Manufacturing Engineer

Actalent; Waterloo (IA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

PTO / Time Off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer – Foundry to plan, coordinate and execute engineering projects in a foundry setting. You will collaborate with supervisors, operators, and fellow engineers to optimize production, improve processes, and drive continuous improvement initiatives across the facility on the shop floor.

The role requires hands-on experience in foundry or process engineering, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to work ~75% of the time on site to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Engineering Technology, or equivalent experience.
• Experience in manufacturing line and process design.
• Familiarity with SAP and MES.
• Experience with Creo and AutoCAD.
• Controls engineering experience, including safety systems.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and execute manufacturing engineering projects across the foundry.
• Collaborate with engineers, supervisors, and operators to support order fulfillment.
• Apply engineering principles to improve foundry operations and workflows.
• Drive continuous improvement to enhance efficiency, quality, and safety.
• Analyze processes and implement lean manufacturing improvements.
• Support design, optimization, and documentation of manufacturing lines.
• Manage initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Prepare and maintain technical reports and presentations.
• Communicate issues and propose engineering changes to stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot shop-floor issues and implement corrective actions.
• Spend ~75% of time on the factory floor observing operations.

Skills

Foundry experience

Process engineering

Continuous improvement

Lean manufacturing

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint

Shop floor exposure

Problem solving

75% shop floor presence

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Tools

SAP

MES

Creo

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Title: Manufacturing Engineer – Foundry Job Description

The Manufacturing Engineer – Foundry plans, coordinates, and executes manufacturing engineering projects within a foundry environment. Working in a highly collaborative team, this role focuses on improving manufacturing processes, supporting the order fulfillment process, and driving continuous improvement across the facility. The engineer spends a significant portion of time on the shop floor, partnering with supervisors, operators, and fellow engineers to optimize production performance and ensure safe, efficient operations.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and execute manufacturing engineering projects across the foundry.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including engineers, supervisors, and operators, to support the order fulfillment process.
• Apply manufacturing and process engineering principles to improve foundry operations and production workflows.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, quality, and safety in manufacturing processes.
• Analyze existing manufacturing processes and implement process improvements and lean manufacturing practices.
• Support the design, optimization, and documentation of manufacturing lines and processes.
• Utilize project management skills to manage engineering initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation, reports, and presentations using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders to identify issues, propose solutions, and ensure alignment on engineering changes.
• Troubleshoot manufacturing and process issues on the shop floor and implement corrective actions.
• Work approximately 75% of the time on the factory floor, observing operations, collecting data, and engaging directly with production teams.

Essential Skills

• At least 1 year of experience in foundry or process engineering.
• Hands‑on manufacturing engineering and process engineering experience.
• Demonstrated experience with continuous improvement and process improvement in a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes and lean manufacturing principles.
• Effective team collaboration skills, with the ability to work in a cross‑functional environment.
• Strong project management skills to plan and execute engineering initiatives.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, to convey technical information clearly.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to analyze issues and develop practical solutions.
• Ability and willingness to work approximately 75% of the time on the shop floor and remain on feet within the factory.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Engineering Technology, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Experience in manufacturing line and process design.
• Familiarity with enterprise and manufacturing systems such as SAP and MES.
• Experience with design and engineering tools such as Creo and AutoCAD.
• Controls engineering experience, including safety system design.
• Robotics programming experience, particularly with FANUC robots, and troubleshooting skills (highly preferred).

Work Environment

This role is based in a foundry within a larger manufacturing facility and operates on either 2nd shift (3:30 pm to midnight) or 3rd shift (10:30 pm to 7:00 am), depending on production volumes. Overtime requirements are minimal. The position is predominantly shop‑floor focused, with approximately 75% of the time spent on feet within the factory, working directly in a heavy industrial environment that includes foundry processes and production equipment. The engineer regularly interacts with operations personnel and other engineers in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented setting that emphasizes safety, continuous improvement, and efficient order fulfillment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Waterloo, IA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $43.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Waterloo,IA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 28, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.