Manufacturing Engineer: NPI & Process Ownership

IEWC; Sussex (WI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

IEWC, a trusted provider of electrical control panels, seeks a Manufacturing Engineer to own manufacturing readiness for new and existing products. You will drive continuous improvement across the shop floor and serve as the technical bridge between design engineering, operations, and customers to ensure cost, quality, and timely delivery.

You will lead manufacturing activities for NPIs, define pilot strategies, and collaborate with design teams to resolve manufacturability concerns.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Experience in electrical control panel manufacturing, machine building, or custom industrial equipment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience owning manufacturing processes from design handoff through production.
• Strong ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, mechanical drawings, and customer specifications.
• Experience developing routings, labor standards, and work instructions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and project management tools.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing standards, quality systems, and documentation control.
• Comfortable operating independently with clear accountability for results.
• Strong problem‑solving mindset with a bias toward root cause and prevention.
• Able to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced, custom manufacturing environment.
• Clear communicator who can influence across engineering, operations, and customers.

Responsibilities

• Own the translation of customer drawings, specifications, and requirements into standardized, build-ready manufacturing processes.
• Identify CTQ features and ensure they are controlled through process design, tooling, and documentation.
• Lead design-for-manufacturability (DFM) reviews and drive improvements to reduce risk, labor, and rework.
• Develop and validate labor estimates, routings, and manufacturing assumptions for quoting and capacity planning.
• Lead manufacturing activities for NPI programs, ensuring BOM accuracy, routing integrity, and production readiness.
• Define pilot build strategy, lead pilot builds, and transition products to full production.
• Partner with Design Engineering to resolve gaps, ambiguities, and manufacturability concerns early.
• Establish process controls and acceptance criteria before release to production.
• Design, document, and optimize assembly processes for electrical control panels and related systems.
• Develop and maintain detailed work instructions, standard work, and visual aids to support safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing principles.
• Analyze production data to identify bottlenecks, quality trends, and opportunities for cost and cycle-time reduction.
• Plan and manage manufacturing engineering deliverables across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Coordinate tooling, fixtures, equipment, materials, and labor requirements to support production schedules.
• Identify risks early, elevate appropriately, and implement corrective actions.
• Serve as a manufacturing engineering point of contact for Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Customers.
• Provide hands‑on engineering support during pilot builds, early production, and complex builds.
• Troubleshoot production issues related to process, tooling, documentation, or equipment.
• Collaborate directly with customers to clarify requirements, resolve documentation issues, and support change implementation.
• Support production equipment and machinery from a process and reliability standpoint.

Skills

Process ownership

DFM

Lean manufacturing

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Reading electrical schematics

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Industrial Engineering

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Microsoft Excel

Project management tools

Job description

IEWC, a trusted provider of electrical control panels, seeks a Manufacturing Engineer to own manufacturing readiness for new and existing products. You will drive continuous improvement across the shop floor and serve as the technical bridge between design engineering, operations, and customers to ensure cost, quality, and timely delivery.

You will lead manufacturing activities for NPIs, define pilot strategies, and collaborate with design teams to resolve manufacturability concerns.