?

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or a related field required.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in Industrialization, Manufacturing Engineering, New Product Introduction (NPI), or a related manufacturing environment.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience preferred.
• Maintenance and equipment reliability experience is a plus.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, CNC machining, tooling, and production systems.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and process optimization methodologies.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, budgeting, and KPI management.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing-related software systems.

What will your typical day look like?

• Lead the industrialization of new products and processes from design release through production launch.
• Ensure manufacturing readiness through validation of processes, documentation, tooling, equipment, and supplier preparedness.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes to increase productivity, improve quality, and reduce operational costs.
• Coordinate industrialization activities across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Maintenance functions.
• Manage project timelines, budgets, deliverables, and key performance indicators for industrialization initiatives.
• Support new equipment installations, process validation activities, startup plans, and post-launch reviews.
• Develop and oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs for CNC machinery and manufacturing equipment.
• Monitor equipment performance and coordinate troubleshooting and repair activities to minimize downtime.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, productivity, and waste reduction.
• Conduct process audits and identify opportunities for operational and equipment reliability improvements.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts related to manufacturing and equipment issues.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, safety standards, and quality requirements.
• Allocate resources, equipment, labor, and materials to achieve production and project objectives.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and support to employees and project teams.

What about the physical demands of the job?

(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job . Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Typically operates in a manufacturing plant or production facility, using standard office equipment and production tools.

Work Environment: (The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.)

Shop-floor settings require continuous ear protection and may expose workers to temperature extremes, humidity, dust, vapors, fumes, and vibration. 10% travel is needed to sister companies, vendors, customers, or benchmarking sites.

You may also be asked to perform other duties outside of your function or trade, for which adequate training will be provided if necessary.

Additional Information

Our job titles may span more than one career level. The salary rate for this role is currently $68900-98200. The actual salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, education, business needs, market demands and work location. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. More information on offered benefits, which include health, welfare, and retirement, are available at mywabtecbenefits.com. Other benefit offerings for this role may include annual bonus, if eligible.