Manufacturing Engineer

LeoForce; Delphos (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

LeoForce in Delphos, Ohio, is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to define, improve, and document how products are manufactured. You will use Lean Six Sigma, production data, and engineering analysis to establish process parameters, improve line capability, identify constraints, reduce losses, and resolve chronic issues.

The role also manages capital projects, equipment installations, commissioning, production trials, and new product introductions. The primary shift is 6:00 a.m.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent demonstrated engineering experience.
• Minimum of three years of manufacturing engineering experience in regulated environments.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
• Experience applying Lean Six Sigma to manufacturing problems.
• Ownership of capital projects from justification to handoff.
• Ability to analyze production data and quantify capacity constraints and gaps.
• Experience documenting process parameters and line rates.
• CAD experience for equipment drawings and layouts.
• Knowledge of GMP, sanitary design, and food-safety requirements.
• Experience leading root-cause investigations.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly to multiple stakeholders.
• Willingness to work on the production floor; lift up to 35 pounds; travel occasionally.

Responsibilities

• Define, validate, and document production-process parameters, equipment settings, and line run rates.
• Analyze production data, line capability, and capacity to identify constraining equipment or steps.
• Lead root-cause investigations into chronic equipment and process problems.
• Develop and implement permanent engineering corrective actions.
• Evaluate equipment capability against product and packaging requirements.
• Track OEE and related manufacturing metrics.

Skills

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Root-cause analysis

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Chemical, Packaging, Food Engineering, or related discipline

Tools

CAD

PLC/Automation (controls)

Job description

Manufacturing Engineer

Job Description

Experience: Mid Level Salary: $90,000 - $125,000 per year

Job Details

We are seeking a hands‑on Manufacturing Engineer to define, improve, and document how products are manufactured within our Delphos facility. This individual will use Lean Six Sigma, production data, and engineering analysis to establish process parameters, improve line capability, identify production constraints, reduce losses, and resolve chronic equipment and process problems.

The Manufacturing Engineer will also manage capital projects, equipment installations, commissioning, production trials, and new-product introductions. Success in this role is measured by whether production lines achieve documented rates, capital projects deliver their promised capabilities, new equipment starts successfully, and recurring technical problems are permanently resolved.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Process and Equipment Engineering

• Define, validate, and document production-process parameters, equipment settings, and line run rates.
• Analyze production data, line capability, and capacity to identify constraining equipment or process steps.
• Quantify losses involving downtime, speed, yield, waste, changeovers, material usage, and utility consumption.
• Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies to improve throughput, quality, reliability, process consistency, and operating costs.
• Determine whether performance gaps originate from maintenance conditions, incorrect settings, design limitations, materials, or equipment specifications.
• Lead root- cause investigations into chronic equipment and process problems.
• Develop and implement permanent engineering corrective actions.
• Evaluate equipment capability against product and packaging requirements.
• Assess material, ingredient, and packaging changes for machinability.
• Develop process-flow documentation, line layouts, equipment specifications, and utility requirements.
• Track operational performance through OEE and related manufacturing metrics.

Capital Projects and Equipment Installations

• Develop project scopes, capital requests, financial justifications, budgets, and implementation schedules.
• Write equipment specifications and requests for proposal.
• Evaluate equipment vendors based on technical capability, lifecycle cost, service, and project requirements.
• Make technically supported equipment-sourcing recommendations.
• Manage Factory Acceptance Testing and Site Acceptance Testing.
• Hold vendors accountable for meeting performance specifications before final acceptance.
• Coordinate contractors, installation activities, safety requirements, permits, and quality of completed work.
• Lead equipment installation, commissioning, debugging, validation, and rate qualification.
• Hand completed equipment over to Operations and Maintenance with accurate documentation, spare parts, and training.
• Verify that installed equipment meets sanitary-design requirements, machine-safety standards, and applicable electrical and mechanical codes.

New Products and Process Changes

• Partner with Research and Development, Quality, Operations, and Maintenance to scale new and reformulated products from pilot production into full manufacturing.
• Evaluate equipment fit, available capacity, tooling requirements, and capital needs for proposed products.
• Provide technically supported feasibility and timing recommendations.
• Plan and conduct production trials.
• Analyze trial data and translate results into documented operating parameters and equipment settings.
• Manage engineering change control for production processes and equipment modifications.
• Define validation requirements and communicate changes to affected departments.

Technical Standards and Documentation

• Maintain accurate equipment drawings, line layouts, P&IDs, utility maps, equipment specifications, and technical files.
• Maintain equipment manuals, spare-parts lists, vendor information, and supporting documentation.
• Apply engineering standards involving sanitary design, machine guarding, safety, and utility systems.
• Develop training and technical documentation for new equipment and processes.
• Ensure operators, mechanics, and supervisors are trained before production startup.
• Support internal, customer, regulatory, and third-party audits with engineering documentation and technical justification.
• Track and report capital spending, project schedules, performance metrics, and technical results.
• Provide engineering support for equipment and process problems that exceed routine production or maintenance troubleshooting.
• Support Safety and Quality with machine-safety, ergonomic, food-safety, and equipment risk assessments.

Qualifications Needed

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Chemical, Packaging, Food Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent demonstrated engineering experience may be considered.
• Minimum of three years of manufacturing engineering experience within food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer products, or another regulated manufacturing environment.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
• Demonstrated experience applying Lean Six Sigma or structured continuous-improvement methodologies to manufacturing problems.
• Proven ownership of capital projects from financial justification and vendor selection through installation, commissioning, and operational handoff.
• Ability to analyze production data and quantify capacity constraints, downtime, process variation, waste, yield loss, and equipment-performance gaps.
• Experience developing and documenting process parameters, equipment settings, line rates, process flows, or standard operating conditions.
• Working proficiency with CAD for equipment drawings and manufacturing-line layouts.
• Working knowledge of machine-safety standards, guarding, and risk assessments.
• Knowledge of GMP, sanitary design, allergen control, and food-safety requirements as they apply to equipment and production processes.
• Experience leading root-cause investigations and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly to operators, technicians, supervisors, vendors, and plant leadership.
• Willingness to work directly on the production floor.
• Ability to lift and move up to 35 pounds.
• Availability for occasional off-shift, weekend, and planned-shutdown work.
• Ability to travel occasionally for vendor visits, Factory Acceptance Testing, training, and project support.

Preferred

• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
• Experience with filling, sealing, labeling, case-packing, and palletizing equipment.
• Experience with thermal processing, refrigerated production, or clean-in-place systems.
• Working knowledge of PLCs, controls, and automation sufficient to collaborate with integrators and controls technicians.
• Experience with refrigeration, steam, compressed air, wastewater, or other plant utilities.
• Familiarity with Process Safety Management requirements for ammonia refrigeration.
• Statistical analysis experience involving production and process data.
• Experience with OEE, capability studies, SPC, DOE, Minitab, or similar analytical tools.
• Bilingual English and Spanish capabilities.

A bit about us:

Founded nearly four decades ago and based in Delphos, Ohio, we are an established food manufacturer producing refrigerated dips, desserts, yoghurt, salsa, and specialty foods sold in grocery stores nationwide. Since our founding in 1988, we have grown from a small local operation into a trusted family of recognizable refrigerated brands while maintaining our commitment to quality, consistency, and thoughtful innovation. We continue to invest in our equipment, engineering capabilities, and manufacturing processes to support future growth and ensure our products are produced safely, efficiently, and consistently.

Why join us?

• High-Impact Role: Improve the production lines, equipment, processes, and technical standards that drive daily plant performance.
• Lean Six Sigma Ownership: Lead measurable projects involving throughput, capacity, downtime, yield, waste, and operating costs.
• Capital Project Exposure: Manage equipment projects from business justification and vendor selection through installation and startup.
• Full Project Lifecycle: Own improvements from initial data analysis through implementation, validation, documentation, and handoff.
• Stable 1st-Shift Schedule: Primary schedule of 6:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Hands-On Engineering: Work directly with production, maintenance, quality, operations, vendors, contractors, and equipment suppliers.
• Growing Manufacturer: Join an established organization with nearly four decades of food-manufacturing experience.
• Technical Variety: Support process engineering, equipment selection, production trials, new-product introductions, automation, and plant utilities.

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