Manager, Process Engineering - Automotive Manufacturing

Flex; Coopersville (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Flex is a diversified manufacturing partner focused on delivering innovative products across markets. We seek a Senior Process Engineering Leader to guide SMT manufacturing, drive continuous improvement, and coordinate with Operations, Quality, NPI, and Supply Chain.

The role emphasizes leading engineers and technicians, advancing process capabilities, and delivering cost, quality, and throughput results in a fast‑paced, high‑volume environment.

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field; Master’s/MBA a plus.
• Typically 7 years of engineering experience, including experience leading personnel.
• Experience in high‑volume electronics manufacturing and SMT processes preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of process engineers and technicians for SMT manufacturing.
• Establish goals, performance expectations, and development plans for team members.
• Maintain and improve process capabilities to meet quality, reliability, and throughput targets.
• Develop and maintain process documentation, PFMEA, and control plans.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce defects, scrap, downtime and costs.
• Use SPC, DOE, root‑cause analysis to resolve complex manufacturing issues.
• Communicate priorities and status to site and senior leadership.
• Recruit and retain a high‑performing engineering workforce.

Skills

SMT manufacturing

Leadership

Data-driven problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Statistical analysis

DOE

PFMEA

Process capability

Root cause analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

Tools

SPC

Control Plans

Job description

Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market‑leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world. A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment. If you are excited about a role but don't meet every bullet point, we encourage you to apply and join us to create the extraordinary.

Reason for opening

Newly‑created, full‑time position

General Purpose

Responsible for leading and developing a team of process engineers and technicians responsible for SMT manufacturing processes and continuous improvement. Provides technical and organizational leadership to establish and improve manufacturing process capabilities, increase capacity and throughput, reduce cost, improve quality and reliability, and support successful introduction of new products. Partners closely with Operations, Quality, Product Engineering, NPI, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and other functional teams to ensure manufacturing processes meet customer, quality, delivery, cost, and capacity requirements.

Principal Accountabilities

• Lead, coach, develop, and manage a team of process engineers and technicians supporting SMT manufacturing, including board printing, SPI, pick and place, reflow, AOI, X‑ray, and other back‑end operations, excluding Box Assembly.
• Establish clear goals, priorities, performance expectations, and development plans for engineering team members. Provide regular coaching, feedback, performance management, and career development.
• Establish, maintain, and continuously improve process capabilities to achieve required levels of quality, reliability, throughput, capacity, and cost.
• Develop and maintain process documentation, including work instructions, PFMEA, Control Plans, process specifications, and other applicable manufacturing documentation.
• Lead engineering efforts to identify and eliminate process variation, defects, scrap, rework, downtime, and other sources of manufacturing inefficiency.
• Use data‑driven problem‑solving and appropriate engineering methodologies, including statistical analysis, SPC, DOE, root‑cause analysis, and structured corrective action, to resolve complex manufacturing issues.
• Develop and maintain appropriate engineering and manufacturing performance metrics.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, collaboration, problem solving, and ownership within the engineering organization.
• Identify opportunities to improve engineering processes, tools, standards, and best practices and share lessons learned across the organization.
• Ensure engineering activities comply with applicable safety, environmental, quality‑system, regulatory, customer, and company requirements.
• Build effective relationships with internal and external customers, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and other technical partners as required.
• Communicate engineering priorities, project status, risks, resource requirements, and recommendations effectively to site and senior leadership.
• Implement appropriate HR strategies and actions to recruit, retain, develop, and motivate a qualified and high‑performing engineering workforce.

OEE, scrap, and yield to name a few

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE

Requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent experience and training. A Master’s or MBA degree is a plus but not required.

Typically requires 7 years of engineering experience, including experience leading or supervising engineering personnel. Experience in high‑volume electronics manufacturing and SMT processes is strongly preferred.

KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES

• Demonstrated functional, technical, and people‑management skills, with the ability to lead engineers and technicians in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of SMT manufacturing processes, including solder paste printing, SPI, pick and place, reflow, AOI, X‑ray, and related manufacturing processes.
• Demonstrated understanding of process capability, statistical process control, root‑cause analysis, DOE, PFMEA, Control Plans, and structured continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams and influence decisions across Engineering, Operations, Quality, NPI, Product Engineering, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and other functions.
• Ability to establish priorities, allocate resources, manage competing projects, and make sound engineering and business decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to use manufacturing and engineering data to identify problems, establish facts, determine root causes, and drive measurable improvements.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing economics, including cost reduction, capacity, throughput, capital investment, and return on investment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, coach, and retain engineering talent and build a high‑performing team.
• Strong interpersonal, communication (verbal and written), presentation, and organizational skills, all required.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information effectively to engineers, technicians, operations personnel, customers, and senior management.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex technical, engineering, financial, and business documents.
• Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries and complaints and resolve complex issues using sound judgment and appropriate communication.
• Ability to make effective and persuasive presentations regarding technical recommendations, business cases, project status, and complex engineering issues.
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts including probability, statistical inference, process capability, and statistical analysis and apply them to practical manufacturing situations.
• Ability to define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and develop practical solutions.
• Demonstrated proficiency with common engineering and business software, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, data analysis, and other applicable manufacturing/engineering systems.
• Working knowledge of applicable employment laws, company policies, and HR practices.

JT05

AA01

MS14

CC11

Flex is an Equal Opportunity Employer and employment selection decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. We do not discriminate based on: age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, pregnancy status, or any other status protected by law. We're happy to provide reasonable accommodations to those with a disability for assistance in the application process. Please email [e-mail] and we'll discuss your specific situation and next steps (NOTE: this email does not accept or consider resumes or applications. This is only for disability assistance. To be considered for a position at Flex, you must complete the application process first).