Manufacturing Engineer

thekineticgroup; Anoka (MN); On-site; USD 89,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

The Kinetic Group, a world leader in design, manufacture, and distribution of small caliber ammunition, seeks a Manufacturing Engineer III to lead complex manufacturing initiatives at the Anoka office. You will drive safety, quality, throughput, and cost improvements and partner with Materials Engineering, Operations, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to scale production.

This senior role reports to the Sr.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering or related field.
• 4+ years in a high-volume manufacturing environment with process improvements.
• Experience leading capital equipment projects and cross-functional teams.
• Strong understanding of process capability and root-cause analysis.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale manufacturing improvement initiatives to boost capacity, efficiency, quality, and performance.
• Serve as a technical leader for process design, optimization, and standardization across areas.
• Develop manufacturing strategies supporting growth, capital plans, and operational excellence.
• Lead cross-functional teams to resolve complex manufacturing challenges.
• Evaluate and implement new equipment, automation, tooling, and manufacturing systems.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Project Management

Statistical Analysis

Cross-functional Leadership

Continuous Improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Job description

The Kinetic Group is a world leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of small caliber ammunition under the iconic brands B&P, CCI, Federal Premium, Fiocchi, HEVI, Remington and Speer. We have domestic ammunition manufacturing facilities in Minnesota, Idaho, Arkansas, and Missouri, and service law enforcement, government agencies and sporting enthusiasts throughout the world. Today, The Kinetic Group is a part of the Ammo+ division of The Czechoslovak Group (CSG), which holds a diverse portfolio of companies in the defense, security, automotive, aerospace and rail industries.

As we continue to invest in and expand our steel case manufacturing capabilities, we are seeking a Manufacturing Engineer III to lead complex manufacturing initiatives that improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost across our operations.

This role serves as a senior technical resource responsible for developing manufacturing strategies, leading process and equipment improvements, and building scalable production capabilities. The Manufacturing Engineer will partner closely with Materials Engineering (Steel Processing), Operations, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and to drive operational excellence and support future growth.

This position reports to the Sr. Manager of Manufacturing Engineering and is based out of our Anoka office.

What you'll do:

• Lead large-scale manufacturing improvement initiatives that increase production capacity, efficiency, quality, and operational performance
• Serve as a technical leader for process design, optimization, and standardization across multiple manufacturing areas
• Develop and implement manufacturing strategies that support business growth, operational excellence, and capital investment plans
• Lead cross-functional teams in identifying and resolving complex manufacturing and production challenges
• Evaluate, justify, and implement new equipment, automation technologies, tooling, and manufacturing systems
• Manage capital projects from concept through implementation, including vendor selection, installation, startup, and validation
• Utilize data analysis and statistical methods to improve process capability, reduce variation, and increase operational performance
• Partner with Materials Engineering on projects involving material performance, forming, thermal processing, and product manufacturability
• Establish manufacturing standards, best practices, and engineering documentation to support operational consistency
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Manufacturing Engineers, Engineering Technicians, and Operations personnel
• Interface with suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and external technical resources to identify and implement industry best practices
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the operation

Experience you bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, or related engineering discipline
• 4+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in a high-volume production environment
• Demonstrated success leading complex process improvement, equipment implementation, and operational excellence initiatives
• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, process capability, root cause analysis, and statistical problem-solving techniques
• Experience leading capital equipment projects from concept through production launch
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive results without direct authority
• Strong project management, communication, and technical leadership skills
• Experience using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies

You might have:

• Experience in steel metal forming, stamping, machining, cold heading, wire forming, or related steel manufacturing processes
• 7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in a high-volume production environment
• Exposure to steel heat treatment, annealing, tempering, or thermal processing operations
• Automation, robotics, controls, or manufacturing systems integration experienceExperience supporting highly automated or continuous manufacturing environments
• Green Belt, Black Belt, PMP, or equivalent certification
• Experience in ammunition, defense, automotive, aerospace, or other high-volume precision manufacturing industries
• Track record of leading significant productivity, quality, or cost-reduction initiatives

Work Environment:

Employee work assignments may include tasks working with and/or exposure to potentially hazardous areas, including flammables and explosives. Safety training is provided to all employees to ensure compliance with company and federal regulations.

Pay Range:

$88,600.00 - $124,200.00 The actual annual salary offered to a candidate will be based on variables including experience, geographic location, education, and skills/achievements, and will be mutually agreed upon at the time of offer.

We offer a hig