Manufacturing Engineer I

Protolabs; Brooklyn Park (MN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401k match

Employee Stock Purchase Program

PTO + Holidays

Wellness program

Job summary

Protolabs is hiring a Manufacturing Engineer I to join our Minnesota team. You will help optimize manufacturing processes, improve product quality, and drive operational efficiency across cross-functional groups.

Responsibilities include troubleshooting production issues, developing tooling strategies, and supporting lean manufacturing initiatives while collaborating with quality and engineering teams to deliver cost-effective solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related technical field is required.
• Strong written and oral communication skills are essential.
• Experience with problem solving tools and data analysis is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and optimize manufacturing processes.
• Improve product quality and drive operational efficiency.
• Troubleshoot production issues and identify bottlenecks and improvements.
• Develop tooling strategies for new processes and support lean initiatives.
• Work with quality engineering to implement process and quality improvements.
• Perform data analysis and conduct experiments to validate changes.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Initiative

Time management

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

CAD software

Machining knowledge

Job description

Be yourself at Protolabs

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace. So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply! You can help make our company even better. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself. We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams.

Be yourself at Protolabs

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace. So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply! You can help make our company even better. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself. We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams.

Why Protolabs?

We are the leaders in digital manufacturing. We hire doers, makers, and creative thinkers who tackle our roles with an entrepreneurial spirit. Our culture is centered around meaningful work that brings new and innovative products to market at unprecedented speeds. We are a diverse team that comes from all walks of life and take pride in our team who is smart, genuine, humble, and passionate about what we do. It’s our people who fuel our creativity and make our culture feel like home.

Join our team as a Manufacturing Engineer I!

Join our team as a Manufacturing Engineer I and play a key role in optimizing manufacturing processes, improving product quality, and driving operational efficiency. In this role, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement cost-effective manufacturing solutions, troubleshoot production challenges, analyze data, and support continuous improvement initiatives. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to process development, lean manufacturing activities, quality enhancements, and innovative tooling and production strategies while building a strong foundation in manufacturing engineering.

What You Will Do

• Be a member of cross-disciplinary teams developing and improvising manufacturing processes. Identify opportunities for cost saving or expanded capabilities using data analysis, brainstorming, and other techniques. Help develop competing concepts and apply analytical techniques to support decision processes. Design and develop tooling strategies for new processes.
• Assist in research, design and development of manufacturing processes including production flow, assembly methods and production equipment.
• Troubleshoot production problems as needed. Identify manufacturing bottlenecks and quality issues. Identify potential design improvements and alternatives.
• Assist management in improving a system of production control, standard operating procedures, safety, quality control and training.
• Participate in and promote lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Work closely with quality engineering to facilitate process and quality improvements.
• Perform root cause analysis of situations and implement corrective actions.
• Comprehend and leverage statistical data with assistance.
• Conduct lean activities with guidance (e.g. kaizen events, 5S events).
• Design and conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related technical field
• 0-1 year of relevant professional engineering experience
• Strong written and oral communication skills: able to communicate complex technical information to all levels of the organization, able to clearly present data in written and verbal form
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills; familiarity of problem solving tools and resources (FMEA, Pareto, Cause & Effect diagrams)
• Strong attention to detail and experience with managing project documents and producing quality content.
• Must be able to take initiative and work independently
• Self-motivated and self-directed with high sense of urgency
• Able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment
• Strong time management skills with the ability to successfully perform within a project framework including defined deliverables and time frames

What Sets You Apart

• Kaizen and Lean Manufacturing techniques
• Knowledge of CAD software, machining and molding technology
• A background or working knowledge of machining and/or injection molding preferred
• Experience working within a Continuous Improvement environment

What's In It For You

• We offer a competitive salary and total rewards package
• We offer amazing benefits including but not limited to:
• Health Insurance: Traditional OR High Deductible plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Account (including employer contributions)
• Dental and Vision
• Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Paid caregiver leave
• You will receive at least 3 weeks of PTO + Wellness + Holiday Pay + Volunteer Hours
• 401k with company match and immediate vest
• Employee Stock Purchase Program at a discounted rate
• Matching grants through Protolabs foundation
• And More!

$69,500 - $86,900 a year

Protolabs offers a competitive total rewards package, and compensation mix vary based on position, such as base wage, as well as other earnings including incentives and commissions. Actual pay offered will vary depending on multiple factors which may include, without limitation, job function, work experience, specialized skills, training, education, and certifications.

Proto Labs maintains ITAR-compliant operations in all of our United States based facilities. Due to ITAR regulations, this role is only open to U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or foreign nationals granted refugee or asylee status. Individuals with temporary visas (e.g. E, F-1, H-1, H-2, L, B, J, TN or OPT) are not eligible for hire in this role.

Proto Labs, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Physical Demands

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use a computer keyboard, monitor and mouse, telephone and printer; reach with hands, and arms, talk, see and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop or kneel and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

Indoors (A/C); nonsmoking; the majority of this job function is performed in an office setting requiring normal safety precautions. However, there may be job duties that require the employee to spend time in the manufacturing areas exposed to machinery and noise; eye protection occasionally required. Occasionally works in outside weather conditions. Occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.