Kent - Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Sandbox; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Simple IRA with employer match

Healthcare benefits

Tuition reimbursement or assistance

PTO and paid holidays

Job summary

Kent Scientific Corporation in Nashville, TN, is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to build our in-house electromechanical production capability. You will own setup, shop floor leadership, and the path from design to production, including prototyping and 3D printing.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strong lean practices, and a track record of scaling production in a growing company. On-site at our Nashville facility.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, production, or process engineering, ideally in an electromechanical environment.
• Led or reworked a production line, shop floor, or assembly process with cell-based vs inline tradeoffs.
• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing (Kaizen, value stream mapping, standardized work, 5S, pull systems). Six Sigma certification is a plus.
• Experience with electrical assembly including PCB modification, wiring, and soldering.
• Hands-on product design or design for manufacturability experience.
• Led and developed production teams with growing responsibility.
• Degree in manufacturing, mechanical, or electrical engineering (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• Experience with medical devices, scientific instrumentation, pneumatics/fluidics, CAD, or prototyping is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead setup of Nashville electromechanical production line, including layout, workstations, and processes.
• Transition production from outsourced partners to in-house assembly over time.
• Design, implement, and monitor production processes to meet spec through assembly, final test, and quality.
• Apply lean manufacturing to drive continuous improvement, reduce waste, and right-size inventory and batch quantities.
• Review designs to improve manufacturability and reduce cost.
• Support product line refresh including finding suitable replacements.
• Partner on prototyping and product design, including 3D printing and in-house model shop.
• Integrate in-house machining with electromechanical and pneumatic/fluidic assembly.
• Build, train, and lead a small production team, while staying hands-on.
• Inform make-vs-buy and long-term manufacturing strategy decisions, and work with sales/marketing to bring products to market.

Skills

10+ years exp

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Electrical assembly

DFM / manufacturability

Team leadership

Production line setup

CAD

Prototyping

Medical devices exposure

Education

B.S. in manufacturing/ mechanical/ electrical engineering

Tools

CAD software

3D printing

Model shop prototyping

Job description

A little bit about us…

Kent Scientific Corporation is a leading provider of innovative research solutions for the life sciences. For over 35 years, we have been dedicated to advancing scientific discovery by supplying researchers worldwide with high-quality, reliable, and precise instrumentation and equipment for in vivo animal research. Our commitment to excellence, customer satisfaction, and technological innovation has made us a trusted partner in academic, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology research.

A little bit about the role…

Kent Scientific is bringing manufacturing in-house, and we're looking for a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to build that capability from the ground up at our Nashville facility. You'll own the setup and day-to-day leadership of our electromechanical production line, from shop floor layout and process design through assembly, final test, and quality. You'll also partner with our founder to make our products smarter to build by refreshing designs and prototyping new ones. This role is a great fit for a hands-on builder and natural tinkerer who loves a challenge, has the confidence to push for better ways of doing things, and wants to leave a lasting mark on a growing company.

The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will be responsible for the following:

• Leading the setup of our Nashville electromechanical production line - shop floor layout, workstations, process flow, and choosing the right approach for each product.
• Transitioning production of our products from outsourced manufacturing partners to in-house assembly over time.
• Designing, implementing, and monitoring production processes to ensure products are built to spec, from assembly through final test and quality.
• Applying lean manufacturing principles to drive continuous improvement, reduce waste, and right-size inventory and batch quantities.
• Reviewing existing and new product designs to recommend changes that improve manufacturability and reduce cost.
• Supporting the technical refresh of our product line, including finding suitable replacements.
• Partnering with our founder on prototyping and product design, including 3D printing and in-house model shop work, and bringing new products into production.
• Integrating our in-house machining capabilities with electromechanical and pneumatic/fluidic assembly.
• Building, training, and leading a small production team, while staying close enough to the work to jump in when needed.
• Informing make-vs-buy and long-term manufacturing strategy decisions, and working with sales and marketing to bring products to market.

This role is on-site at our facility just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Candidates must be located in, or willing to relocate to, the Nashville area.

We're excited about you because…

• You bring 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, production, or process engineering, ideally in an electromechanical environment.
• You've set up or significantly reworked a production line, shop floor, or assembly process - and you know the tradeoffs between cell-based and in-line manufacturing.
• You have a strong working knowledge of lean manufacturing (Kaizen, value stream mapping, standardized work, 5S, pull systems). Six Sigma certification is a plus, not a must!
• You have experience with electrical assembly and can oversee work like PCB modification, wiring, and soldering.
• You've had a hand in product design or design for manufacturability and can spot where a design change will save time or cost.
• You've led and developed production teams and can show a track record of growth and increasing responsibility.
• You hold a degree in manufacturing, mechanical, or electrical engineering (or related), or have equivalent hands-on experience that speaks for itself.
• You bring experience with medical devices, scientific instrumentation, pneumatics/fluidics, CAD, or prototyping. These are a plus, and not required!

To be successful at Kent Scientific, you must be:

• A builder who loves a challenge - excited to develop processes from scratch and keep improving them.
• A tinkerer who isn't afraid to roll up your sleeves and get hands-on when the work calls for it.
• Confident enough to push on the status quo and rally others around a clear vision for how things should run.
• Energized by a small-company environment where you wear multiple hats and your work has a visible impact.
• Eager to make your mark and help take a growing company to its next level.

Reasons it pays to work for Kent Scientific (in addition to the pay itself)…

• Simple IRA with employer match.
• Healthcare benefits package.
• Tuition reimbursement or assistance.
• PTO and paid holidays.
• Team-building and professional development opportunities.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every. single. qualification. At Kent Scientific Corporation, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and just workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with 100% of the qualifications listed, we encourage you to still apply. Our hiring philosophy looks to weed people INTO our process, not weed them out! Who knows, you may be just the right candidate for a future role at Kent Scientific Corporation.