Manufacturing Engineer

Watson; Poulsbo (WA); On-site; USD 46,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k matching

Paid time off

Profit sharing

Job summary

Watson Furniture Group in Poulsbo, WA seeks a Manufacturing Engineer to design and improve processes for safe, consistent, high‑quality production. You will work hands‑on across CNC routers, fiber lasers, press brakes, edgebanders, welds, and a powder coat line to meet customer demand and optimize flow.

You will lead with lean tooling, build standard work, and partner with Product Development and planning to drive manufacturability, automation, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or 2+ years of relevant manufacturing or process engineering experience.
• Working knowledge of lean tools on the floor.
• Fluency with 3D CAD and familiarity with ERP systems.
• Familiarity with production processes such as CNC routing, sheet metal fabrication, welding, or finishing.
• Ability to diagnose root cause quickly and follow through until the fix sticks.
• Ability to convey complex ideas simply to both the floor and leadership.
• Ability to manage changing priorities across several projects at once.
• CNC programming, automation, or NPI experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Use lean as the shared language with the floor (standard work, 5S, value stream mapping, A3, kaizen) to find and remove waste.
• Work with the Value Stream Managers and floor teams to turn current and target conditions into process changes, layouts, and standard work.
• Build and maintain the work instructions, tooling, fixtures, and CNC programs that let the floor run safely, consistently, and at quality.
• Analyze workflow, equipment placement, and space requirements to improve throughput and flow.
• Coach operators to solve their own problems rather than solving it for them every time.
• Research and build business cases for new equipment, automation, and technology, including feasibility, labor, and cost estimates.
• Lead kaizen events and own improvement projects through to completion with key stakeholders.
• Work with Product Development on manufacturability during new product introduction and product modifications.
• Use ERP and production data to set targets for quality and speed, and measure whether changes actually worked.

Skills

Lean on floor

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

3D CAD

ERP systems

Education

B.S. in Engineering

2+ years experience

Job description

Job Location: Watson Furniture Group - Poulsbo, WA, Position Type: Full Time, Education Level: 4 Year Degree, Salary Range: $33.50 - $43.25 Hourly, Travel Percentage: None, Job Shift: Day, Welcome. We're glad you're here. And we're not just saying that. We're glad we're here too. We are proud of this company and take great pleasure in introducing you to the Watson difference.

We are builders.

For more than 60 years we have designed and built workspaces for some of the most dynamic and innovative companies. Our designs are functional, refined, and manufactured with respect for our people and the environment. We are proud to source the best talent and materials at our manufacturing facility in Poulsbo, WA.

We're looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to design and improve the processes that let our production floor run safely, consistently, and better every day. Our floor runs CNC routers, fiber lasers, press brakes, edgebanders, weld, and a powder coat line, and you'll work hands‑on across all of it.

This role is part of Watson's manufacturing engineering team, led by the Maintenance and Process Manager (MPM). The Value Stream Managers and the MPM define the current condition, the target condition, and the goals that matter. You help make it happen through process design, standard work, tooling, programs, and automation, and through a culture where problems get solved at the root, not just patched for the shift.

Sitting squarely within operations, you stay guided by customer demand, giving the Value Stream Managers and floor teams the process, tooling, and data they need to execute on time, every time.

This role reports to the Maintenance and Process Manager and works closely with the Value Stream Managers, floor teams, Product Development, Production Planning, and Safety to bring practical, deliberate, and well thought out changes to production.

Please note, this role is 100% on site at our Poulsbo, Washington workplace called The Orchard.

The Orchard is more than merely our Pacific Northwest headquarters and the land that surrounds it. With a perimeter of towering Douglas firs and vistas of the Olympic Mountains, it's quite an inspirational workplace. The Orchard is more expansive than its literal acreage. It's an oxygen rich metaphor of what we're here to do and, more importantly, what we're here to take care of. We love working here, and we think you will too!

What You'll Do:

• Use lean as the shared language with the floor (standard work, 5S, value stream mapping, A3, kaizen) to find and remove waste.
• Work with the Value Stream Managers and floor teams to turn current and target conditions into process changes, layouts, and standard work.
• Build and maintain the work instructions, tooling, fixtures, and CNC programs that let the floor run safely, consistently, and at quality.
• Analyze workflow, equipment placement, and space requirements to improve throughput and flow.
• Coach operators to solve their own problems rather than solving it for them every time.

Projects and Partnership

• Research and build business cases for new equipment, automation, and technology, including feasibility, labor, and cost estimates.
• Support kaizen events and lead your own improvement projects through to completion with key stakeholders.
• Work with Product Development on manufacturability during new product introduction and product modifications.
• Use ERP and production data to set targets for quality and speed, and measure whether changes actually worked.

Qualifications: WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• B.S. in Engineering, or 2+ years of relevant manufacturing or process engineering experience
• Working knowledge of lean tools, ideally applied on the floor and not just in training
• Fluency with 3D CAD and familiarity with ERP systems
• Familiarity with production processes such as CNC routing, sheet metal fabrication, welding, or finishing
• Ability to diagnose root cause quickly and follow through until the fix sticks
• Ability to convey complex ideas simply to both the floor and leadership
• Ability to manage changing priorities across several projects at once
• Basic business sense and an understanding of how decisions affect cost, throughput, and revenue
• A plus: CNC programming, automation, or NPI experience

WHO YOU ARE

• You think in lean and see waste and flow problems naturally.
• You're insanely curious about root cause, and you're not satisfied with a fix that only lasts a shift.
• You'd rather teach than do it for someone. You build rapport at all levels and earn trust by showing up on the floor.
• You see how small details fit the big picture.

WAGE AND COMPENSATION

This role can expect to earn $33.50-43.25 per hour, based on experience

ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF WATSON EMPLOYEES

• Insane curiosity
• Excited and enthusiastic about your work
• Embrace and exhibit our values

OUR CULTURE

• Monthly BBQ
• Espresso bar
• Annual Bravo Night
• Onsite gym and showers
• Campus walking trail
• Fun, challenging, and engaging culture
• Pride and satisfaction of manufacturing tangible products

OUR BENEFITS

• INSURANCE | All employees and their dependents will have the ability to enroll in medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans. If enrolled, benefits begin on the first day of the month following the 60th day of employment at Watson.
• RETIREMENT | Watson will match 50% of employees' 401k contributions, up to 2.5% of base annual salary. All employees over the age of 21 will be automatically enrolled on the first day of the month following 6 months of employment. You can opt out, decrease, or increase contribution at any time.
• PAID TIME OFF | Hourly employees will earn 80 hours of paid time off during their first year at Watson, 120 hours of paid time off during years 2 through 5, and 160 hours of paid time off each year after being employed for 6 years.
• PAID TIME OFF | Salaried employees do not have a cap on PTO usage. However, we expect a reasonable amount to be a few weeks during your first year of employment.
• PAID HOLIDAYS | Watson is closed for 8 holidays every year and offers every employee an additional paid holiday to choose upon employment.
• PROFIT SHARING | Profit sharing is how we reward the effort and commitment of our employees. Generally, 25% of profits are allocated to the Profit Sharing Plan after the baseline profit level is met. The overall profit sharing amount varies from year to year.
• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM | This is a free service for all employees and dependents to provide support for any mental, emotional, relational, and financial need, as well as crisis and grief support.

WHY WATSON?

Everything we do is rooted in soulful design and a deep respect for how things are made. At Watson, operations isn't a back office function. It's where the promise gets kept.

There's dignity in working with your hands, and we honor the commitment our people bring to their craft. The Manufacturing Engineer makes sure that craft is backed by processes built to last, so good work isn't a matter of luck. It's built in.

At Watson it's all about the details and personal touches. From unique design elements and sustainable materials to the way we build and deliver our products, you'll see the Watson difference. We aren't furniture assemblers. We take the design conceptions and raw materials and turn them into finished products entirely under one roof.

At Watson we don't just design and build workplace solutions, we invest in our people. Build your career and grow your skills with us today.

Watson is an equal opportunity employer of all qualified individuals, including minorities, women, veterans & individuals with disabilities. Watson will consider qualified applicants for employment in a manner consistent with all federal, state, and local ordinances. Any job offer with Watson is contingent upon a drug screening. Please note that Watson is a second chance employer and we do not screen for cannabis unless otherwise noted.