Manufacturing Engineer

Cadwell; Kennewick (WA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Cadwell is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to own and continuously improve manufacturing lines, equipment, processes, and training on the production floor. This hands-on role ensures Cadwell can meet business demands while delivering high-quality medical devices and partners with cross-functional teams to optimize efficiency, quality, and consistency.

You will lead process improvements, support new product introductions, and ensure compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 820 and ISO 13485.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of engineering experience in manufacturing.
• Experience in regulated medical device manufacturing preferred.
• Familiarity with FDA 21 CFR Part 820 and ISO 13485 is advantageous.
• Experience with NPI and design transfer processes.
• Lean/Six Sigma experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and improve manufacturing processes, equipment, and training on the production floor.
• Develop and maintain production line test methods, processes, and fixtures.
• Troubleshoot line issues and implement corrective actions; escalate to engineering as needed.
• Identify and justify capital equipment needs for manufacturing investments.
• Support NPI and design transfers for new products.
• Collaborate with R&D, QA, Regulatory, and other teams to ensure smooth operations.
• Ensure compliance with FDA 21 CFR 820 and ISO 13485.

Skills

Process engineering

Continuous improvement

NPI

Lean Six Sigma

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory knowledge

Automation

Smart manufacturing

Tools

AutoCAD

MS Excel

Job description

The Manufacturing Engineer develops, maintains, and continuously improves the manufacturing lines, equipment, processes, and training used on the production floor. As a hands‑on owner of how manufacturing at Cadwell is done, this role ensures that production can reliably meet Cadwell’s business demands while manufacturing high quality products. The Manufacturing Engineer oversees and maintains process and equipment improvements, supports new product introductions, and partners with cross‑functional teams to optimize production efficiency, quality, and consistency.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Creates, maintains, and continuously improves the manufacturing systems (processes, equipment, training, etc.) used to manufacture Cadwell’s medical devices, for both existing and new designs
• Specifies, develops, and maintains production line test methods, processes, and fixtures; ensures test approaches are repeatable, scalable, and support Cadwell’s business needs
• Troubleshoots production line issues to eliminate equipment and material as a source, and implements corrective and preventive actions on the production floor; escalates issues to engineering teams as necessary to
• Identifies, scopes, and justifies capital equipment needs for manufacturing investments
• Stays current with manufacturing industry practices and technologies to help keep Cadwell’s production environment robust, efficient, and scalable
• Ensures processes and systems align with applicable regulations (FDA 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485, 2017/745/EU Medical Device Regulation); supports internal and external audits from FDA and Notified Bodies
• Supports the development and continuous improvement of Cadwell’s equipment calibration program, executing in‑house and outsourced calibration activities to ensure compliance and efficiency
• Partners with other departments such as R&D, Supplier Quality, IT, Production, Regulatory Affairs, and Quality Assurance to ensure smooth design transfers and efficient day‑to‑day operation of the production environment
• Supports the Manufacturing Engineering team through the NPI and design transfer processes; helps ensure that designs and their manufacturing processes are robust and repeatable
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of Process Engineering and Optimization to improve efficiency, utilization, throughput and yield
• Working knowledge of the device manufacturing environment and problem solving within its unique technical, regulatory, and operational challenges
• Knowledge of and experience with change control processes and activities
• Knowledge of design‑for‑manufacture concepts and their practical application during the engineering development process
• Knowledge of the Manufacturing Engineering discipline as it applies to NPI, including production line setup, test procedure development, and measurement of manufacturing system performance against defined acceptance criteria
• Familiarity with New Product Introduction (NPI) and the design lifecycle, with hands‑on experience supporting programs from engineering development through manufacturing validation, production release, and ongoing manufacturing support of active designs
• Working knowledge of Continuous Improvement processes (i.e. Lean Manufacturing - Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, etc.)
• Familiarity with Automation and Technology Integration; exposure to practical applications of technologies and smart manufacturing integration to increase quality and reduce rework
• Ability to analyze data and situations, exercise sound judgment, plan and organize work, and communicate effectively across teams
• Ability to identify and communicate risk with appropriate urgency, helping keep manufacturing programs on schedule with consistent follow‑through on execution

Education / Experience:

• Typically has greater than two (2) years of relevant professional or technical engineering experience
• Typically has experience manufacturing regulated equipment. Ideally this experience is in a medical or similar safety‑conscious, highly regulated industry

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Positions working with Cadwell equipment generally may require some reaching, bending, stooping, squatting, crawling, kneeling, pushing, pulling, lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds, finger dexterity, repetitive motions, standing, walking, sitting, hearing, visual acuity, color vision, and 2‑way written/verbal communication. More specific details may be provided as needed or requested
• Extensive use of a computer will be required
• Travel may be required; must be able to obtain necessary travel documents
• Work hours outside normal business hours may be required at times to meet business needs

Cadwell Industries, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such affirms the right of every person to participate in all aspects of employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, contact our Human Resources department [e-mail]