Manufacturing Engineer I - Lean & Smart Factory

Vermeer Corporation; Pella (IA); On-site; USD 64,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Vermeer Corporation in Iowa is seeking an Engineer I – Manufacturing to join the team and help drive improvements in production processes, product quality, and sustainability. You will partner with manufacturing, product development, and lifecycle teams to implement practical engineering solutions that align with Vermeer’s continuous improvement culture.

The role emphasizes applying lean principles, reading schematics, and utilizing PLM/ECN systems to manage changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Industrial Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, tooling design, and reading technical drawings; familiarity with continuous improvement methods and digital work instruction tools.
• Ability to understand manufacturing and internal customer needs to collaboratively deliver practical solutions that improve quality, efficiency, or sustainability.
• Familiarity with assembly and welding processes, just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing, and statistical process variation; ability to read mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic schematics.
• Exposure to PLM and ECN systems such as Teamcenter or Windchill to manage process changes, BOM updates, and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with manufacturing, product development, and lifecycle/aftermarket teams to identify and implement process improvements that enhance quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Apply lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste, support just-in-time production, and lead Kaizen and cross-functional improvement events.
• Interpret and work with mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic schematics to support assembly and welding processes.
• Design and optimize tooling and fixtures, leveraging digital work instruction tools to enhance operator efficiency and safety.
• Utilize PLM and ECN systems to manage process changes, BOM updates, and documentation.
• Support data-driven decision-making through ERP, Power BI dashboards, and IoT-enabled process monitoring.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Reading drawings

JIT production

Kaizen

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology/Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Teamcenter/Windchill PLM

ERP

Power BI

IoT monitoring tools

Job description

Vermeer Corporation in Iowa is seeking an Engineer I – Manufacturing to join the team and help drive improvements in production processes, product quality, and sustainability. You will partner with manufacturing, product development, and lifecycle teams to implement practical engineering solutions that align with Vermeer’s continuous improvement culture.

The role emphasizes applying lean principles, reading schematics, and utilizing PLM/ECN systems to manage changes.